Mim 


Kl: 


Ji 


D0LO 


A     HISTORICAL     IsOVEL, 


WITH  AN  INTRODUCTION 


MAZZINI, 


HARRO-HARRING, 


LA    JEUNE    ITALIE  ' — ETC.,    ETC.,  ETC. 


EIGHT  BOOKS— COMPLETE  IN  ONE  VOLUME. 


THIRIX  (STEREOTYPE)  EDITION. 


NEW  YORK  AND  LONDON. 

1853 


PaBLISBED    BY   THE    AUTHOR. 


NEW  YORK  :  DOLORES  OFFICE,  1  BOWERY,  CORNER  OF  DIVISION  STREET. 
LONDON  :  J    WATSON,  3  QUEEN  S-HEAD  P.^SSAGE,  PATERNOSTER-ROW. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  ISW,  by 

PAUL  HARRO  EARRING. 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  Stat«B  for  the 

Southern  Ifistrict  of  New  York. 


SKOSSUAM  k  EOit.  Frilt««ri, 
^9  ADH-Ktjset 


HISTORICAL    INTRODUCTION 


TO    MAZZINI. 


My  Dear  Friend  : 

In  conformity  to  your  consent,  I  take  the  lib- 
erty of  dedicating  to  you  the  present  Edition  of 
my  stereotyped  work,  "  Dolores." 

The  "  Shilling  subscription  of  1852,  in  aid  of 
European  freedom,  the  funds  raised  to  be  de- 
posited in  your  hands  " — induced  me  to  offer  to 
you,  October  last,  for  the  same  aim  ami  pur- 
pose ;  a  part  of  the  proceeds  of  this  Work, 
from  all  Editions  during  three  years. 

You  did  accept  my  proposition,  although,  ex- 
pressing your  doubt  in  the  circulation  and 
extension  of"  Dolores,"  at  the  present  epoch  in 
Europe — where  the  defence  of  the  universal 
cause  of  freedom  and  humanity  is  considered  as 
a  crime,  and  all  literary  works  in  the  same 
spirit  are  prohibited,  even  before  they  are 
published. 

I  decided  on  a  voyage  to  the  United  States, 
for  the  purpose  of  a  new  Edition  of  "  Dolores," 
— without  parting  from  tny  hopes  as  a  Euro- 
pean, with  regard  to  the  victory  of  truth  and 
common  sense  in  future. 

I,  for  my  part,  participated  in  the  straggles 
of  nations  for  their  deliverance,  not  only  defend- 
ing the  rights  of  men  by  means  of  the  Press ; 
but  particularly,  also,  in  the  struggles  of  many 
nations,  by  personal  activity  from  my  early 
youth,  until  the  present  day  ;  and  I  shall  never 
regret  to  have  sacrificed  all  pretension  and  all 
claims  to  happiness,  for  the  recognized,  acknow- 
ledged cause  of  freedom  and  humanity. 

"  Wlien  a  man  has  no  freedom  to  fight  for  at  home, 
Let  him  ccmbat  for  tltat  of  liis  neighbor.^ ; 
Let  him  think  of  the  gluries  of  (Greece  and  of  Rome, 
And  get  knocked  oa  the  he&d  lor  his  labors.'' 

With  those  sublime  words,  Byron  expressed 
the  very  same  thought,  which  inspired  himself 
and  me,  at  the  same  time,  when  he  wrote  those 
lines,  July,  1821.  I  left  my  natal  Country 
Denmark,  departing  from  Copenhagen  for 
Greece,  as  one  of  the  first  Philhellenes  ;  offer- 
ing my  life  for  the  sake  of  freedom — to  act  in 
conformity  to  my  word  ;  which  was  already  de- 
posited and  published  in  the  form  of  poetry. 

Thus  I  left  my  home  when  a  youth ;  and 
since  that  time  my  life  has  been  a  continuance 
of  striving  and  struL'glimg  for  the  same  princi- 
ples, rejecting  all  the  brilliant  and  lucrative 
positions  offered  to  me,  with  the  condition  of 
acknowledging  the  usurping  power  of  Tyranny 
Church  and  Monarchy. 

My  life  is  known  to  you  by  intimate  commu- 
nications— and  partly  to  the  American  public, 
ty  a  biographical  sketch,  written  by  a  friend. 


the  Honorable  Alexander  H.  Everett,  late  Am- 
bassador of  the  United  States  to  China.* 

I  have  "  got  knocked  on  the  head  for  my 
labors " — since  I  did  recognize  the  duties  of 
man  towards  his  neigiibors. 

I  discovered  by  experience  the  fate  of  nations, 
suflering  under  the  yoke  of  Monarchy  "  By  the 
Grace  of  God,"  and  I  endeavored  to  designate 
the  means  of  deliverance  and  redemption  from 
the  Evil  of  Slavery. 

Those  meajis  I  recognised  as  National  associa- 
tions of  all  classes,  to  amalgamate  people  of  ad- 
vanced civilization  with  people  of  less  devel- 
opements  :  Enlightenment  by  education  of 
those,  until  that  time,  neglected  classes  of  the 
nation,  by  whose  industry,  labor,  and  activity^ 
the  material  progress  of  a  country  is  especially 
flourishing,  and  which  represents  the  real 
power  of  a  nation.  No  privileged  classes,  nei- 
ther privilege  from  above,  nor  from  below  ;  ac- 
knowledgment of  all  labor,  of  mental  and  hamli- 
craft. 

Having  accomplished  my  studies  on  Consti- 
tutional Monarchy,  in  Poland,  in  a  kind  of  fin- 
ishing school,  under  the  usurpation  of  one  of 
the  most  outrageous  tyrants  of  our  Century. t  I 
reflected  on  the  futurity  of  Europe. 

I  recognised  the  undisputable  truth,  that 
mankind,  consisting  of  nations,  will  never  be 
free  without  a  practical  Jllliance  of  Nations, 
on  the  base  of  their  reciprocal  nationalities,  in 
the  spirit  of  Humanity.  I  conceived  "  Man- 
kind "  as  being  a  Chaos  of  which  no  freedom, 
{as  the  means  of  all  civilization,)  would  ever 
be  realized,  without  the  independence  of  every 
nation;  the  creation  of  "  forms,"  of  Laws,  con- 
formable to  the  divine  principles  of  Equality, 
Brotherhood,  and  Justice. 

Can  this  truth  be  refuted  by  emigrating 
Cosmopolites  and  Philanthropists  .'  Can  they 
hide  their  selfishness  behind  the  motto  :  {  Ubi 
bene  ibi  patria  ?  May  they  abandon  their 
brethren  in  dungeons,  sacrificed  for  freedom 
and  humanity,  by  pure  sentiment  of  patriotism, 
tlieir  "  practical  philosophy,"  (as  they  call  it,) 
does  not  discharge  Man  irom  his  duties  to- 
wards Mankind.  The  experiences  of  a  quarter 
of  a  century  of  our  political  lives,  Mazzini! 
has  approved  the  above  truth,  the  difference 
between  Emigrant  and  Exile  ;  and  the  active 
Alliance  of  alt  JVations  remains  the  only 
means  of  deliverance  from  the  yoke  of  moral 
and  material  slavery. 

*  See  Alexander  H.  Everett's  Miscellaneous  Writings.  2 
Volumes.     Monroe  &  Co.,  Bo.ston. 

t  Pee  Poland  under  the  Dominion  of  Ru.«!sia.  London" 
Cochrane.  18S1.  Also,  published  in  the  Swedish,  tba 
French,  and  the  German  languages. 

1  Where  1  foe]  well,  there  ia  ni}-  native  country. 


17342^5 


17 


HISTORICAL     I  NTR  O  D  U  C  TI  O  N  , 


Soon  after  my  nr;  ival  from  Poland,  at  Stras- 
burg  in  France,  October,  1831, 1  became  "  hon- 
ored "  by  the  visits  of  a  secret  agent,  a  certain 
Mr.  Malten,  who  was  charged  by  the  Prussian 
Cabinet  to  buy  me,  for  the  service  of  diplomatic 
Jesuitism,  similar  to  the  miserable  propositions 
and  otfers  made  to  me  by  congenial  agents  of 
Austria,  182(3 — and  of  Russia,  1830. 

At  the  above  epoch,  February,  1832,  the 
Duke  oi  Axigu^tejiburg  had  commenced  his  dy- 
nastic conspiracy,  and  his  "provincial"  In- 
trignes — assisted  by  public  officers  and  clergy- 
men— under  the  secret  protection  of  Prussia : 
to  usurp  a  Crown — to  carry,  if  possible,  a 
Scandinavian  Province  into  the  blessed  nothing- 
ness of  the  German  Confederacy. 

It  was  proposed  to  me,  to  share  their  scandal- 
ous operations ;  to  become  a  "  Blood-broker," 
— to  sell  my  countrymen  to  the  King  of  Prussia. 

In  answer  to  such  a  treacherous  proposition, 
I  conceived  the  above  described  thought  of  fu- 
turity. The  mournful  fate  of  Europe  lay  before 
me  in  all  its  misery  of  degradation.  In  con- 
formity to  my  consciousness  of  nationality,  pro- 
voked by  treason,  I  conceived  the  idea  of  a 
Scandinavian  JVational  Union ,  founded  on  the 
principles  of  Democracy ;  the  Scandinavian 
Republic,  connected  with  the  above  explained 
necessity  of  a  moral,  spiritual,  and  practical 
Alliance  of  the  European  nations. 

The  same  thought  of  an  Alliance  of  Nations 
was  contemplated  by  you,  also,  Alazzini,  at 
the  same  time,  without  our  personal  acquaint- 
ance, nor  correspondence. 

We  endeavored,  as  fur  as  in  our  power,  to  lay 
the  "  foundation  stone"  of  such  a  Union ;  and 
the  Union  was  called  "  Young  Europe,"  and 
extended  in  other  parts  of  the  world:  "  IIu- 
manita." 

In  such  a  position,  and  under  such  circum- 
stances, our  fate  became  connected,  and  our 
Btrivings  became  united,  before  our  personal 
acfiuaintance ;  August,  1833. 

The  most  complete  harmony  and  conformity 
of  our  political  and  religious  convictions,  was 
the  reciprocal  spiritual  attraction  of  a  sympa- 
thy, of  a  friendship,  which  has  become  in  me 
one  of  the  most  sacred  sentiments,  and  which 
has  accom.panied  me  from  zone  to  zone — 
strengthened  me  in  all  my  restless  activity,  in 
all  my  sufferings,  in  the  solitude  of  a  dreary  ex- 
ile, and  in  those  hours  of  danger,  when  I  was 
prepared  to  die— when  my  escape  from  tor- 
ture and  execution  appeared  almost  impos- 
sible. 

The  present  work,  although  in  the  form  of  a 
"  Novel,"  is  a  manifestation  of  the  Spirit 
by  which  we  are  penetrated,  as  indefatiga- 
ble defendants  of  the  Rights  of  Man,  and  of  the 
eternal  truth  oi  free  Join. 

In  the  present  momeiit  in  which  I  am  writ- 
ing,* you  are  in  a  similar  situation  of  disap- 
pearance— in  a  forced  incognito — as  I  my- 
self have  been  several  times.  Since  my  arrival 
in  New  York,  I  nm  addressed  on  every  occasion, 
by  friends  and  enemies,  with  questions  about 
you,  which,  in  a  manner,  replace  the  everlast- 
ing topic  of  weather. 

Those  inquirings  about  your  position,  con- 
nected  or   not   connected  with   the   events  in 


•  One  of  the  first  days  of  M.iy,  ISi;. 


.Milano,  becomes  as  tedious  and  annoying  to 
me  as  the  Anglo-Saxon  topic  of  the  weather. 

I  arrived  once  at  New  York  from  South  Ame- 
rica, immediately  after  the  melancholy  news 
from  I'^urope,  about  the  arrestation  of  Bandiera 
and  his  companions ;  the  suppression  of  a  revo- 
lution in  Italy,  1843. 

A  natural  coalition  of  ideas  and  circumstan- 
ces accompanied  my  last  arrival. 

The  self-sacrifice  of  our  immortal  Bandiera 
may  be  remembered  at  present,  to  your  justifi- 
cation before  those  hastened  accusations  against 
you,  by  some  supposed  friends.  The  self-sacri- 
fice of  Bandiera,  connected  with  the  proceed- 
ings of  an  Italian  National  Committee,  was 
it  not  a.  free  action  1  Did  he  not  offer  himself 
— his  life  ^o  pure  and  so  rich  of  peace  and 
earthly  happiness !  Did  he  not  propose  to  you 
"  to  take  the  Fate  of  Italy  on  his  head  and  in 
his  hand  .'"  Was  he  not  acting  without  being 
instructed  by  any  "  usurping  command  from 
your  side  ? — and  his  arrestation  and  his  execu- 
tion, and  the  death  of  his  brother,  and  their 
twelve  companions — those  bloody  pages  in  the 
history  of  our  epoch,  were  they  not  originally 
dictated  by  the  Conspiracy  of  Monarchy — 
and  "  composed"  by  the  infamous  Espionage 
of  unbounded  exertions  of  foreign  spies  in  Eng- 
land, assisted  by  the  treason  of  opening  letters 
at  the  General  Post  Office  in  London  ? 

I  know  most  intimately  your  indifference 
about  all  individual  critics,  opinions  or 
judgments  of  finends  and  enemies,  concerning 
your  position  and  your  actions.  Although  the 
arrogant  and  egotistic  lamentations  about  you 
— by  individuals  pretending  to  be  Republicatts 
and  your  personal  friends — are  too  great  a 
blame  of  their  own  character,  as  to  be  to.tally 
indifferent  to  true  republicans  and  to  your 
genuine  friends. 

I  beg  you,  Mazzini,  to  remember  my  letters 
of  1851,  on  the  difference  between  a  double- 
faced  royal  constitutionist  and  a  pure  demo- 
crat republican — also,  my  last  letters  to  you  of 
1852,  on  the  Hetwria  and  the  two  Greek  mer- 
chants at  Constantinople,  who  prevented  the 
appointed  outbreak  of  the  insurrection  at  that 
place,  and  the  prepared  explosion  of  the  Turk- 
ish fleet,  (Jan.  the  1st,  1821.  a.  St  ,)  by  the  sim- 
ple commercial  reason  :  to  save  two  cargoes  oj 
oil  in  the  vicinity  of  a  Turkish  frigate  : — and 
you  will  understand  my  silence  before  those  in- 
quirings about  the  .Iffairs  in  Italy. 

However,  with  regard  to  those  attacks  on 
your  name  and  reputation,  I  have  not  always 
been  silent ;  and  my  friendship  for  you,  and  my 
above  indicated  position,  may  be  authorities  by 
which  I  several  times  have  expressed  myself : 

"  I  am  able  to  ascertain  the  historical  truth, 
that  .Mazzini  has  never  acted,  and  will  never 
act,  from  selfish  usurpation  of  command.  Maz- 
zini has  never  occasioned  the  death,  nor  the 
martyrdom  in  prison,  of  a  single  Italian.  He 
is  but  the  spiritual  concentration  of  all  Italian 
patriotism.  The  striving  element  of  freedom 
in  Italy  is  not  wanting  the  "  agitation"  of  any 
individual,  and  nobody  would  be  able  to  create 
the  spirit  of  freedom  where  it  does  not  exist  in  the 
mind  of  the  nation.  All  measures  possible,  (to 
prevent  useless  sacrifice  of  human  lives,)  have 
always  been  taken  from  his  side.  But  those 
measures  are  vain  when   the  most  barbarous 


HISTORICAL      INTRODUCTION, 


criieltios  of  tj'rannj,  (and  not  the  command  of 
an  individual,) — dictate  the  actions  of  convul- 
sive despair;  the  attack  otfinir  hundred  men, 
Italians  !  against  a  garrison  of  forty  thousand 
Austrians ! 

A  similar  fact  of  sublime  Patriotism  would 
be  praised  as  glorious  heroism  in  the  annals  of 
ancient  history.  Futurity  will  be  the  judge 
of  those  heroes.  Their  blood  is  a  loud  protest 
of  liunianity  against  the  infamies  of  our  epoch 
— so  great  in  its  extension  of  "  Christian  Socie- 
ties,"— and  in  its  traffic  with  oottcn  and  with 
Blaves  !" 

There  exists  a  certain  "  fixed  idea,"  or  ra- 
ther a  co^ifuscd  idea,  in  the  heads  of  the  Con- 
Bervatives,  or  lienclionaires,  concerning  the 
impulses  and  motives  of  free  men,  sacrificing 
themselves  for  the  Cause  of  Humanity. 

After  the  above  confused  idea  :  the  struggles 
for  national  rights  and  freedom  are  but  the 
consequences  of  the  doings  and  exertions  of  a 
few  individuals,  of -enthusia^stH,  obstinate  char- 
acters, homeless  vagabonds,  and  such  like,  en- 
titled "  wretches,"  among  which,  also,  a  Wash- 
inglon,  a  Jefferson,  a  Franklin,  &c.,  would 
have  been  *'  registered,"  in  case  the  American 
Insurrection  would  have  "  failed,"  oppressed 
by  the  destructive  power  of  monarchy,  at  their 

times. Eepecially    for    a    Washington, 

"  Whitehall  would  have  been  not  very  far 
from  Old  Bailey ." 

One  tyrant  governs  public  opinion,  his 
name  is  Ignorance,  and  against  that  tyrant  we 
have  no  arms.  He  attacks  the  name,  the  honor, 
and  the  life,  of  a  man,  but  never  openly,  face  to 
face,  but  from  behind,  casting  mud  and 
stones,  enveloped  in  newspapers.  He  wears  a 
cloak  of  double  colors,  showing  the  lining  on 
outside,  as  soon  as  success  or  failure  decided 
on  the  Fashion. 

The  means  to  suppress  the  moral  and  spirit- 
ual developement  of  a  nation,  are  recognised 
in  the  estaWishment  of  extensive  moral  slavery 
by  denying  freedom  of  conscience.  Men  pro- 
fessing and  advocating  the  genuine  principles 
of  Christianity,  the  doctrine  of  "  Equality, 
Brotherhood,  and  Justice,"  are  to  be  excluded 
from  society,  sentenced  to  death— if  possible 
executed — their  works  or  mental  productions 
are  to  be  ptohibited  by  law,  and,  (where  such 
laws  are  not  "  practical,")  literature,  press, 
the  book-trade,  and  the  running  agency  is  to  be 
monopolized — all  publications  advocating  and 
defending  the  rights  of  men, — freedom  of 
mind — are  to  be  burnt  by  the  Hangmen — or 
(Id  free  countries)  refused  in  trade,  by  "  honest 
and  respectable"  booksellers.  No  ray  of  truth 
("  the  conformity  of  conception  with  the  sub- 
ject in  reality,")  is  to  be  allowed  to  penetrate 
the  heart  of  man.  Sophism  and  Lie  are  to  be 
tauglit  in  the  schools,  and  Hypocrisy  is  to  be 
protected  instead  of  Religion!  Such  are  the 
conditions  of  moral  slavery. 

The  pretended  dynastic  rights  (the  base  of 
Monarchy  "  By  the  grace  of  God,")  are  main- 
tained by  the  Lie  of  Priestcraft  in  open  con- 
tradiction to  reality  :  since  there  exists  but 
one  Kind  of  Men,  ("  Mankind,")  without  privi- 
lege of  birth.  In  our  present  days  even  in  Re- 
publics— in  Switzerland,  and  in  the  New  World, 
Priests  are  conspiring  with  Despots  to  estab- 
lish Monarchy,  to  deprive  the  nations  (if  pos- 


sible,) of  their  sacred  rights,  to  sell  the  soil  of 
their  native  country — moistened  with  the  Blood 
of  Patriotism — to  any  young  or  ancient  dynasty. 

Very  often  we  hear  people  talking  about  the 
"  preference  of  the  form  of  government ;  / 
whether  republican  or  monarcbial  ?  "  Such  1 
conversations  are  manifestations  of  privileged 
dullness.  Not  the  form  but  the  Spirit  and  the 
principles  upon  which  the  government  is  based, 
makes  it  legitimate.  The  only  legitimate  gov- 
ernment, by  right,  is  the  Republican  (Self) 
Government.  "  Right"  is  a  truth  :  and  a  truth 
remains  truth  in  eternity.  Truth  can  never 
be  altered  to  lie,  and  a  right  can  never  be  lost. 
Suppose  a  right  of  monarchy  existed ;  sup- 
pose the  British  Crown,  or  Spain,  had  ever  a 
right  on  their  "  Colonies  "  in  the  New  World  : 
why  could  such  a  right  be  lost .'  Why  did  the 
Crowns  not  maintain  such  a  "  right  ?" 

In  opposite  to  the  lie  of  dynastic  pretension, 
the  truth  of  Republican  (or  Self)  Government 
is  founded  in  nature,  and  in  common  sense. 
The  truth  of  many  thousand  years,  can  never 
becume  a  lie.  Mankind  existed  before  any 
dynasty. 

It  is  a  remarkable  and  highly  interesting 
fact  of  Modern  History,  that  the  worldly  gov- 
ernment of  the  Pope  has  been  abolished,  and 
the  Roman  Republic  proclaimed,  by  unanimity 
of  votes,  of  a  legal  national  assembly,  and  that 
the  republican  government,  (of  which  you, 
Mnzzini,  was  one  of  the  Triumvires,)  main- 
tained order  and  justice,  without  a  single  case 
of  prosecution  nor  reaction  in  the  interior  of 
the  state ;  "  without  shedding  a  single  drop  of 
Blood" — in  contrast  to  the  monarchial  govern- 
ments, and  to  the  usurpation  of  a  Pope,  whose 
prime  ministers  are  ;  the  Hangmen. 

Jlay  it  be  remembered,  also,  that  the  last 
King  of  Ancient  Rome,  Tarquinius,  a  criminal, 
was  treated  with  the  same  noble  generosity, 
from  the  part  of  the  Romans,  when  he  was  sent 
away  ;  instead  of  being  abused  with  cruelties 
of  Barbarism,  as  they  are  in  fashion  in  monar- 
chies, .against  vanquished  republicans. 

Your  republican  government  of  1849,  was 
knocked  down  by  invasion,  by  tyranny,  after  a 
glorious  combat,  "  by  the  brutal  power,  and  by 
treason  of  a  foreign  League,"  (as  you  expressed 
yourself  in  one  of  your  friendly  letters  to  me — 
of  April  the  16th,  1850.)  The  barbarous  gov- 
ernment of  Rosas,  at  Buenos  Ayres,  (treated  in 
the  present  work,  **  Dolores,")  may  be  symbo- 
lized by  the  bloody  human  heads  which  were 
continually  the  chief  ornaments  at  the  gates  of 
his  palace.  The  government  of  Rosas  was 
acknowledged  by  a  Foreign  League,  by  all  the 
European  Monarchies,  and  even  by  Repulilics  of 
the  New  World  ;  which  Missionaries  of  various 
Sects  were  admiring  witnesses  of  such  a  "  strong 
government,"  without  a  single  expression  of 
feeling  of  humanity,  nor  compassion  towards 
all  those  martyrs  of  freedom.  Such  a  govern- 
ment of  infamy,  crime,  and  murder  was  ac- 
knowledged asa.  fait  accompli,  (indeed  a  fact  of 
accomplished  Barbarism,)  and  the  ambassador 
of  a  "great  maritine  power,"  aliased" himself 
by  flattering  Rosas,  and  his  daughter  concu- 
bine— to  the  honor  of  his  Chistian  (Government. 

Your  republican  government, founded  on  the 
principles  of  humanity,  was  certainly  7tot  ac- 
knowledged by  those  Great  Powers  of  Europe, 


HISTORICAL     INTRO  DtJCTIOir, 


nor  by  the  Priestcraft  of  any  High  Church  in 
the  New  World.  You  did  not  govern  with  the 
Hangman,  and  therefore  you  are  prosecuted, 
and  sought  to  be  delivered  to  the  Hangman. 

The  last  mail  from  Europe  brings,  among 
Others,  the  glorious  news  (no  news  to  ourselves 
since  many  years)  of  the  "  Holy  Alliance"  be- 
tween the  High  Police  of  the  Continent  and  the 
State  Police  in  England. 

The  "Exile  Hunting"  in  Old  England  begins, 
where  hunting  has  been  always  an  aristocratic 
amusement.  Those  exertions  of  espionage 
again.st  all  Englishmen  in  the  least  friendly 
connection  with  an  exile — may  teach  common 
sense,  that  there  is  no  difference  between  the 
elements  and  the  principles  of  Constitutional 
and  Obsolute  Monarchy  ;  nothing  between  the 
Church  and  Monarchy  of  Great  Britain,  and 
any  Church  and  Monarchy  on  the  Continent, 
but — the  British  Channel. 

My  anxieties  about  your  safety,  in  your  pre- 
sent position,  wherever  you  may  be  watched  by 
friends,  I  can  but  Iwill  not  express  I  should  be 
desolate  and  in  despair,  if  you  should  be  lost,  in 
consequence  of  those  united  measures  of  Hang- 
manship.  Although  I  know  that  you  are  pre- 
pared to  meet  the  scaffold  as  well  as  I  have 
been  in  similar  cases,  and  as  I  shall  be  al- 
ways ;  and  I  am  consoled  by  a  certain  positive 
presentiment,  that  you  will  be  saved  ;  that 
your  mission  on  earth  is  not  yet  fulfilled.* 

The  same  mail  brings  the  important  news  of 
a  severe  prosecution  against  the  Calabrian — 
Hats,  on  the  Continent,  in  consequence  of  which 
"  a  whole  cart-full  have  been  arrested  in  Cas- 
"  sel,  and  the  Hatlers  in  Munich  have  made 
"  an  ineffectual  appeal  against  such  proscrip- 
"  tion."  Those  results  are  of  high  importance, 
as  characterizing  symptoms  of  the  Despair,  or 
Madness,  of  Despotism.  Since  it  is  impossible  to 
arrest,  or  to  stop  the  eternal  motion — the  pro- 
gress of  development — the  spirit  in  mankind  ; 
the  enraged  tyrants,  with  their  cheap  instru- 
ments of  uycll-dressed  hunting-dogs,  discharge 
all  their  fury  against — a  Hat .'  And  honest 
John  Bull  stands  in  an  open  alliance  with  the 
Continental  llangraanship,  to  employ  all  his 
power  in  "  hunting  an  1  beating,"  in  case  such 
a  Calabrian — hat  should  appear  on  the  formerly 
free  soil  of  Great  Britain  ! 

In  contradiction  to  such  facts,  "  Uncle  Tom" 
calls  the  British  Territories  in  the  New  World, 
•'  the  blessed  soil  of  freedom  f  from  which  his 
Grand  Uncle  Sam  has  become  separated,  in 
consequence  of  that  "  unfortunate"  Declaration 
of  Independence. 

I  should  advise  Uncle  Tom,  and  all  his 
while  friends,  for  their  future  excursions  to- 
wards the  "  blessed  soil  of  freedom — to  wear 
(at  all  events)  no  Calabrian  Hat.  I  should 
advise,  also,  the  United  European  Police  to  act 
in  the  future  with  more  common  sense  against 
the   spirit  of  freedom.     Suppose   the  Hat  has 


*  Those  were  the  words  of  an  American  lady,  of  your, 
and  my,  personal  acquaintance,  when  we  heard  vf  all  those 
inea'*ures  to  your  arre.station  on  the  whole  Continent — 
where  even  the  Coffins  were  opene.I  and  visited  at  Milano — 
to  prevent  your  escape.  "  MrUiiiti  will  iwt  be  lost  !  ex- 
claimed the'lady.  with  a  remarkable  expression  of  faith 
and  confidence — -They  will  not  find  him  out  !  He  is  pro- 
tected  His  Mis.sion  on  Earth  is  not  yet 

fulfilled  !"  The  print  of  the  present  edition,  retarded  un- 
til the  news  of  vL.iir  happy  arrival  in  London  reached  the 
Sew  World.— Jujf  li,  IbM.    Hiiro. 


been  made  to  cover  a  head  in  which  the  prose- 
cuted idea  of  freedom  might  be  awakened  ;  and 
suppose  the  idea  is  to  be  caught ;  would  it  not 
be  more  reasonable  to  wait  until  the  dangerous 
head  would  be  in  the  Hat !  If  the  form  or 
shape  of  a  Hat  can  be  dangerous  to  a  throne, 
the  foundation  of  the  throne  may  not  be  very 
solid. 

However,  immediately  after  the  news  of  the 
aafearrestationof  the  cartful  of  Calabrian  Hats, 
in  Germany,  "  a  Courier  has  arrived  from  St. 
Petersburg,  at  Odessa,  with  instructions  to 
seize,  for  the  present,  any  extraordinary  war- 
like preparations." 

The  space  of  our  "  introductory  letter"  oblige 
me  to  conclude. 

Some  of  my  thoughts  and  feelings  I  hare  de- 
posited in  metric  forms  since  I  left  yon,  and  es- 
pecially during  my  passage,  "  crossing  the 
Ocean."  Allow  me  to  add  a  few  Stanzas  of  the 
manuscript,*  which  I  intend  to  publish, — in 
case  I  should  be  so  happy  as  to  obtain  the 
permission  of  the  Popish  and  Sectarian  Cen- 
sorship in  this  part  of  the  world — to  sell 
snch  publications  through  a  fi"ee  trade  in 
Books. 

If  all  the  New  World  would  lament  and  crj : 

Europe  is  lost  !  all  freedom  there  is  gone  I 

With  my  belief  in  God,  I  would  deny 

Such  doubt  in  mankind  in  a  separate  zoDd. 

The  Spirit  of  freedom  did  nft  fly  away 

Before  the  treason  of  Xapuleon  '. 

In  all  the  nations  there  exists  a  Power 

Which  will  revenge  bis  crime  in  future  boor  I 

Believe  me.  Freedom  is  no  Privilege 

Of  any  century,  nor  of  any  nation  I 

The  power  of  human  mind  is  not  a  pledge. 

To  be  deposited  at  any  station, 

And  to  be  watched  by  some  crowned  wretch, 

In  his  forsworn,  perjured  degradation. 

No  !  Europe  has  nit  pledg'd.  for  any  price 

Her  duty  and  ber  right  :  Europe  unU  rise  I 

The  spirit  which  now  is  struggling  in  Europe, 
Is  not  the  party  spirit  of  a  sect. 
May  Churchmen.  Prote-stants,  against  the  Pope 
Profess  their  strong  sectarian  disrespect. 
Against  His  Holiness,  with  secret  hope 
To  establish  somewhere  else  a  most  perfect 
True  copy  of  such  guardianship  cf  sonU  ; 
Establishment  for  idiots,  and  for  fool^  I 

No  personal  rage  agitnst  a  Prince  or  Kio^— 
No  lucrative  dynastic  conspiracy 
Will  succeed  in  Europe  for  anytliing 
In  future  time,  mysteriously  and  hary  ; 
To  buy  luisembles.  and  by  times,  to  bring 
The  soldiers  in  alarm,  by  brandy  crazy  : 
Such  Hydrophobia  for  new  timb'red  throne 
Did  end  with  Holstein  and  Napoleon  I 

'Tis  something  else,  which  in  Europe  is  mining; 
Not  mining  gold,  but  undermining  thrones. 
It  is  the  Sjnrit  of  Truth,  which  is  sustaining 
/Vwrio?n  of  Mind,  in  spite  of  all  .Napoleons] 
Belief  in  Monarchy  is  more  declining 
Tlian  ever  before,  and  the  foundation  stones 
Of  reai  Republics  are  well  join'd  with  blood 
By  Martyniom,  to  Nation's  Brotherhood  ! 

I  remain,  invariably, 

Voire  ami  et  frtrre : 

HARRO. 
New  York,  May  9,  1853. 

»  '■  S-vLnA-no-NS.  crnssing  Oif-  Ot-fan,''  with  an  Appendix 
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PREFACE 

TO   THE   SECOND    EDITION" 


It  •was  the  author's  task  to  giro,  in  some  form,  a  representation  of  the  contest  of  our  century, 
in  ■which  an  exalted  Idea  of  the  Future  strives  after  realization  in  manifold  shapes,  manifesting 
the  Spirit  of  Progress  and  the  Ennoblement  of  Mankind. 

The  struggle  of  South  America,  to  found  a  Union  upon  principles  similar  to  those  of  tha 
tJnited  States  of  North  America,  shows  a  connected  chain  of  great  occurrences  in  tha 
history  of  our  century,  -which  will  first  be  recognized  in  their  true  dignity,  when  victory 
shall  consecrate  the  bluod  of  the  martyrs  which  has,  for  the  last  twenty  years,  flowed  around 
the  altar  of  humanity. 

The  author  did  not  content  himself  with  a  merely  flowing  romantic,  or  a  dry  historic  repra- 
lentation  of  external  appearances,  which,  as  "  news  of  the  day,"  pass  away — leaving  no  trao* 
nor  impression  :  he  sought  to  arrive  at  the  sources  &om  which  proceed  the  movements  of  nations, 
as  well  as  the  crimes  and  passions  of  individuals. 

He  regards  "  mankind  as  consisting  of  nations ;  nations  as  composed  of  individuals,  and  each 
individual  as  a  man,  capable  of  higher  perfection."  He  sought  to  penetrate  the  position  of  mait 
in  his  right,  and,  also,  in  his  duties;  to  judge  man,  in  his  relations  to  the  exalted  idea: 
God  and  Mankind,  which,  as  Eeligion,  shines  in  flames  and  streams  of  light,  through  the  his- 
tory of  all  ages. 

In  searching  into  these  relations,  he  arrived  at  a  deeper  contemplation  of  the  human  being  M 
the  inhabitant  of  an  intermediate  planet — as  a  being  in  the  vastness  of  the  universe — oonoerninj 
man  himself,  as  a  spiritual  Unity  in  this  body  of  dust  upon  earth. 

Having  recognized  the  undeniable,  mighty  influence  of  Women  upon  the  education  and 
melioration  of  a  rising  generation,  as  well  as  by  her  magic  power  upon  the  heart  and  mind  at 
man,  the  author  placed  himself  among  the  advocates  of  the  female  sex — perhaps  the  most 
fliankless  of  all  kinds  of  advocacy — but,  (from  a  higher  point  of  view,)  treating,  also,  perhaps  tha 
Kost  important  cause  of  the  social  world,  before  the  impartial  Court  of  Nature  and  Beason. 

How  far  the  author  has  performed  the  task  of  representation,  which  pressed,  as  it  were,  npoa 
him,  from  the  past  of  his  life,  and  from  his  participation  in  tlie  great  struggle  of  the  age, 
the  intellectual  public  of  the  New  and  the  Old  World  may  decide,  to  whom  he  dedicates  tlii» 
second  edition. 

New  Tobk,  March  26th,  1847 

PAUL  HARRO-HARRING. 

Of  Ibemhof,  in  Denmark 


PREFACE 


TO    THE   THIRD    EDITCON" 


Since  the  first  publication  of  '  Dolores,'  historical  events  in  South  America,  and  in  Europe, 
have  approTed  the  "  prophetic  spirit"  in  which  many  pages  of  it  have  been  written. 

The  ecandalous  Government  of  Rosas  ended  February,  1852.  The  tyrant  escaped,  cow- 
ardly disguised  as  a  sailor,  in  slippers,  and  arrived  on  board  of  a  foreign  man-of-war.  A 
foreign  naval  ofiScer  having  protected  his  flight,  "  hunting  for  a  horse,  to  escape  himself,  waa 
killed — shot  like  a  dog — in  the  streets  of  Buenos  Ayres,  instead  of  the  tyrant."  Such  are  the 
expressions  of  a  private  communication. 

The  privileged  murderer  went  to  England,  where  he  is  living  comfortably  ;  by  no  means 
disturbed  by  the  '  High  Police,' — like  Republican  Exiles.  I  expect  "  hospitable  John  Bull"  will 
give  him  a  good  treat,  occasionally — like  Haynau. 

The  family  name  of  Alphonso,'  (in  our  Novel,)  was  Pizarro. 

PizARRo  was  not  executed  alone,  but  shot,  together  with  fifty-three  other  republican 
patriots,  of  the  wealthy  classes.  I  altered  the  scene  of  his  death,  to  avoid  the  description  of  a 
similar  "  wholesale  butchery"  of  well-known  modern  fashion,  at  the  head  of  a  Novel.^— 

•  Dolores '  was  reported  to  be  dead  when  I  composed  the  work. 

The  schooner  Mazzini  has  really  existed,  commanded  by  GARiB.iLDi,  and  the  described  ex- 
clamations and  salutations,  Viva  Mazzini .'  e  viva  la  Giovine  Italia,  Sfc,  tfc,  when  the 
wreck  arrived  at  Kio  de  Janeiro — are  also  historical. 

The  characters  in  the  Novel,  (upwards  of  fifty,)  are  all  '  portraits  drawn  after  nature.'  The 
originals,  however,  are  sometimes  carefully  masked  and  placed  in  situations  calculated  to 
eonceal  their  identity  ;  to  reply  on  indiscreet  researches  about  their  realities. 

I  hope  that  the  Exiles  from  Rio  de  la  Plata,  suffering  on  a  foreign  soil  during  the  barbarous 

government  of  Rosas,  are  safely  returned,  or  will  return,  to  their  patriarchal  homes ;  and  I 

hereby  present  my  hearty  greetings  to  all  those  noble  Republicans,  believing  in  Diosy  Haman- 

idad,  who  remember  the  name  of  their  true  friend  and  former  companion  : 

HARRO 
New  York,  July  4th,  1853. 


DOLORES: 

A  NOYEL  OF  HUMANITY, 


No  hammer  forged  the  iron  so  fast, 
That  the  chain  may  not  be  broken  at  last : 
For  power  can  break  the  strongest  chain, 
And  the  highest  power  is  the  mijul  of  man  ! 


NOTICE. 

Dolores  appeared  translated  in  the  Sweihxh  language,  at  Stockholm,{A{tonh\s>.det,  Feuilleton) 
1847.  A  Translation  in  German  exists,  by  the  Author  himself,  which,  until  at  present,  could 
not  be  published  in  the  States  of  the  German  Confederacy,  Europe,  where  all  his  works  are  pro- 
hibited since  1831, 

Acknowledging  the  Right  of  Translating  to  eTcrybody,  the  Author  offers  hereby  the  above 
manuscript  to  Publishers  in  free  countries,  who  may  enter  into  correspondence  with  him,  direct- 
ing their  letters  to  the  Do/ores  Office,  1  Bowery,  New  York. 


EPISODES 


CONNECTED    WITH    THE    NOVEL 


"  It  is  no  dream — it  yet  shall  be  fulfilled,  P. 

The  Nations  yet  shall  rise  in  all  their  might !" 20 

Situation  of  Buenos  Ayres 27 

The  History  of  Napoleon ;  told  by  a  Monk 83 

Private  Instructions  of  a  London  City  Merchant  to  his  Son 45 

Rosas — "  A  curse  be  his  name  !" 60 

The  Sonsofthe  Ocean. — Navigation 79 

La  Giovine  Italia,  (Young  Italy) — Mazzini 84 

Young  Europe,  Manifest 86 

Fragment  on  Brazils 105 

Eage  and  AVretchedness  of  Gold  Digging 128 

Psychology  of  Love. — Woman 135 

Marriage  without  Love 136 

The  Spiritual  World.— mnango 139 

Scandinavia 146 

Views  of  Marriage 151 

Hinango's  Confession 1  ^^4 

Simon  Konarski,  a  Martyr  of  "  Young  Europe." 180 

**  Sidon  and  Tyre  have  once  been  great  in  traffic." 182 

The  Union  of  "  Humanita,"'  and  a  National  Manifest 187 

Philosophy 204 

Social  Questions 220 

Ormur's  Epistle  to  the  Eepuhlicans 239 

The  Book  of  Ormur,  on  People  and  Government, 241 

Extended  System  of  Espionage 205 

Magnetism. 

I.  Element  of  Magnetism 275 

n.  Superior  Psychology 278 

Fragments  on  Magnetism 281 

The  History  of  King  Saul — Monarchy 209 

The  Speech  from  the  Saddle 303 

Woman's  Magic  :  Magnetism. — The  Element  of  Love — Marriage  without  Love,  the  Degi-a- 
dation  of  Woman 851 


DOLORES. 


BOOK   I. 


CHAPTER   I. 


THE    MYSTERY 


"  Seven  and  hventy  balls  aimed  at  his  breast, 
blindfolded,  kneeling,"  said  Padre  Fernando, 
slowly,  and  with  marked  emphasis,  addressing 
Scnor  Domingo,  the  keeper  of  the  prison,  who 
attended  him  to  the  gates. 

•  "  Seven  and  twenty  balls  aimed  at  his  breast," 
repeated  Senor  Domingo,  with  equal  delibera- 
tion, as  he  took  a  pinch  of  snuff  from  his  silver 
box,  and  handing  it  to  the  reverend  Padre,  ad- 
ded, "  can  I  serve  you  ?" 

The  monk,  by  no  means  disdaining  the  nasal 
offering  of  his  old  acquaintance,  drew  up  the 
left  corner  of  his  mouth  towards  his  ear,  while 
he  insinuated  the  pinch  of  snuff  into  his  right 
nostril,  and  then  again  addressed  the  officer  of 
the  Argentine  Republic  in  a  business  manner, 
keeping  back  the  most  important  matters  until 
the  last. 

"  You  must  send  some  one  immediately  to  the 
Monastery  of  St.  Bento,*  and  summon  Brother 
Celeste  to  the  condemned.  I  have  daily  and 
nightly  endeavored  to  bring  him  to  confession, 
to  give  the  name  of  the  poet  who  wrote  the 
infamous  Unitarianf  Elegies,  but  all  in  vain  ! 
He  will  confess  nothing,  denounce  no  one  ; 
he  will  of  course  be  shot  to-morrow  morning 
at  sunrise,  here  in  the  yard  !  You  must  send 
some  one  immediately  to  the  Monastery  of  St. 
Bento  to  summon  Brother  Celeste.  Do  you 
understand,  Senor  Domingo  ?  Brother  Celeste. 
Our  office  and  profession  oblige  us  to  gratify  and 
fulfil  the  last  wish  of  a  condemned  person,  who 
IS  allowed  to  choose  his  confessor  by  tlie  rules 
ef  the  only  saving  Church,  which  is  protected 
*nd  richly  endowed  by  the  grace  and  favor  of 
our  lord  and  master  the  Director. |  May  the  Lord 
grant  him  a  long  life,  and  finally  a  happy  end  !" 

"  Padre  Celeste,  at  the  Monastery  of  St.  Ben- 
to," repeated  Seiior  Domingo,  and  called  to  him 
Narcissus,  a  mulatto,  who  stood  beside  a  sentry, 
before  the  gate  of  the  edifice,  on  the  threshold 
of  which  the  conversation  took  place.  He  ex- 
pressly ordered  the  mulatto  to  bring  the  confessor 

•The  names  of  many  places,  and  of  all  the  persons  of 
Ihis  novel,  have  been  changeJ,  to  veil  the  reality  of  its 
facts. 

f  A  political  designation,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  follow- 
ing tale. 

J  Oubemador  or  President 


with  the  utmost  speed  ;  whereat  the  messenger 
departed,  repeating  over  to  himself  all  the  while 
the  names  of  the  monk  and  the  monastery — an 
hereditary  custom  of  the  African  negroes,  who 
rely  very  little  on  their  memories. 

Although  political  offenders  were  usually  con- 
fined in  the  prison  edifice  which  formed  a  part 
of  the  so  called  Palace  of  Justice,  in  the  Plaza 
de  Victoria,  at  Buenos  Ayres,  many  of  these  pri- 
soners were  to  be  found  in  more  remote  and  an- 
cient prisons,  for  the  same  reasons  that  a  hotel 
keeper  hastily  converts,  for  the  occasion,  a  pri- 
vate house  into  "  furnished  lodgings,"  when  an 
unusual  number  of  guests  requires  such  an  ar- 
rangement. 

"  Is  there  then  no  pardon — no  deliverance. 
Padre  Fernando  ?"  inquired  the  prison  keeper, 
after  a  short  pause,  during  which  each  took  ano- 
ther pinch  of  snuff;  "  must  the  young  Seiior 
Alphonso  be  shot  early  to-morrow  morning  ? 
Seven  and  twenty  balls  aimed  at  his  breast,  yoti 
say  .'  seven  and  twenty  !  Then,  probably  at  least 
half  a  dozen  will  hit  his  breast,  and  it  is  to  be 
hoped  that  one  at  least  will  reach  his  heart." 

"  Seven  and  hventy,"  repeated  the  monk,  sig- 
nificantly, "  as  many  bullets  as  the  hardened 
sinner  counts  years :  such  is  the  will  and  com- 
mand of  our  lord  and  governor,  which  is  to  be 
regarded  as  an  especial  favor,  since  we  may 
anticipate,  (as  you  very  justly  remark,)  that 
at  least  one  bullet  will  reach  the  guilt-laden 
heart." 

"  Guilt-laden  !  yes,  indeed,"  interrupted  old 
Domingo  ;  "  he  certainly  caused  the  publication 
of  the  infamous  Unitarian  poems  in  Monte  Video ; 
this  is  proved,  as  we  knevc  long  ago,  by  the  re- 
port of  our  high  police.  It  is  certainly  high 
treason  against  the  most  high  person  of  our  Di- 
rector. Whether  he  is  the  author,  whether  he 
himself  wrote  them,  is  matter  of  little  conse- 
quence; he  caused  them  to  be  published,  and 
privately  circulated  them  :  it  is  horrible  .'  unpa- 
ralleled !"  affirmed  the  prison  officer  ;  "  this  all 
proceeds  from  the  free  press  at  Monte  Video." 

"  It  all  comes  from  the  spirit  of  rebellion  in 
Europe,"  interrupted  Padre  Fernando,"  and  from 
the  culpable  example  of  God-dishonoring  free- 
dom in  North  America,  where  the  people  even 
live  without  a  king  !  without  a  king,  Senor  Do- 
mingo !  what  do  you  say  to  that  ?  and  where  the 
Director  or  President  has  not  absolute  authority 
like  our  monarch  Rosas,  who,  though  to  be  sure 
he  IS  as  yet  neither  annointed  nor  crowned  king. 


6 


DOLORES 


will  be,  before  his  death,  as  sure  as  I  am  Padre 
Fernando."  _ 

"  Will  be  crowned  king  f"  repeated  Senor  Do- 
mingo, slowly  and  thoughtfully.  "  Do  you  think 
so,  Padve  Fernando  ?  do  you  really  think  that 
this  will  yet  come  to  pass  .' 

"  More  is  known  among  lis  than  what  goes  on 
in  the  .Sacristy,  Senor  Domingo,"  whispered  the 
venerable  follower  of  the  holy  Franciscus,  "  more 
is  known  among  us  !  Already  it  is  all  planned 
and  supported  by  the  legitimate  powers  of  Europe 
— the  U'gitimate  Christian  powers  ! — of  whom, 
thank  Gi  d,  many  still  remain  tliere.  He  will  be 
crowned  king  and  sovereign  of  the  La  Platas  and 
Patagonia,  and  three  new  bishopricks  will  be 
founded,  and  seven  new  monasteries  built,  and 
our  order  will  be  held  in  especial  consideration. 
I  tell  you,  Seiior  Domingo,  we  shall  yet  live  to 
see  it !  But  we  must  go  to  work  earnestly  against 
this  spirit  of  riot  and  rebellion,  which  even  here, 
in  the  unhapi^y  days  of  the  past,  has  once  over- 
turned tlie  throne  !  We  must  take  hold,  and 
assist  in  rearing  the  throne  of  legitimacy.  How- 
ever, as  to  our  prisoner,  the  infiimous  republican 
and  enemy  to  religion,  our  Seiior  Alphonso, 
down  there  in  the  dungeon,  you  may  give  him 
whatever  refreshments  you  may  think  best,  if 
he  wishes  any  ;  and  brother  Celeste  may  remain 
with  him  to-night,  until  early  to-morrow  morn- 
ing, until  his  hour  strikes." 

The  pris'in,  at  the  gate  of  which  this  conver- 
sation took  jjlace,  had  been  built  for  a  monastery, 
in  the  good  old  days  of  the  Jesuits,  and  now  de- 
graded to  a  barrack,  while  the  solid  inquisitorial 
subterranean  dungeons  were  used  for  their  ori- 
ginal purpose. 

The  conversation  of  the  two  public  servants, 
was  interrupted  by  the  appearance  of  Seiior  Bor- 
rachezo,  a  commissary  of  police,  attended  by 
one  of  those  officers  who  serve  the  police  in  se- 
cret, and  openly  endeavor  to  pass  for  something 
quite  different. 

"  Come  with  us,"  said  Senor  Borrachezo,  to 
the  two  friends  of  snuff,  "  come  in,  I  have  some- 
thing to  say  to  you  ;  let  the  office  be  opened,  Se- 
nor Domingo,"  cried  Senor  Borrachezo,  a  squai'e 
built  figure,  with  a  copper  colored  nose,  and  pen- 
dent nether  lip  ;  "  walk  in,  reverend  Padre  Fer- 
nando." 

The  chief  jailer  selected  the  key  of  the  "  bu- 
reau of  locked-up  responsibilities,"  from  a  ring 
brought  to  him  by  the  under-porter  ;  he  opened 
a  double  door,  turned  the  blind,  to  throw  in  the 
feeble  glimmer  of  departing  twilight  on  the  per- 
sons entering,  and  arranged  some  cliairs.  All 
four  took  their  places,  and  the  deputy  of  police, 
having  taken  a  pinch  from  Seiior  Domingo's  box, 
began — 

"  Seiior  Alphonso  will  be  executed  early  in 
the  morning,  as  you  know ;  it  is  to  be  hoped 
you  have  prepared  him.  Padre  Fernando;  have 
you  ch-awn  from  liim  any  thing  in  relation  to  the 
secret .'" 

"  Prepared,  indeed  !"  replied  the  monk,  "  if 
a  sinner  can  be  prepared,  who  will  neither  ac- 
knowledge the  authorities,  nor  receive  the  sacra- 
ment of  the  church  from  a  follower  of  the  holy 
St.  Franciscus." 

"  How  so  !  will  not  receive  it !"  inquired  the 
police  officer,  surprised  :  "  does  he  refuse  the 
sacrament  of  the  holy  sujjper .'" 

"  Not  that,"  interrupted  the  other,  "  but  he 


refuses  to  receive  it  from  me,  and  desires  his 
special  confessor,  a  Benedictine,  Brother  Ce- 
leste." 

"  We  cannot  deny  him  that,"  declared  Seiior 
Borrachezo.  "  Have  you  not  sent  some  one  al- 
ready to  the  monastery  of  St.  Bento,  Senor  Do- 
mingo .'" 

"  At  your  service,"  replied  the  latter, "  I  have  . 
sent  my  Narcissus,  he  must  soon  be  back  again. 
Can  I  serve  you  ?"  said  he,  in  the  most  courteous 
manner  to  the  police  officer,  again  handing  him 
his  snuffbox. 

"  Have  you  remarked  nothing  since,  SeEor 
Domingo  ?"  inquired  the  latter :  "  no  suspicious 
persons  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  building? 
no  visits  without  legal  tickets  of  admission  ? 
Has  no  one  appeared  who  would  excite  the 
suspicion  that  he  might  be  a  confederate  of  the 
condemned  .'" 

"  No  one,  Senor  Consejero,  (counsellor,)  but 
the  executioner,  who  came  once  to  ask  me  if  I 
could  learn  whether  the  next  was  to  furnish  any 
work  for  him ;  he  inquired  whetlier  Senor  Al- 
phonso was,  as  usual,  to  be  secretly  beheaded, 
hanged,  strangled,  or,  alas !  only  shot,  wiiere- 
upon  1  could  give  him  no  information  until  now 
that  Padre  Fernando  has  made  me  aware  of  the 
execution  to-morrow  morning."  Seiior  Domin- 
go concluded  this  report  with  a  stout  pinch  of 
snuff,  and  leaned  back  comfortably  in  the  old 
arm  chair,  which  he  had  especially  reserved  for 
himself. 

"  Singular !"  began  the  police  officer,  in  an 
under  tone,  turning  to  Senor  Falsodo,  who  had 
entered  with  him,  "  no  one  has'  been  here ;  no 
one  who  can  in  the  least  serve  us  in  finding  a 
clue  whereby  to  discover  the  author  of  those  in- 
famous Elegies.  It  is  ti-ue,  he  asserts  that  they 
are  his ;  that  he,  and  no  one  else  is  the  author ;  but 
the  literary  college,  which  our  most  high  direc- 
tor commissioned  to  investigate  the  matter,  de- 
cided to  the  contrary.  Seiior  Alphonso  is  very 
generally  known  as  a  young  man  of  talent  and 
information,  of  profound  study,  and  with  the 
most  brilliant  prospects  of  a  career  in  the  service 
of  the  State  ;  but  talents  go  single,  and  those  of 
a  young  diplomatist  are  of  an  entirely  different 
nature  from  poetic  genius  and  in  opposition  to 
it ;  and,  most  unfortunately,  such  is  the  opinion 
of  the  literary  college,  the  infamous  Elegies  dis- 
play a  poetic  genius  which  has  hitherto  never 
manifested  itself  on  the  Rio  de  la  Plata.  A  most 
surprising  phenomenon  that !  Unheard  of!  mag- 
nificent !  poetical !  cannibalish  !  is  that  produc- 
tion— it  is  a  pity,  a  sliame,  that  such  a  genius 
has  debased  itself  to  such  purposes  as  rebellion, 
poetry,  and  the  apostleship  of  an  insane  idea  of 
the  union  of  the  States  of  South  America,  as  a 
confederacy,  with  the  imaginary  government  of 
a  Central  America,  after  the  example  of  the  Uni- 
ted States  of  North  America.  It  is  shockingly 
unprecedented  that !  It  would  make  a  fatal  al- 
teration in  the  official  department ;  many  would 
lose  their  posts,  and  some  perhaps  even  their 
heads,  if  this  bloody  poetry  became  reality.  It 
is  an  awful  thought  that !" 

"  We  must  make  every  endeavor  to  trace  out 
the  author,"  replied  Senor  Falsodo,  a  little  lean 
mannikin,  with  a  yellowish  pock-marked  visage, 
in  worn-out  black  clothes,  balancing  on  his  knees 
a  steeple-crowned  straw  hat  with  a  broad  brim ; 
"  if  we  had  only  a  single  leaf  of  the  uianuscript, 


DOLORES. 


only  a  few  lines  of  the  handwriting,  it  would  be 
something  on  which  to  institute  inquiry  !  I  have 
written  to  my  correspondent  at  Monte  Video  to 
obtain  information  in  the  printing  office ;  if  pos- 
sible to  procure  a  leaf,  but  in  vain  !  instead  of 
the  writing  which  is  so  important  to  us,  my  cor- 
respondent unfortunately  received-  what  do  you 
suppose,  Seiior  Consejero,  that  he  received?" 

The  person  entitled  Counsellor  allowed  his 
hanging  under  lip  to  drop  still  lower,  involunta- 
rily opening  liis  mouth  wider,  as  if  he  would 
receive  the  news  so  muoli  the  sooner  tlirough  the 
medium  of  his  vice-hearing  organs.  "  What 
happened  to  your  correspondent,  SoSor  Falsodo  ? 
what  did  he  get  in  the  printing  ofBce  at  Monte 
Video !" 

"  A  beating !  SeSor  Counsellor,  a  beating,  and 
of  the  most  disgraceful  kind,  because,  probably, 
he  conducted  himself  awkwardly,  and  very  inju- 
diciously gave  cause  for  the  supposition  that  he 
was  in  correspondence  with  me,  or  with  some 
one  of  my  occupation  in  Buenos  Ayres  !" 

"  What !  do  you  say  that  he  got  a  beating?" 
exclaimed  Seiior  Borrachezo. 

"  Yes ;  and  was  thrown  down  stairs  in  the 
most  unfeeling  manner,  and  was  obliged  to  ship 
for  Rio  de  Janeiro  immediately,  as  his  stay  in 
Monte  Video  was  prohibited  in  consequence." 

"It  is  shocking!"  sighed  the  police  officer; 
•*  'tis  shocking  to  receive  a  beating  in  any  case, 
out  above  all,  when  nothing  comes  of  it — not  the 
smallest  sample  to  found  our  inquiries  on  in 
this  case." 

"  Such  beatings  are  to  be  sure  compensated 
by  the  increase  of  wages,  on  the  part  of  our  libe- 
ral government,"  remarked  Senor  Falsodo.  "  It 
is  a  very  humane  system,  that  of  indemnifica- 
tion ;  but,  for  the  moment,  a  beating  is  very  se- 
vere, especially  when  it  falls  on  a  feeble  body,  as 
would  be  the  case  with  me,  Senor  Consejero." 

"  You  must  take  care  of  yourself,  Senor  Fal- 
sodo; you  must  take  warning  by  your  corres- 
pondent at  Monte  Video !  I  will  see  that  you 
receive  an  increase  of  salary  without  first  being 
beaten,  especially  if  you  should  succeed  in  find- 
ing out  the  author  of  the  Elegies,  and  deliver 
him  alive  to  us.  A  substantial  price  awaits  the 
discovery,"  said  Borrachezo,  in  a  lower  tone,  "  a 
very  substantial  price  !  and  protection  for  family 
and  connexions  besides :  think  of  that,  Senor 
Falsodo ;  think  well  of  it." 

"  The  price  is  certainly  conformable  to  the 
enterprise,  answered  the  spy,  while  he  took  his 
straw  hat  between  his  knees,  and  wij)ed  the  per- 
spiration from  his  brow.  "  I  know  the  price,  it 
is  certainly  suitable,  although  not  extraordinary, 
if  you  consider  that  one  hazards  his  life  in  such 
cases.  It  cannot  be  unknown  to  you  that  the 
very  uncomlbrtable  use  of  all  sorts  of  murderous 
weapons,  and,  above  all,  daggers,  and  sometimes 
poisoned  daggers,  is  frequently  practised  against 
— against  the  truest  servants,  who  are  united  to 
the  government  by  such  tender  ties,  that  a  single 
ray  of  the  liglit  of  disclosure  instantly  severs 
them." 

"  No  fear,  Seiior  Falsodo,"  said  the  police  of- 
ficer, laughing,  as  he  again  had  recourse  to  Seiior 
Domingo's  snuffbox ;  "  think  rather  of  your  fu- 
ture piospects,  of  the  career  which  opens  before 
you." 

"  It  is  a  system  worthy  of  the  highest  respect ! 
that  of  rewarding  the  faithful  servants  of  the 


state  at  the  expense  of  rebels  and  other  traitors," 
replied  Seiior  Falsodo;  "only  the  risk  is  too 
great,  and  there  is  no  security  against  dagger 
strokes." 

"  Cowardice,"  muttered  the  commissary  of 
police  ;  "  want  of  talent  for  the  ofhce,  faintheart- 
edness without  cause"— and  turned  to  Padre  Fer- 
nando to  inquire  concerning  his  last  interview 
with  the  condemned.  The  result  of  all  his  ques- 
tions, however,  was  wholly  unsatisfactory.  The 
monk  declared  that  all  his  endeavors  had  been  in 
vain  to  extort  the  least  information  from  the 
hardened  sinner.  He  described  the  condemned 
as  being  in  a  state  of  apathy,  and  remarked  of 
him  further,  tliat  he  answered  some  of  tiie  ques- 
tions put  to  him  only  in  part,  and  others  not  at 
all,  and  that  he  at  last  begged  to  see  the  Bene- 
dictine, Brother  Celeste,  once  more,  and  to  pass 
the  last  hours  of  his  life  with  him ;  first  object- 
ing, however,  to  the  continuance  of  an  examina- 
tion which  he  thought  was  not  authorized  by  any 
sacrament  of  the  church.  "  He  was  condemned 
to  death  and  desired  the  fulfilment — the  execu- 
tion of  the  sentence."  "  Those  were  his  first 
and  last  words,"  sighed  Padre  Fernando,  plung- 
ing still  deeper  into  the  snufl'box  of  Senor  Do- 
mingo, as  if  his  nerves  required  an  instant 
strengthening  by  means  of  some  external  excite- 
ment. A  long  pause  ensued,  during  which  the 
police  officer  looked  straight  before  him.  "  A 
most  unheard  of  event,"  said  he  at  last,  break- 
ing silence,  "  one  that  has  never  happened  before 
in  my  practice ;  a  crime  committed — higli  trea- 
son committed — evidence  of  the  fact  in  exis- 
tence, and  the  author  not  to  be  discovered ;  a 
volunteer  places  himself  in  the  way  of  death,  that 
he  may  carry  with  him  to  the  grave  the  mystery 
that  envelopes  the  act.  Pardon  has  been  offered 
him — the  way  has  been  opened  for  him  to  leave 
the  prison  perfectly  free — to  retain  possession  of 
his  property,  and  live  in  all  comfort,  any  where 
out  of  this  country,  if  he  will  only  inform  against 
the  author  of  these  cursed  Elegies,  if  he  will 
only  deliver  the  real  criminal  into  the  hands  of 
justice — besides  unconditional  pardon  for  the 
high  treason  of  which  he  has  allowed  himself  to 
become  guilty,  as  an  accomplice,  by  circulating 
such  punishable  poetry.  All  this  has  been  of- 
fered him,  and  he  refuses  to  name  the  author." 

"  Or  the  authoress  ?"  added  Seiior  Falsodo, 
with  emphasis. 

"  Hem  !  indeed — quite  possible,"  rejoined 
Senor  Horracliezo,  slowly  nodding  his  head ; 
"  indeed !  it  may  be  a  lady !  it  is  a  possible  ease  !" 

"  And  becomes  to  me  all  the  while  more 
likely,"  insisted  the  spy,  "  especially  as  it  is 
well  known  that  the  patriotism  of  the  women  of 
our  country  sometimes  exceeds  the  zeal  of  the 
men!  I  engage  we  would  more  easily  get  rid  of 
rebels  if  there  were  no  women ." 

"  It  has  become  notorious,  and  is  not  the  case 
in  our  country  alone;  the  influence  of  women  in 
church  and  state  is  undeniable,"  said  Seiior  Bor- 
rachezo, energetically;  "the  petticoat  governs 
the  monarchy,  and  the  glance  of  beauty  forms 
heroes  for  the  battle ;  popes  are  elected — 
bishops  created,  by  women.  Yes !  yes !  gentle- 
men, woman  rules  the  world,  and  when  married, 
her  husband  besides.  A  married  man  has  his 
reasons  for  not  being  dangerous  to  the  state !  If 
a  woman  has  written  the  slanderous  Elegies,  we 
ought  not  to  seek  her  in  the  married  state,  at 


8 


DOLORES. 


least  not  in  domestic  happiness.  We  must  keep 
a  register,  Seiior  Falsodo,"  continued  he,  after  a 
pause,  "  a  register  of  our  young  hero's  female 
acquaintances  and  friends  of  all  classes ;  there 
must  be  a  private  register  made,  with  daily 
notes  as  to  their  familiar  resorts  and  rendezvous, 
evening  visits  on  balcony  and  terrace." 

At  this  moment  the  mulatto.  Narcissus,  the. 
factotum  of  all  communication  between  the  per- 
sons in  the  prison  and  the  world  outside,  hastily 
entered  the  office,  with  the  information  that 
Brother  Celeste  was  at  his  heels,  which  was  ve- 
rified by  the  personal  appearance  of  the  latter. 
A  young  Benedictine  monk,  the  habit  of  whose 
order  was  made  of  singulai-ly  fine  stuff",  greeted 
those  present  with  the  priestly  salutation,  and 
inquired  for  what  purpose  he  had  been  sum- 
moned. His  form  was  •  noble,  of  tlie  middle 
size,  in  air  and  manner  bearing  the  stamp  of  a 
certain  dignity,  which  seemed  rather  to  have  re- 
mained in  him  from  his  former  connexion  with 
the  world,  than  wliat  the  severe  monastic  disci- 
pline could  ever  impress  upon  a  youth,  wlio,  like 
so  many  cloister  brothers,  had  entered  into  or- 
ders "  from  the  dregs  of  the  people." 

The  police  officer  informed  him  of  the  cause 
of  his  being  summoned,  which  he  apparently 
heard  with  the  cold  insensibility  of  a  priest  ac- 
customed to  view,  in  the  condemned,  the  crimi- 
nal rather  tlian  the  man.  Church  and  state 
alike,  usually  concern  themselves  too  late  with 
the  human  heart.  When  the  sentence  is  about 
to  be  fulfilled,  which  tears  a  human  being  from 
life,  when  the  ties  have  long  been  broken  which 
bound  him  to  mankind,  the  church  first  informs 
the  sinner  that,  at  least  beyond  the  grave,  love 
and  justice  are  to  be  found. 

The  rigid  features  of  the  monk's  deathly  pale 
countenance  gave  no  sign  even  of  sympathy,  no 
look  indicated  the  least  personal  interest  in  the 
fate  of  the  unfortunate  man,  to  prepare  whom  for 
his  momentous  and  approaching  departure  he 
had  been  summoned  to  his  presence.  Just  as 
little  did  his  features  indicate  either  assent  or 
willingness,  when  the  police  officer  gave  him  to 
understand  that  the  government  expected  impor- 
tant disclosures  through  the  last  confessional  in- 
terview of  the  condemned  with  the  servant  of  the 
church.  To  avoid  this  degrading  requirement. 
Brother  Celeste  inquired  where  the  condemned 
was  to  be  found,  and  desired  to  be  conducted  to 
him.  (Seiior  Falsodo  had  rather  obtrusively 
placed  himself  by  the  side  of  the  monk,  and 
seemed  inclined  to  accompany  him,  when  the 
Alcalde*  called  a  turnkey  and  gave  him  the  need- 
ful orders.  Brother  Celeste  declared,  in  few 
words,  that  his  interview  with  the  condemned 
must  be  witliout  witnesses,  according  to  the 
rules  of  the  church  in  such  cases.  The  spy  ap- 
peared greatly  embarrassed  at  having  his  com- 
pany thus  declined ;  he  cast  a  glance  at  the  red 
nose  of  the  police  officer,  who  put  a  good  face  on 
a  bad  business,  and  with  a  shrug  of  the  shoulder 
assented  to  the  monk's  decided  demand,  and  then 
added,  that  he  was  well  awMe  of  his  extreme  de- 
sire to  obtain  the  requisite  information  concern- 
ing the  person  who  had  been  guilty  of  such  high 
treason. 

"  The  criminal  is  condemned  by  the  sentence 
of  our  l>irector,"  interrupted  the  monk  ;  "  the 


*  Alcalde  del  carcel,  Superinteadeat  of  the  Frisoa, 


crime  on  his  part  was  proved  before  sentence 
was  pronounced.  It  must  be  fulfilled,  and  I 
know  my  office  and  my  duty  towards  the  crimi- 
nal :  conduct  me  to  his  dungeon." 

The  police  officer  thought  it  would  be  better 
to  conduct  the  prisoner  to  a  room  where  he 
might  pass  the  last  hours  of  his  life  more  com- 
fortably. The  monk  opposed  this  amarently 
humane  proposal,  remarking,  at  the  same  time, 
that  the  privilege  of  choosing  the  place  belonged 
of  right  to  the  criminal,  according  to  the  custom- 
ary liberty  of  the  so  called  "  dungeon  hours." 
But  previously  he  desired  to  speak  with  him 
alone  in  the  dungeon,  undisturbed,  and  with 
closed  doors. 

The  resolute  and  measured  deportment  of  the 
young  monk,  the  dignity  which  manifested  itself 
in  word  and  look,  and  in  his  whole  person,  in- 
voluntarily checked  the  oppposition  of  those  pre- 
sent, who  yielded  a  silent  assent  to  his  wishes, 
and  resumed  their  consultations,  while  the  turn- 
key and  the  Benedictine  disappeared  behind 
doors  and  grates. 


CHAPTER    II. 


THE    CONDEMNED. 


If  we  examine  the  buildings  of  the  Jesuits  ia 
all  parts  of  the  world,  we  find  an  analogy  be 
tween  their  foundations,  their  very  ground- 
works, and  the  basis  of  their  world-embracing 
system ;  both  manifest  durability  and  firmness. 
To  the  perseverance,  allied  with  the  depth  of 
consolidation  employed  by  the  Jesuits  to  erect 
their  politico-religious  edifice,  (as  a  system,)  is 
alone  to  be  ascribed  the  extension  and  effect  of 
their  soul-destroying  efforts.  Unlimited  com- 
mand of  the  socisd  and  political,  as  well  as  of  the 
religious  forms  of  human  society,  is  the  true  aim 
of  their  secret  and  open  labors.  No  order  exer- 
cises such  a  decided  authority  over  the  human 
will,  such  a  strenuous  self-denial,  (as  the  means 
of  attaining  a  proposed  end,)  as  does  the  "  Order 
of  the  Society  of  Jesus."  These  considerations 
embrace  a  truth  which  strikes  us  the  more  pain- 
fully, when  it  appears  evident  to  us  that  the 
object  of  the  society  is  to  degrade  mankind  under 
the  scourge  of  absolutism.  The  power  of  the 
order  attained  such  a  height  in  past  centuries 
that  it  even  sought  to  set  aside  the  absolutism  of 
monarchy,  to  promote  its  particular  aim  to  its 
own  sole  and  exclusive  rule,  and,  unhappily,  it 
here  and  there  succeeded.  As  the  gigantic  en- 
terprises of  the  Jesuits,  indicated  by  their  colos- 
sal edifices,  now  among  the  multitude  of  other 
monuments  of  the  past,  disappeared  in  Europe, 
the  world-embracing  sovereignty  of  this  order 
advanced  with  the  more  rapid  strides  in  South 
America. 

A  tragic  contrast  is  ofltred  for  our  considera- 
tion; the  thought  suggests  itself,  what  a  s"ciety, 
on  a  similar  basis  of  firmness  and  solidity  .with 
the  same  energy  and  perseverance,  might  have 
undertaken  and  accomplished  for  the  wel-are  of 
mankind,  if  their  united  eflbrts,  after  the  ixam- 
ple  of  the  Jesuits,  had  acknowledged  the  princi- 
ple of  humanity,  instead  of  the  principle  of  self- 


DOLORES. 


9 


aggrandizement,  (of  absolute  egotism,)  and  had 
pursued  (or  rather  would  pursue)  this  object 
with  the  same  unshakeable  tenacity  of  purpose, 
as  did  the  Jesuits  their  aim  for  universal  spiritual 
dominion,  for  the  paralyzing  of  mind. 

In  building  their  mona-steries,  as  in  all  the 
edifices  of  the  Jesuits,  particular  regard  was  had 
to  their  vaulted  foundations ;  the  under-gi'ound 
apartments,  torture  chambers,  dungeons,  and 
cellars,  were  arranged  on  the  most  masterly  plan  : 
duitf^ions  to  restrain  the  spirit  of  progress,  cel- 
lars to  preserve  the  spirit  of  the  wine  for  the 
triumphal  banquets  of  their  confederates. 

In  one  of  these  dungeons,  which  might  serve 
as  a  model  for  similar  constructions  of  modern 
days  in  Russia  and  its  dependencies,  the  other 
states  of  the  European  continent,  Senor  Al- 
phonso,  the  condemned,  was  confined.  His  form 
was  thin  and  tall,  on  which  an  active  nervous 
organization  appeared  to  have  overcome  the  ma- 
terial tendency  to  flesh  and  corpulency ;  his  pale, 
sallow  countenance  evinced  the  proud  dignity  of 
the  Spanish  race ;  but  he,  in  common  with  all  the 
inhabitants  of  La  Plata,  regarded  his  Spanish 
descent  with  indifference,  if  not  aversion,  while 
they  acknowledged  their  situation  as  South 
Americans.  In  the  progress  of  the  age  towards 
freedom  and  enlightenment,  they  seemed  unwil- 
ling to  remember  their  European  extraction  ; 
inasmuch  as  it  reached  back  to  the  blood-stained 
histories  of  former  days,  with  whose  horrors  the 
annals  of  the  new  world  were  also  filled. 

Alphonso's  meagre  countenance,  surrounded 
by  coal-black  hair,  which  particularly  adorns  the 
Castilian,  was  animated  by  the  glance  of  a  deep- 
set  dark  eye,  rich  in  that  magnetic  fluid  which 
appertains  to  the  human  eye  as  the  organ  of  the 
soul.  He  was  dressed  in  the  costume  of  his 
social  condition,  enveloped  in  a  soldier's  frock, 
his  hands  and  feet  loaded  with  chains  and  fetters. 

The  turnkey  opened  the  double  iron  doors  of 
the  dungeon,  whose  subdued  light  hardly  made 
visible  the  individuals  whose  entrance  inter- 
rupted the  loneliness  of  the  prisoner.  The  monk 
found  himself  inside  of  the  narrow  vault;  the 
doors  were  carefully  locked  and  bolted  on  the 
outside.  Uncertain  whether  the  longed  for 
friend  of  his  heart  approached,  or  whether  an- 
other monk  in  a  habit  of  the  same  order  stepjjed 
over  tlie  threshold,  the  unhappy  man  awaited, 
speechless  and  motionless,  the  first  greeting  of 
him  who  entered. 

"  Alphonso !"  cried  a  voice,  whose  sound 
awakened  a  thousand  memories  of  childhood  and 
youth  ia  the  breast  of  the  South  American. 
"Alphonso!  Alphonso!"  exclaimed  the  monk 
again  in  the  outburst  of  a  soul  rending  sorrow. 

"  Lorenzo,  is  it  you  ?"  inquired  the  prisoner, 
in  a  low  faltering  voice,  and  a  long  silent  em- 
brace followed. 

There  are  moments  in  life  when  we  find  that 
human  language  is  no  fitting  organ  for  the  life  of 
the  soul;  there  is  a  glance  of  the  eye  which 
says  more  than  words  can  compass,  and  which, 
even  in  night  and  darkness,  reveals  reciprocal 
emotion.  And  when  words  lose  their  might, 
the  overpowering  feelings  of  the  deeply  agitated 
human  breast  gush  forth  in  tears.  The  extreme 
emotion  of  these  tender  friends,  united  by  the 
holiest  ties,  over  whose  destinies  fate  lowered 
so  portentously,  overflowed  in  those  pearls  of 
the  speechless  soul-life,  which  is  born  from  suf 


fering,  and  whose  value  he  only  discovers  down 
whose  cheeks  and  on  whose  breast  they  fall. 

**  Lorenzo !"  sobbed  Alphonso,  at  length  re- 
turning with  a  strong  eflbrt  to  external  life, 
"  have  you  seen  her?  spoken  to  her?  been  with 
her  ?" 

"  I  have  done  all,  without  consulting  you,  that 
I  should  have  expected  from  you,  had  you  been 
in  my  place,  I  in  yours,"  replied  Lorenzo,  as  the 
monk  called  Celeste.  "  Did  you  receive  and 
destroy  the  billet  of  your  nephew  Horatio  .'" 

"  The  passage  from  Calderon,"  returned  Al- 
phonso, "  which  any  one  could  have  read  with- 
out understanding  it,  and  of  which  I  alone  could 
comprehend  the  sense  and  meaning.  I  received 
the  leaf  wrapped  round  some  tobacco,  as  they 
have  allowed  me  to  receive  anything  from  my 
friends." 

"  Good,"  continued  Lorenzo,  "  but  our  mo- 
ments are  numbered  ;  we  must  understand  each 
other  quickly.  Dolores  is  in  safety,  and  will 
depart  hence  before  day-break,  if  a  single  deci- 
sive event  can  be  averted  ;  if  she  can  be  dissuaded 
from  the  resolution  to  suffer  death  in  your  stead, 
to  come  here  in  disguise  and  remain  behind, 
while  you  leave  the  dungeon  in  her  garb,  and  in 
her  stead  go  on  board  a  vessel  where  Horatio 
already  awaits  her." 

"Dolores!'  sighed  Alphonso,  in  a  broken 
voice,  "  impossible  !  no,  never,  never  !  but  a 
ray  of  light  penetrates  my  soul !  Were  it  possi- 
ble that  she  might  appear  here  undetected  as  you 
would  have  arranged  it — Lorenzo,  you  can  con- 
ceive what  prompts  me — call  it  not  selfishness, 
the  wish  that  springs  up  within  me,  to  take  leave 
of  Dolores — on  condition,  however,  that  the 
struggle  in  her  be  over  first,  that  she  will  ap- 
proach in  the  last  hours  of  my  life,  with  that 
self-possession  so  peculiar  to  her  character. 
Tell  me,  how  have  you  arranged  the  plan  so  as 
overcome  the  impossibility  of  her  appearance 
here  in  the  dungeon  ?  I  will  then  decide  if  I 
can  allow  of  its  fulfilment,  or  whether  the  pre- 
ponderating risk  makes  it  my  duty  to  deny  myself 
this  gratification." 

"  Dolores,"  replied  Lorenzo,  with  forced  com- 
posure, "  is  here  in  the  neighborhood,  at  the 
house  of  her  friend,  the  English  lady,  furnished 
with  the  habit  of  our  order,  which  I  brought  un- 
der my  own,  from  my  wai-drobe,  and  delivered  to 
her  in  person,  consequently  avoiding  all  privity 
of  others.  Being  the  librarian  of  our  monastery, 
1  can  visit  the  Englishman's  house  without  cere- 
mony, as  he  manages  my  correspondence  with 
Ireland,  and  receives  books  and  papers  from 
thence,  for  us.  The  passage  from  Calderon  gave 
you  the  intimation  that  you  might  receive  the 
Lord's  supper  at  my  hands ;  I  require  a  brother 
of  our  order  for  the  administration  of  the  sacra- 
ment ;  Dolores  is  to  appear  as  a  Benedictine  ; 
the  time  of  night  favors  her  entrance  into  the 
building,  which  no  one  will  notice,  as  it  is  an 
ordinary  everyday  occurrence.  Although  we 
can  only  remain  here  a  moment,  yet,  you  can — 
then — take  leave  of  her — see  her  once  more ;  but 
there  must  be  here,  (as  you  are  sensible  your 
self,)  no  struggle,  no  conflict  of  the  holiest  feel- 
ings, which  would  betray  you  and — bring  both  of 
you  to  death." 

"  So  be  it,  then,"  said  Alphonso,  in  low  de- 
cided tones,  "  so  be  it ! — on  condition  that  Do- 
lores yields  up  her  urgent  wish  to  sacrifice  herself 


10 


DOLORES. 


for  me,  to  the  higher  duty  of  devoting  her  talents 
and  mental  aspirations  to  the  future.  Let  her 
remembei-  that  the  idea  of  the  confederacy  of  the 
United  States  of  South  America  is  illustrated  and 
displayed  in  her  exalted  powers,  in  the  mie;ht  of 
her  enthusiasm,  in  the  majesty  of  her  words. 
As  the  pei-sonified  idea  of  the  future,  life  on 
earth  becomes  to  her  a  sacred  duty.  I  was  to 
pass  away,  and  am  the  subordinate  agent  of  that 
Providence  which  accomplishes  my  destiny — 
through  Dolores.  The  to(A  which  he  formed  for 
the  service  of  that  sacred  object  has  become  use- 
less— it  is  broken  by  tyranny.  The  instrument 
vanishes  from  this  earthly  sphere,  but  as  the 
genius  of  South  America,  she  lives,  and  in  her, 
the  exalted,  godlike  idea  of  the  futur*^ — of  the 
foundation  of  the  union  of  the  South  in  the  spirit 
of  Humanity." 

"  I  understand  you,"  said  Lorenzo,  "  and  Do- 
lores will  as  little  mistake  your  resolve  to  reject 
her  sacriiice  of  love." 

"  Once  more,  I  beseech  you,"  sighed  Alphonso, 
convulsively  seizing  the  hand  of  his  friend, 
*'  once  more  I  beseech  you,  liold  fast  to  the  con- 
dition. I  know  Dolores,  I  know  her  love  to  me, 
1  feel  that  I  require  from  her  an  unheard  of, 
superhuman  eflbrt;  yes,  1  require  from  her  a 
resolution  of  which  I  myself  should  hardly  be 
capable — to  tear  myself  in  such  a  moment  from 
her  arms — to  resign  her  to  death,  as  I  now  re- 
quire of  her  in  my  own  behalf." 

Lorenzo  seized  the  word  as  the  prisoner  con- 
cluded. "  I  hope  to  God  that  the  sense  of  duty 
will  vanquish  in  her  the  urgent  desire  of  yield- 
ing herself  a  sacrifice ;  she  should  know  that 
your  very  self-respect  as  a  man  would  not  permit 
such  an  ottering  of  love  on  her  part;  and  she 
should  not  deny  you  the  last  consolation  of  a 
farewell." 

"  The  twilight  has  passed  away  into  night 
since  I  came  here,"  continued  Lorenzo,  after  a 
pause ;  *'  thunder  clouds  increase  the  darkness — 
I  will  leave  you  now,  and  inform  the  door- 
keepers that  I  shall  return  about  midnight, 
attended  by  my  brother  with  the  ciborium  I 
shall  use  a  chalice  belonging  to  myself,  in  order 
to  avoid  our  sacristy.  To  evade  all  suspicion,  I 
will  institute  the  sacrament  in  the  usual  manner 
in  the  chapel  in  this  edifice,  but,  on  pretence  of 
economy,  no  candles  shall  be  lighted  except  the 
lamp  of  eternal  light,  which  casts  its  mild  rays 
upon  the  altar,  but  not  sufficient  to  cause  us  to 
be  observed.  For  a  possible  case,  however,  old 
Achilles,  well  disguised  and  strongly  armed, 
shall  attend  us  as  a  servant  of  the  monastery, 
aitd  afterwards  conduct  Dolores  to  the  quinta  of 
Mr.  Walker,  and  then  on  board  the  vessel ;  he 
will  never  leave  her — never  lose  sight  of  her; 
he  will  be  her  attendant  on  boai-d,  and  wherever 
her  fate  may  lead  her." 

Alphonso  still  pressed  the  hand  of  Lorenzo, 
trembling  in  all  his  limbs,  less  from  personal 
fear,  to  which  he  was  a  stranger,  than  from  ap- 
prehension and  anxiety  in  behalf  of  the  risk 
which  Dolores  incurred,  so  long  as  she  remained 
in  the  territory  of  Buenos  Ayres,  or  any  where 
on  this  side  of  the  mouth  of  the  La  Plata  river. 

At  length  compelled,  through  the  urgency  of 
the  occasion,  to  deny  himself  the  consolatory 
presence  of  Lorenzo,  he  dismissed  his  bosom 
friend  to  arrange  a  meeting,  of  whicli,  an  hour 
before,  his  boldest  fancy  would  not  have  dreamed. 


CHAPTER   III. 


THE   KEG&O. 


Celeste  gave  a  sign  by  violent  knocking  on 
the  inner  door,  whereupon  the  outer  door,  and 
then  the  second,  was  opened,  whose  massive  iron 
was  so  thick  as  to  render  it  impossible  for  the 
most  attentive  listener  to  distinguish  a  syllable 
of  the  conversation  which  took  place  in  the  dun- 
geon. 

The  Benedictine  found  old  Domingo  alone  in 
his  sitting  room,  near  the  principal  entrance  of 
the  building  opposite  to  the  porter's  cell ;  his 
guests,  wearied  with  a  fruitless  consultation,  had 
gone  their  way,  and  left  him  and  his  snuffbox, 
each,  in  his  own  mode,  resolving  immediately  to 
trace  out  the  clue  to  the  mysteriously  concealed 
existence  of  the  exalted  poet. 

Senor  Domingo  did  not  fail  to  ofTer  to  Brother 
Celeste  a  pinch  of  snufT,  without  which,  as  it 
appeared,  he  could  tliink  of  no  greeting  or  meet- 
ing, and  politely  invited  him  into  the  room,  and 
requested  him  to  be  seated.  Celeste,  (Lorenzo,) 
who  maintained  the  customary  tone  of  high  so- 
ciety in  his  worldly  intercourse,  would  not  damp 
the  humbly  subservient  hospitality  of  the  old 
officer  by  a  repulsive  priestly  arrogance.  He 
sought,  on  the  contrary,  by  his  evident  conde- 
scension, to  requite  the  pointed,  and  undoubtedly 
respectful  attentions  of  the  old  man,  with  a  de- 
portment which  was  well  calculated  to  heighten 
his  confidence  to  a  degree  which  he  felt  might 
be  essentially  requisite  for  the  approaching  event- 
ful occasion. 

He  immediately  took  the  offered  seat,  gave  the 
necessary  orders  for  the  sacrament  in  the  chapel, 
remarking  at  the  same  time,  that  he  found  the 
condemned  in  a  most  melancholy  state,  in  which, 
instead  of  his  mother  tongue,  he  spoke  in  a  con- 
fused mixture  of  French,  Italian,  and  Latin. 
Celeste  availed  himself  of  this  list,  to  prepare 
for  an  unrestrained  interview  in  the  French  lan- 
guage, between  Alphonso  and  Dolores,  at  which 
Serior  Domingo  might  happen  to  be  present. 
Senor  Domingo  informed  him  officially,  that  the 
officer  of  the  guard  had  already  appointed  the 
seven  and  twenty  men  who  were  to  execute  the 
sentence. 

As  a  singular  mark  of  respect  to  the  former 
social  position  of  tlie  condemned,  the  officer  had 
sought  for  the  most  distinguished  and  certain 
shots  in  his  company,  and  was  to  take  command 
of  them  himself;  which,  in  all  other  cases,  was 
entrusted  to  an  awkward  corporal  or  sergeant. 

Celeste  commended  himself  to  the  kindness 
of  Seiior  Domingo,  bowed  before  the  crucifix, 
which  was  suspended  over  a  sort  of  house  altar 
in  the  apartment,  and  withdrew  slowly  and  with 
measured  steps,  in  all  the  dignity  of  his  office. 

Tlie  daily  bustle  of  a  thickly  peopled  commer- 
cial town  sank  by  degrees,  like  the  waves  of  the 
swelling  ocean,  to  the  ebb  of  relbxalion  and  quiet. 
Promenaders  of  various  classes  passed  to  and  fro 
on  the  sidewalks  of  the  principal  streets,  engaged 
in  conversation  on  indifferent  subjects,  when  not 
discussing  the  revolution  in  Rio  Grande,  and 
tlie  ever-enduring  daily  article  of  war  and  peace 
between  Buenos  Ayres  and  Monte  Video,  which 
was  discussed  over  the  cradle  of  the  present 
generation,  and  has,  so  to  say,  g;rown  up  with 
them,  and  according  to  appearances,  will  extend 


DOLORES. 


II 


over  the  bier  of  the  living,  as  a  reiterated  article 
for  discussion  at  the  cradle-side  of  a  future  gene- 
ration. 

The  pulperias*  of  the  most  frequented  streets 
of  the  first  and  second  classes  were,  like  the 
French  C^ifes,  filled  with  customers,  who,  taking 
their  usual  places,  and  sipping  this  or  that  drink, 
smoked  cigarettes  by  tiie  gross,  and  tried  to  build 
"  castles  in  the  air,"  when  the  subject  of  con- 
versation had  no  foundation  in  reijity. 

Brother  Celeste  betook  himself  to  his  monas- 
tery by  the  most  direct  way,  where  Achilles 
awaited  him  near  the  garden  wall. 

The  family  of  Dolores  was  one  of  the  most 
considerable  in  the  country,  wluise  wealthy  pos- 
sessions brought  with  them  a  crowd  of  domestic 
servants,  of  divers  colors.  The  pedigree  of  old 
Achilles  could  be  traced  back  a  century,  from 
the  tribe  of  Minas,  in  Africa,  without  any  inter- 
mixture of  another  race.  One  of  liis  ancestors, 
brought  from  iVfrica  as  a  slave,  and  purchased 
by  the  great-grandfather  of  Dolores  as  his  lawful 
possession,  had  solemnly  married  a  negress  of 
thte  same  race,  and  in  such  wise  did  his  descend- 
ants in  like  manner  continue  in  the  Spanish  fa- 
mily on  the  banks  of  the  river  La  Plata — as  a 
double  household,  whose  children  played  and 
grew  up  together.  The  removal  of  bondage  from 
the  blacks,  a  consequence  of  the  independence 
of  the  United  Provijices  of  La  Plata,  had  in  no- 
wise alienated  the  negro  family  from  the  relatives 
of  Dolores.  Humane  treatment  on  the  one  side, 
gratitude  and  fidelity  on  the  side  of  the  inferiors, 
had  wrought  a  bond  of  attachment,  which  in  time 
became  a  habit ;  a  relation  thence  proceeded, 
which  reminds  us  of  the  patriarchal  age  of  anti- 
quity, and  manifests  itself  at  times  in  all  coun- 
tries where  the  feelings  of  humanity  are  not  alto- 
gether oppressed  by  slavery. 

Tlie  father  of  Achilles  had  served  the  family 
as  coachman,  and  would  not  forego  the  honor  of 
conveying  the  cori)ses  of  their  beloved  parents  to 
the  churchyard,  in  person,  when  the  reconciling 
angel  of  death  called  them  both,  within  a  short 
interval,  away  from  this  eiu-thly  night  of  sutler- 
ing  and  sorrow. 

Dolores  inhabited,  with  her  uncle,  (her  mo- 
ther's brother,)  a  quinta,t  where  Achilles, dressed 
according  to  the  quasi  station  of  major-domo, 
was,  so  to  speak,  considered  in  the  family  as  a 
companion,  and  consulted  in  all  the  subordinate 
afliiirs  of  the  house.  His  daughter,  Corinna, 
grown  up  with  Dolores  from  tlie  cradle,  held 
the  post  of  her  chambermaid,  and  notwithstand- 
ing the  ban  of  color,  was  treated  by  her  lady  with 
all  confidence,  which,  interwoven,  as  it  were, 
with  the  first  sentiments  of  their  childish  hearts, 
effected  the  moral  improvement  of  both.  The 
race  of  Minas  negroes  in  South  America  is  uni- 
versally preferred  and  protected,  insomuch  as 
prominent  peculiarities  distinguish  their  nation- 
ality, which  last,  nearly  all  the  negroes  endeavor 
to  uphold.  This  is  not  the  place  to  insert  our 
views  and  observations  on  the  morality  and  ca- 
pacities of  the  negroes  of  South  America.  There 
are,  to  be  sure,  particular  races,  which,  with  re- 
lation to  disposition  and  talents,  seem  to  be  en- 
dowed by  Nature  with  a  step-mother's  portion, 
in  return  for  which,  however,  other   races  not 

•  Puclperia,  a  shop — pulpero,  shop-keeper. 
\  Cotmtry  bouse. 


only  stand  equal  in  moral  respects  with  the 
whites  in  other  countries,  but  excel  the  lower 
classes  of  many  white  populations.  Under  the 
last  head,  may  be  classed  the  Kabendas,  Man- 
dingos,  M-ozarnbiques,  Minas,  and  many  other 
races.  The  race  of  Minas,  so  called  after  their 
native  province  in  Ai'rica,  (whicli  is  rich  in  me- 
tal,) are  men  of  noble  appearance — most  of  them 
tall,  athletic  figures — the  form  of  their  counte- 
nances bordering  on  the  Caucasian.  Their  ex- 
pression, like  their  character  and  whole  deport- 
ment, is  earnest,  and  combined  with  a  certain 
thoughtful  reserve,  and  natural  dignity,  which 
manifests  itself  even  in  their  air  and  gestures  ; 
in  this,  and  other  respects,  they  bear  a  general 
resemblance  to  the  Kabendas.  Their  chins  are 
usually  covered  with  a  thick  beard,  which  is  de- 
ficient in  many  negro  tribes.  The  I'undamental 
peculiarities  of  the  Minas  race  appear  to  be  in- 
corruptible honesty,  diligence  in  every  employ- 
ment, technical  talent  for  all  sorfcij  of  business, 
unshakeable  attachment  to  each  other  as  friends, 
fondness  for  domestic  life  in  the  circle  of  their 
race,  and  unswerving  submission,  fidelity,  and 
devotion,  in  their  relations  as  slaves  or  servants 
to  the  whites  ;  while  they  are  regarded  as  men, 
and  humanely  treated.  The  negroes  possess  the 
remarkable  peculiarity  of  distinguishing  with 
surprising  acuteness,  the  varieties  of  nationality 
in  Europeans,  as  well  as  the  prominent  traits  of 
human  character.  According  to  this  so  called 
instinctive  knowledge  of  mankind,  the  negro  di- 
rects his  confidence  or  mistrust,  his  attachments 
or  dislikes,  probably  without  being  conscious 
himself  of  the  intuition  which  guides  him. 

Achilles  was  a  perfect  exemplar  of  a  Mina3 
negro,  in  all  the  distinctive  marks  of  that  race. 
His  frame,  in  which  tliere  was  more  bone  than 
muscle,  authenticated  his  origin,  by  the  proud 
bearing  and  innate  perception  noticed  above. 
On  account  of  the  early  development  of  the  ne- 
gro in  tropical  climates,  he  appeared  old,  and 
tlie  hair  of  his  head  and  his  beard  exhibited  a 
slight  sprinlding  of  grey,  wliile  his  robust  acti- 
vity betokened  manly  strength,  which  defied  the 
influence  of  the  climate  in  which  destiny  had 
transplanted  his  fathers. 

Achilles  had  sought  a  stone  near  the  iron  gate 
of  the  garden  of  the  monastery,  pointed  out  to 
him  by  the  friend  of  his  lady,  when  he  left  him, 
at  which  he  should  await  him  until  his  return 
to  his  cell.  Seldom  as  the  visit  of  a  monk  to  any 
private  house  might  appear  strange,  in  this  case, 
peculiar  circumstances  combined  to  render  the 
direct  interview  of  Celeste  with  a  young  lady  in 
the  hours  of  night,  especially  dangerous,  as  it 
tended  to  make  a  coincidence. 

The  vigilance  of  the  police  greatly  embar- 
rassed the  movements  of  the  monk,  and  on  the 
other  hand,  his  relations  witli  his  order  required 
the  utmost  caution,  if  he  would  not  excite  sus- 
picions which  might  give  occasion  for  an  inves- 
tigation on  the  part  of  the  autiiorities. 

Without  any  previous  knowledge  of  what  na- 
ture the  interview  with  Alphonso  might  be,  and 
to  what  decision  it  might  lead,  Celeste  had  taken 
measures  to  prepare,  through  the  trustworthy 
Achilles,  a  medium  of  communication  between 
Dolores  and  his  unfortunate  friend. 

The  quiet  of  night  surrounded  the  monastery. 
An  oppressive  stillness,  the  precursor  of  a  thun- 
der storm,  fettered  the  topmost   boughs  of  the 


^3 


DOLORES. 


high  trees,  which  partly  overhung  the  walls. 
The  footsteps  of  single  passers  by,  intercepted 
from  time  to  time  the  noiseless  silence.  But 
they  were  not  the  tread  of  the  Benedictine  in  his 
light  sandals,  and  Achilles  listened  intently,  as 
motionless  as  the  broad  leaf  of  the  gigantic  om- 
bados,*  whose  night-like  shadow  enveloped  that 
portion  of  the  garden  where  he  waited  with  in- 
creasing impatience. 

This  old  negro  was  a  sort  of  sealed  family 
chronicle  of  the  events  of  his  house,  transmitted 
to  him  by  tradition  from  his  father  and  grand- 
father, and  increased  by  his  personal  interest  in 
all  which  had  befallen  the  family  from  his  child- 
hood to  the  present  time ;  his  heart  was  like  the 
covering  of  a  paqiiet  of  important  family  papers, 
preserved  by  a  black  Ethiopian  seal  of  secrecy. 
The  meditative  silence,  peculiar  to  his  national 
character,  was  much  increased  by  the  unlimited 
confidence  of  his  masters.  The  more  deeply  he 
was  received  into  the  relations  and  affairs  of  the 
family,  the  more  was  his  pride  aroused  to  enjoy 
unlimited  confidence,  and  the  higher  did  his  zeal 
Eirise,  to  show  himself  worthy  of  his  position. 

Besides  himself  and  his  daughter  Corinna, 
Alphonso  was  the  only  person  who  knew  the 
situation  in  which  Dolores  was  placed.  The  in- 
telligence that  Alphonso  would  become  at  day- 
break the  victim  of  shameless  tj'ranny,  would 
have  been  sufficient  of  itself  to  deprive  him  of  all 
resolution  :  but  his  pain  was  greatly  enhanced  by 
the  thought  that  the  "  wonderful  spirit"  of  Do- 
lores, as  he  called  it,  (without  being  able  to 
comprehend  it,)  had  indirectly  drawn  destruc- 
tion upon  the  head  of  her  beloved.  He  espe- 
cially admired  and  honored  in  this  mysterious 
being  her  "  wonderful  spirit,"  which  he  so  de- 
signated, because  ho  could  tlnd  no  more  appro- 
priate term.  Sinking  more  and  more  deeply  in 
reflection,  he  involved  himself  still  more  m  the 
web  of  considei'ations,  which  made  the  thought 
of  the  deliverance  of  both  persons  beyond  the 
limits  of  possibility.  He  had  but  a  miserable  life 
to  lose,  and  was  resolved  to  sacrifice  it  joyfully, 
if  he  could,  by  so  doing,  save  the  friend  of  his 
mistress,  and  herself.  He  felt  himself  the  more 
unhappy,  the  more  he  was  penetrated  by  the 
consciousness  that  his  will  was  palsied  by  the 
insurmountable  force  of  circumstances.  .Sunk  in 
such  sad  musings,  he  had  forgotten  the  world 
without,  when  he  felt  himself  suddenly  aroused 
from  his  revery  by  a  hand  on  his  shoulder,  and  a 
manly  voice  sounding  in  his  ear.  "  How  goes 
it,  friend  Achilles?"  was  the  salutation,  accom- 
panied by  a  heavy  blow  on  his  right  arm.  Achil- 
les, whom  the  appearance  of  any  human  being, 
except  the  expected  Celeste,  would  have  terri- 
fied, felt  all  the  more  alarmed  at  the  appearance 
of  a  person  who,  even  though  in  remote  idea, 
was  connected  with  the  former  days  and  fate  of 
his  lady  Dolores.  As  if  roused  from  real  slum- 
ber, he  rubbed  his  eyes,  and  looked  an.xiously 
around  him,  while  he  dreaded  the  return  of  Ce- 
leste, to  which,  until  now,  he  had  looked  forward 
with  increasing  imj»atience. 

"  Good  evening,  .Senor  Perezoso — how  do  you 
do  ?"  he  began,  after  a  pause,  which  followed 
the  salutation,  and  rose  up,  and  instinctively 
prepared  for  all  possible  accidents  which  might 

*  A  sort  of  elm.    f  Sefiora  instead  of  Seaorita. 


occur  from  this  unwelcome  interruption  to  hv$ 
loneliness.  The  person  who  stooa  before  hira 
was  one  of  those  consonants  in  the  great  book  of 
this  bustling  world,  which,  on  this  or  that  page 
of  a  day's  history,  stand  as  consonants,  without 
any  special  meaning,  and  at  most  obtain  a  cha- 
acter  as  letters,  in  connexion  with  some  vowel; 
or,  like  types  in  general,  allow  themselves  to  be 
used  in  any  composition,  to-day  serving  in  an 
essay  which  sets  forth  the  principles  of  freedom, 
to-morrow  appearing  in  the  praise  of  some  tyrant, 
until  they  are  thrown  for  re-casting  into  the 
churchyard  mass  of  corruption,  by  the  hand  of 
death,  which  dissolves  all  human  compositions. 

Perezoso  was  a  little  man,  with  a  round  face, 
and  a  sharp,  and,  what  people  consider, piercing 
eye.  His  dress  difTcred  as  little  from  the  daily 
costume  of  an  European  of  any  nation,  as  one 
form  of  printing  type  from  all  others  in  general, 
in  themselves  an  insignificant  alphabet  of  a  case 
of  letters.  Should  he,  at  any  time,  be  placed  in 
any  class  which  the  collection  of  masses  of  men 
create,  Senor  Perezoso  would  prefer  to  pass  un- 
der the  title  of  a  "  literary  gentleman,"  while 
he,  like  so  many  of  his  species,  assumed  the  title 
without  being  particularly  acquainted  with  any 
literature;  although,  on  the  other  hand,  he  wa3 
not  deficient  in  many  so  called  practical  acquire- 
ments, and  possessed  a  certain  penetration.  He 
would  also  wish  to  be  considered  as  a  gentleman 
among  gentlemen. 

Perezoso  lived  in  the  above  category,  as 
teacher  of  languages  and  translator,  and  as  such 
had  an  extensive  acquaintance  in  the  educated 
circles  of  society,  in  whose  outward  forms  he 
was  thoroughly  versed,  so  that  he  might  as 
readily  pass  for  a  gentleman,  as  many  other  gen- 
tlemen without  figure  or  appearance.  He  had 
for  years  visited  at  the  house  of  the  family  in 
which  the  old  Achilles  figured  as  a  member,  be- 
stowing on  the  two  young  ladies,  Theresa  and 
Dolores,  instructions  in  French  and  Italian. 

"  How  is  Seiiorat  Dolores !"  he  inquired  of 
poor  Achilles,  who  was  making  every  effort  to 
conceal  his  solicitude,  which  was  excited  by  the 
thought  that  Celeste  miglit  suddenly  arrive,  and 
that  his  appearance  might  furnish  occasion  for 
deep  reflection  to  the  teacher.  Before  he  made 
any  reply,  he  bethought  himself  whether  it 
would  not  be  better  to  lead  off'  the  unwelcome 
old  acquaintance  from  the  gate  of  the  monastery 
— a  measure  which  he  instantly  rejected,  as  this 
was  his  appointed  post,  and  as  even  the  shortest 
removal  from  it  might  prevent  his  meeting  with 
Celeste. 

"  Senora  Dolores,"  he  at  length  replied,  mea- 
suring the  teacher  from  head  to  font,  "  I  thank 
you,  Senor  Perezoso,  is  well,  very  well,  so  far  as 
1  know.  Hut  I  have  not  seen  her  this  week, 
however ;  she  is  not  here ;  she  is  at  our  old 
quinta,  thirteen  leagues  from  here ;  she  will  soon 
be  married,  the  good  Senora  Dolores." 

"  Married  ?"  inquired  Perezoso,  with  peculiar 
curiosity — every  piece  of  news  being  of  the 
highest  importance  to  him,  as  material  for  con- 
versation in  the  widely  extended  circle  of  his 
acquaintance — "  to  whom  is  she  to  be  mar- 
ried .'" 

"  .She  marries  a  foreigner,  an  European,  a 
merchant,  a  young  millionaire  ;  his  name  is  Se- 
nor Pepefy  and  company." 

"What?"   cried  Perezcso,  "is  she  going  to 


DOLORES, 


13 


marry  Senor  Pepefy  and  company .'  the  young 
Senor  Pepefy  !  with  the  long  nose  ?" 

"  So  they  3av,"  replied  Achilles ;  "  whether 
the  youna;  man's  nose  is  any  longer  than  yours  I 
cannot  tell ;  but  he  is  going  to-morrow  to  Val- 
paraiso, and  will  marry  the  Seiiora  when  he  re- 
turns." 

"  For  Valparaiso,  to-morrow !  is  that  cer- 
tain ?"  pursued  Perezoso,  with  the  most  eager 
curiosity;  lor  his  thoughts  reverted_^to  a  small 
sum  of  money  which  the  said  Seiior  Pepefy 
owed  him  for  instructions,  and  also  for  transla- 
tions. 

Achilles  had,  according  to  the  German  pro- 
verb, "set  a  ])air  ofblind  hares  running,"  in  order 
to  produce  a  ti-ain  of  thought  in  tlie  mind  of  the 
unwelcome  guest,  that  should  remove  him  from 
the  truth.  While  he  meditated  springing  a  third 
hare,  to  produce  an  effect  of  all  others  the  most 
desirable,  namely,  that  of  getting  him  away, 
either  spiritually  or  bodily,  from  the  walls  of 
the  monastery,  Seiior  Perezoso  had  already 
prepared  to  depart.  He  laid  for  a  minute  the 
lore  finger  of  his  right  hand  on  the  rittlit  side  of 
his  nose,  considering  whether  he  should  write 
Senor  Pepefy  a  billet,  or  rather,  with  all  speed, 
present  him  a  visiting  card,  thus  reminding  him 
in  a  delicate  manner  of  the  said  debt.  He  de- 
cided on  the  latter,  and  left  the  old  negro  with- 
out any  particular  ceremony  of  leave-taking. 
Achilles  drew  a  long  breath,  and  followed  the 
retreating  figure  of  the  literary  gentleman  with 
a  look  of  unspeakable  relief,  which  he  enjoyed 
more  and  more,  the  greater  the  distance  became 
between  them.  The  old  man  found  his  long 
waiting  at  the  gate  hazardous  in  the  highest  de- 
gree, since  this  visit  had  made  the  danger  appa- 
rent to  him,  which  a  light  suspicion  of  the  true 
state  of  the  circumstances  that  led  him  there 
might  bring  upon  him. 

He  feared  to  seat  himself  in  his  old  place,  and 
wandered  slowly  back  and  forth  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  it,  again  so  deeply  absorbed  that  he 
hardly  perceived  a  sound  or  an  object  of  the 
world  without,  and  at  last  remained  standing 
near  a  pillar  of  the  iron  gate,  against  which  he 
leaned  himself.  Unconscious  how  long  he  had 
continued  in  this  dream-like  condition,  he  was 
again  startled  by  the  immediate  neighborhood  of 
a  human  figure,  which  stepped  directly  before 
him,  and  whispered  his  classical  name  in  his  ear. 

"  Senor  Lorenzo,"  replied  he,  in  a  subdued 
voice,  calling  the  monk  by  the  name  with  which 
he  had  first  greeted  him  when  a  boy. 

"  Are  you  asleep,  Achilles .'  are  you  overcome 
after  so  many  nights'  watching  ?"  said  Celeste  to 
him.  The  old  man  sprang  suddenly  aside,  and 
involuntarily  felt  in  his  girdle  in  search  of  his 
weapon,  then  wrapped  himself  more  closely  in 
the  mantle  which  concealed  it. 

"  Senora  Dolores  will  be  allowed  to  see  Al- 
phonso  to-night,  if  you  can  persuade  her  to  re- 
linquish the  resolution  which  she  has  formed,  to 
remain  behind  in  the  dungeon  instead  of  him. 
Alphonso's  honor  will  not  admit  of  it — his  love 
still  less ;  she  must  be  convinced  of  its  impossi- 
bility. In  order  to  take  leave  of  him,  we  must 
first  arrange  to  bring  her  here  to  the  monastery ; 
the  means  are  already  at  her  disposal.  If  she 
consents  to  Alphonso's  request  to  see  him,  and 
to  leave  him  without  persisting  in  her  design, 


conduct  her  to  this  gate  at  eleven  o'clock 
dressed  in  the  habit  of  the  order,  which  I  carried 
to  her  yesterday :  I  will  meet  you  here,  and  you 
shall  attend  me  to  the  prison. 

"  Senora  Dolores  take  leave  of  Alphonso  ! 
Oh  !  oh  !  Seiior  Lorenzo !  Senor  Lorenzo !  Se- 
iior Alphonso  is  to  die  !  is  to  be  shot  early  to- 
morrow !  Oh  !  oh  !  Seiior  Lorenzo  !"  cried 
the  old  negro,  and  a  stream  of  scalding  tears 
burst  from  his  sparkling  eyes,  while  the  thought 
of  the  fulfilment  of  the  sentence  deprived  him  of 
speech. 

"  Almighty  God  of  whites  and  blacks  !"  sobber 
Achilles,  after  a  short  pause,  while  he  tried  tq 
conceal  his  tears  with  his  mantle.  "  Almighty 
God !  where  are  now  the  Unitarians,  the  brethren 
and  colleagues  of  Alphonso .'  where  are  the 
republicans  of  La  Plata,  that  they  leave  him  in 
the  dungeon,  and  do  not  storm  the  prison  before 
he  is  shot  ?" 

"  Compose  yourself,  Achilles,"  interrupted 
Lorenzo,  "  compose  yourself;  our  friends  are 
paralyzed  through  the  power  of  Rosas.  The 
most  efficient  languish  in  dungeons  like  Al- 
phonso, or  in  banishment  from  the  bordere  of  the 
La  Plata;  hundreds  stand  aloof,  and  no  one  of 
them  will  approach  the  other,  for  fear  of  draw- 
ing upon  himself  a  similar  fate.  They  reserve 
their  strength  for  days  to  come ;  and  what  assist- 
ance would  it  be  for  the  present  to  storm  the 
dungeon,  and  increase  the  number  of  sacrifices 
by  a  bloody  struggle,  if  they  could  not  at  the 
same  time  surprise  the  palace  of  Rosas,  and 
strike  the  tree  of  curses  at  its  root  ? 

"  Rosas  has  concealed  himself,"  muttered  the 
negro;  "Rosas,  the  tiger,  will  not  leave  his 
den,  and  vultures  watch  for  every  lamb  that  ap- 
proaches it,  and  every  bird  that  flies  over  it. 
Rosas  lets  his  horse*  be  led  before  the  people- 
he  is  represented  in  the  person  of  his  horse  on 
his  birthday.  Rosas  allows  his  imagef  to  be 
worshipped  as  God,  and  conceals  himself;  like 
God,  invisible ;  and  the  people  believe  that  he  is 
almighty  as  God ;  while  he  makes  money  to  pay 
executioners !  And  the  people  surrender  the 
power  into  his  hands  !  Stupid  people,  the  whites 
and  colored  people  on  the  Plata  river  !" 

While  he  muttered  these  "  black  reflections," 
Celeste  stood  sunk  in  thought,  to  suggest  a  word 
of  counsel  for  Dolores,  in  whose  welfare  he 
was  deeply  interested.  There  remained  to  him 
no  other  means  to  influence  the  decision  of  Do- 
lores, and  bring  the  alternative  home  to  her, 
than  to  lay  before  her,  through  Achilles,  the  ques- 
tion, "  If  she  would  see  her  betrothed  under 
the  above  conditions,  or  would  withhold  from 
him  this  last  consolation  .'" 

After  having  again  briefly  impressed  these 
conditions  on  the  mediator,  and  particularly 
charged  him  to  warn  Dolores  of  every  danger 
which  a  manifestation  of  her  feelings  in  the 
prison  might  lead  to,  he  committed  the  afl'air  to 
the  prudence  and  dexterity  of  the  negro,  and 
passed  through  the  garden  gate  of  the  monastery. 


•  Instead  of  appearing  personally  before  the  peoples, 
Rosas  at  times,  on  particular  feast  days,  caused  his  horse 
to  be  trotted  out,  led  by  olficers  of  high  rank. 

fThe  portrait  of  Rosas,  surrounded  with  red  ribbons 
and  flowers,  was  at  times  lifted  on  high  and  carried  in 
procession,  attended  by  priests. 


H 


DOLORES. 


CHAPTER  IV 


THE   ENGUSHMAIT. 


Among  the  numerous  English  families  that 
geek  their  comfort  in  all  parts  of  the  world  to 
which  the  waves  of  the  ocean  bear  a  keel,  or 
where  their  b-iisineas  establishea  a  home,  the 
Walker  family  lived,  in  Buenos  Ayres,  in  all  the 
splendor  of  an  undisputed  respectability.  They 
inhabited  one  of  the  most  eligible  houses  in  the 
street  Victoria,  which  name,  it  is  true,  was  given 
before  the  Queen  of  Great  Britain  mounted  the 
throne,  and  entered  into  intimate  alliance  with 
the  Emperor  of  Russia,  but  now,  as  the  address 
of  the  English  house,  it  acquired  peculiar  value. 
It  is  the  easiest  thing  possible  to  indicate  the 
standing  and  style  of  living  of  this  family,  as  we 
only  need  to  mention  that  it  was  an  Englis/i 
family  of  respectability.  Their  house  was  of 
course  furnished  in  English  style,  and  covered 
with  English  carpets.  Iron  chimneys  lawfully 
cast  in  England,  and  shells  from  "the  British 
colonies  on  the  mantelpieces,  English  blue  and 
white  china  services,  a  supply  of  castor  oil,  a 
knocker  on  the  house  door,  and  a  bull  dog  in  the 
yard,  were  sufficient  attributes  of  unimpeachable 
nationality. 

iVIr.  Walker  stood  high  on  the  Exchange,  and 
would  long  since  have  become  British  consul, 
had  he  not,  in  secret,  sustained  ^he  much  higher 
rank  of  quasi  diplomat,  which  brought  him  into 
personal  intercourse  with  the  assembled  minis- 
ters and  private  secretaries  of  the  sole  ruler  of 
La  Plata.  He  considered  himself  the  actual 
British  ambassador  in  Buenos  Ayres,  which 
dignity  was  known  to  himself  alone.  He  main- 
tained, in  a  measure,  a  standing  similar  to  that 
of  a  cabinet  maker  in  Berlin,  whom  Frederick 
the  Great,  in  jest,  named  privy  counsellor,  on 
condition  that,  besides  themselves,  no  soul  must 
know  of  the  title.  As  a  Briton,  througli  the 
liberty  of  the  press  in  his  fatherland,  he  had  al- 
ways been  allowed  political  reading,  and  had 
selected  politics  as  his  darling  pursuit.  From  a 
longing  to  display  his  abilities  in  parliament,  for 
which  he  was  qualified  by  his  wealth,  %vithout 
possessing  any  prominent  talent  for  rhetorical 
discussion,  he  had  thrice  sought  to  gratify  his 
ambition  to  become  a  member  of  that  honorable 
body.  Thrice  defeated,  and  at  length  discon- 
tented with  his  native  land,  he  left  England,  and 
established  himself  in  business  on  the  banks  of 
the  La  Plata,  where  he  now  by  all  methods  en- 
deavored to  carry  out  his  political  role,  without 
in  tile  least  degree  taking  any  open  share  in 
political  events. 

One  fixed  idea  of  old  Mr.  Walker  was,  the 
annexation  of  all  the  provinces  of  La  Plata  to 
the  British  Crown,  with  which  he  combined  a 
yet  more  audacious  project,  which,  in  itself,  was 
by  no  means  to  be  despised.  After  long  and 
profound  study  of  the  geography  of  South 
America,  he  made  the  discovery  that  a  union  of 
the  rivers  Amazon  and  La  Plata  by  means  of  a 
canal  was  possible,  and  when  that  should  be 
completed,  a  steam  navigation  might  be  estab- 
lished from  the  Ecjuator  thr.iugh  South  America 
to  the  3iith  or  37th  degree  of  south  latitude. 
This  undertaking  was,  of  course,  only  to  be  car- 
ried on  under  "  British  protection,"  although, 
perhaps,  with  foreign  capital ;  on  the  supposition 


that  both  shores  of  the  united  floods  for  aefetA 
hundred  miles  east  and  west,  would  serve  as 
British  colonies,  depots  for  British  manufac- 
tures, and  furnish  offices  for  the  portionless  sons 
of  the  English  aristocracy.  In  pursuance  of 
this  bold  idea,  he  had  opened  a  mediatorial  cor- 
respondence in  London,  by  means  of  which  he 
might,  at  least,  lay  his  project  before  the  private 
secretary  of  some  minister.  While  he  sought  to 
have  it  understood  there,  that  he  was  the  right 
hand  man  of  Rosas  in  Buenos  Ayres,  and  carried 
all  the  provinces  of  La  Plata,  so  to  say,  in  his 
pocket,  he  endeavored  to  make  himself  appear 
to  the  parvenues  who  composed  the  cabinet  of 
Rosas,  as  a  secret  ambassador  from  Great  Britain, 
who  had  in  his  vest  pocket  the  gift  of  the  crown 
to  the  Dictator,  in  case  the  latter  would  consent 
to  conquer  and  reserve  Monte  Video  for  England ; 
that  is,  to  permit  the  British  government  to  erect 
forts  at  the  outlet  of  the  La  Plata,  and  control 
the  navigation,  from  Cape  St.  Antonio,  along  that 
river,  by  way  of  the  idea!  canal,  to  the  month  of 
the  river  Amazon,  where  a  British  viceroyalty 
(Para)  should  be  established — the  government  of 
which  he  reserved  for  himself,  and  afterwards 
for  his  son,  Mr.  Robert  William  Walker. 

With  regard  to  the  future  political  condition 
of  South  America,  under  British  protection ,  all 
was,  of  course,  in  the  best  order,  in  Mr.  John 
Walker's  port  folio,  when  he  sought,  in  the 
meantime,  to  turn  the  present  circumstances  of 
the  counti-y  to  his  more  immediate  advantage. 
He  was  interested  in  several  mining  companies 
which  had  been  established  by  Englishmen  in 
South  America,  and  in  such  business  stood  with 
one  foot  in  Brazil  and  with  the  other  in  Buenos 
Ayres.  Stamped  by  nature  as  a  diplomat,  he 
was  under  the  necessity  of  doing  something 
secret,  which  should  at  the  same  time  be  directly 
profitable;  and  accordingly  he  indulged  hia 
ruling /)a*s«orey<)r  mystery  by  the  unlawful  ex- 
portation of  precious  metals  and  diamonds.  He 
was  also  secretly  engaged,  as  the  principal  owner 
of  some  slave  ships,  in  conveying  fresh  laborers 
to  the  mines  in  Brazil,  in  which  he,  of  course, 
had  a  double  interest.  He  was,  as  the  English 
say,  fond  of  secrets,  and  could  not  have  slept 
quietly  if  he  had  not  been  excited  by  a  secret 
some  hours  before  he  went  to  rest. 


CHAPTER   V. 


Senor  Roderigo  B ,  the  uncle  of  Dolores, 

maintained  the  standing  of  a  man  of  independent 
fortune,  whose  riches  were  rated  very  high.  In- 
duced by  the  well  known  respectability  of  this 
foreigner,  Mr.  John  Walker  had  sought  his 
acquaintance  as  a  neighbor  on  the  banks  of  the 
I-a  Plata,  and  had  sliown  the  peculiar  conde- 
scension of  introducing  his  daughter.  Miss  Fanny, 
as  the  playmate  of  Dolores  and  Theresa. 

This  condescension,  on  the  part  of  a  Briton, 
must  have  been  most  highly  valued  by  a  South 
American,  of  Spanish  descent,  and,  of  course,  a 
foreigner.  However  well  meant  on  the  part  of 
the  Briton  might  have  been  the  introduction  of 


DOLORES. 


15 


Miss  Fanny,  as  the  future  friend  of  the  Seiioras 
Dolores  and  Theresa,  fate  could  hardly  have 
brought  together  two  beings  more  totally  different 
than  Miss  Fanny  and  Senora  Dolores. 

In  Dolores,  from  her  childhood,  a  mind  was 
developed  which  seized  upon  all  the  appear- 
ances of  nature  as  well  as  of  life,  with  a  glow  of 
feeling  that  shone  with  crystal  clearness  in  every 
thought  of  her  active  mind.  These  images  in 
effect  caused,  in  her  early  childhood,  volcanic 
eruptions  of  a  powerful  and  inwardly  pervading 
warmth  of  emotion,  which  took  the  form  of 
poetry.  Unconsciously  to  herself,  her  spirit 
was  elevated  to  a  height  of  intuition  which  made 
the  earthly  life,  whose  chaos  swept  around  her, 
appear  foreign  and  strange  to  her. 

Her  mother  had,  with  maternal  partiality, 
comprehended  the  peculiarities  of  her  beloved 
child,  and  without  the  least  intention  of  forming 
a  prodigy  which  might  in  time  serve  a  museum 
as  a  happy  acquisition  for  its  public  exhibitions, 
had  conducted  her  education  with  peculiar  care. 
Providence  had  bestowed  upon  her  another 
daughter,  her  first  born,  whose  mind,  with  simi- 
lar intensity,  had  developed  a  preference  for 
religious  meditation.  Her  spirit,  even  when  un- 
restrained, never  elevated  itself  to  that  high 
sphere  of  mward  life,  by  the  light  of  which  the 
caricatures  of  the  social  world  of  our  century  are 
exposed  to  view,  while  it  too  often  loads  the 
breast  which  nourishes  this  higher  idea  of  exis- 
^nce,  with  pain,  sorrow,  and  grief 

Dolores  was  born  and  brought  up  at  a  quinta, 
whose  gentle  elevation  imparted  a  romantic  pros- 
pect to  the  west,  across  the  expansive  stream, 
from  whence  onward  it  became  like  a  sea,  or 
rather  like  the  ocean;  while  to  the  east  the 
boundless  pampas,  here  and  there  interrupted  by 
insignificant  hills  and  woods,  displayed  them- 
selves like  portions  of  an  endless  world. 

The  starry  sky  of  the  southern  hemisphere, 
glittering  in  this  climate  with  peculiar  bril- 
liancy, presented  to  the  the  child's  contemplation 
an  unfathomable  wonder-world  of  various  ap- 
pearances. The  thunder,  attended  by  those  wild 
storms  (pamperos)  which  chase  over  the  un- 
broken plains,  announcing,  as  it  were,  a  break- 
ing up  of  the  forces  of  nature,  and  immediately 
succeeded  by  the  returning  stillness,  united  the 
heart  of  the  child  more  closely  to  the  charms 
of  the  surrounding  scenery.  The  sentiment  of 
love,  strengthened  by  her  admiration  of  nature, 
was  blended  with  holy  reverence  and  adoration 
of  an  all-ruling  Deity.  At  the  same  time,  with 
these  impressions  of  nature,  Dolores  received  the 
bloody  image  of  the  struggles  and  uprisings  of  a 
human  sense  of  honor  and  right  against  oppres- 
sion and  tyranny,  which  filled  the  annals  of  that 
period.  Gifted  with  that  unhappy  depth  of 
mind,  which  received  all  external  impressions 
with  such  vividness,  that  the  joy  or  grief  of 
others  became  ingrafted  as  a  part  of  her  very  be- 
ing, Dolores  beheld  the  struggles  of  her  nation  for 
freedom  and  independence  from  the  same  ele- 
vated point  of  view  from  which  her  mind  had 
imbibed  its  ideas  of  nature,  creation,  and  God, 
and  the  principle  of  love  as  the  first  principle  of 
all  being.  As  it  is  a  historical  truth,  that  men- 
tal power  elevates  itself  more  boldly  when 
despotism  seeks  to  subdue  it,  and  loses  itself, 
now  and  then,  amid  the  relaxation  of  material 
comfort,  when  the  element  of  freedom  opens  the 


way  to  progress :  so  did  the  spirit  of  Dolores 
unfold  itself  to  astonishing  height  and  expan- 
sion, the  more  the  scornful  power  of  absolutism, 
represented  through  Rosas,  sought  to  stifle  the 
pure  sentiments  of  patriotism  in  her  country. 
Her  spirit  felt  itself  all  the  more  free  as  Rosas 
sought,  by  the  cheap  assistance  of  the  priest- 
hood, to  re-establish  darkness  and  moral  slavery. 

After  the  foregoing  remarks,  it  will  appear  to 
us  the  more  natural,  when  we  perceive  in  the 
countries  of  South  America  the  undeniable  stri- 
vings of  mental  power,  seeking  to  release  itself 
from  the  two-fold  pressure  of  the  Church  and 
of  political  oppression,  and  availing  itself  of  the 
national  poetry  as  its  organ. 

The  people  of  those  provinces,  for  the  greater 
part  of  Spanish  or  Italian  descent,  possess  in 
consequence  a  vivacity  of  mind  which  is  dia- 
metrically opposite  to  the  phlegm  of  the  other 
European  races.  Since  the  time  of  its  discovery, 
South  America,  as  a  possession  of  the  Spanish 
crown,  has  been  fettered  by  the  burning  chains 
of  the  inquisition,  and  sunk  in  the  night  of  fa- 
naticism ;  therefore  the  light  of  moral  freedom 
must  have  penetrated  the  hearts  of  men  more 
effectually,  when  a  single  decisive  struggle  re- 
leased each  province  from  the  torture-block  of 
an  impertinent  priestly  tyranny.  The  people 
found  themselves  in  the  way  of  progress  and  de- 
velopment, guided  by  the  patriotic  sacrifices  of 
distinguished  men,  whose  names  grace  the  an- 
nals of  history,  until  the  epoch  in  which  a  man, 
who  undoubtedly  might  have  been  a  very  good 
soldier,  rising  from  the  dregs  of  the  people,  and 
vilifying  the  democratic  principle  from  con- 
temptible selfishness,  threw  himself  as  an  usurper 
upon  an  extensive  territory. 

It  was  Rosas,  who,  as  an  ignominious  exam- 
ple of  brutal  power,  gave  the  absolutism  of  mo- 
narchy the  means  to  mock  at  the  republican 
principle,  and  to  proclaim  the  aim  after  which 
our  century  is  striving,  to  be  "  impracticable  and 
absurd,  ridiculous  and  contemptible,  to  every 
reasonable  man." 

In  harmony  with  the  depth  of  her  mind,  a 
spiritual  power  developed  itself  in  Dolores,  in 
the  form  of  poetry.  In  accordance  with  the  spi- 
rit of  poetry,  she  followed  the  impulse  of  the 
inspiration,  which  produced  its  effusions  as  if 
involuntarily  and  irrepressibly. 

As  all  true  talent,  more  or  less  unconscious  of 
its  own  strength  and  power,  compares  the  spi- 
ritual fruit  of  its  efforts  and  labors  with  the  ob- 
ject that  floats  before  the  imagination,  and  is 
coupled  with  diffidence,  and  often  sinks  into 
despondency,  so  did  Dolores  appear  not  to  be 
clearly  aware  of  the  worth  and  dignity  of  the 
gift  imparted  to  her  as  a  poetess.  She  carefully 
concealed  from  every  eye  the  product  of  her  in- 
spiration, the  material  of  which  was  taken  from 
religion,  nature,  and  of  the  political  development 
of  her  nation,  which  last  she  contemplated  from 
the  point  of  view  of  humanity,  as  a  movement  in 
the  progress  of  all  mankind. 

The  confidential  relations  of  several  families 
with  their  parents,  had  tied  the  happy  bond  of 
childish  attachment  between  Lorenzo  and  Al- 
phonso,  in  intercourse  with  Dolores  and  her  sis- 
ter Theresa.  The  two  youths  were  as  diflerent 
in  individuality,  as  were  the  two  sisters,  who 
were  in  a  manner  educated  with  them.  Lorenzo 
had  embraced  the  Catholic  religion  as  the  ele- 


10 


DOLORES. 


ment  of  faith,  as  the  realm  of  unbounded  imagi- 
nation, in  which  it  became  the  undeniable  sup- 
port of  all  the  different  arts,  while  it  continued 
to  uphold  the  idea  of  the  unity  of  mankind  in  the 
principle  of  love,  which,  unhappily,  through 
the  blood-shedding  absolutism  of  the  church, 
(as  a  state  form,)  has  now  in  reality  become  de- 
spised. 

Theresa  appeared  to  him  as  faith  personified, 
as  the  embodied  principle  of  love ;  his  love  to 
her  became  religion,  because  it  sprung  from  the 
depths  of  his  religious  heart.  She  died  in  the 
early  bloom  of  her  development.  A  crisis  fol- 
lowed in  the  inward  life  of  the  youth,  the  result 
of  which  is  easier  to  declare  than  approve.  He 
assumed  the  tonsure  at  the  grave  of  his  betrothed, 
and  had  lived  several  years  in  the  quiet  retire- 
ment of  the  cloister,  at  the  gate  of  which  we 
lately  left  him. 

Alphonso,  on  the  contrary,  in  direct  opposi- 
tion to  his  friend  Lorenzo,  considered  religion  as 
the  basis  of  all  development  in  mankind,  so  far 
as  related  to  one  primitive  religion^  which,  re- 
vealing itself  from  age  to  a^e  under  different 
forms,  as  religion  confirmed  its  influence,  from 
century  to  century,  upon  the  development  of  the 
human  race.  Churches  and  rituals  appeared  to 
him  as  forms  and  formulas,  which  sink  and  fall 
away,  to  give  place  to  new  uprisings  of  the  spi- 
rit, which  affirms  its  all  controlling  power  as 
Qie  primitiiie  spirit  of  humanity. 

The  principle  of  love  in  Alphonso,  took  the 
form  of  patriotism,  insomuch  as  he  felt  himself 
united  to  mankind  as  a  man  through  his  nation, 
and  looked  upon  unreserved  sacrifices  for  the 
cause  of  the  people  as  the  most  sacred  condition 
of  the  love  of  mankind,  oi  humanity. 

Penetrated  by  these  sentiments,  the  mental 
phenomena  which  developed  themselves  in  Do- 
tores,  must  have  wrought  upon  him  with  pow- 
erful attraction.  He  loved  in  Dolores  his  coun- 
try ;  the  principle  of  freedom,  which,  so  strong 
in  himself,  found  utterance  in  her,  and  was  like- 
wise inwoven  in  the  spirit  of  his  beloved,  who  at 
the  same  point  of  elevation  with  himself,  formed 
with  him  a  harmony  of  being,  that  no  power  on 
earth  might  rend  or  loosen.  He  was  as  unable 
to  separate  the  sentiments  of  patriotism  from  his 
love  to  Dolores,  as  she  would  have  been  to  cher- 
ish love  for  a  heart  to  whom  the  idea  was 
foreign  which  was  illustrated  in  her. 

It  being  a  well  known  psychological  truth, 
that  either  love  or  grief,  and  often  both,  rock 
the  cradle  of  poetic  development,  and  that  po- 
etic talent  pursues  its  career,  attended  either  by 
the  genius  of  love  or  the  demons  of  sorrow  and 
gi-ief,  it  was  perfectly  natural  that  the  poetic 
spirit  of  Dolores  should  suddenly  unfold  itself, 
to  a  high  degree,  in  the  consciousness  of  Al- 
phonso's  love. 

Dolores,  deeply  feeling  her  loneliness  since 
the  death  of  her  sister,  was  little  inclined  to  re- 
linquish the  acquaintance  of  Miss  Fanny,  as  the 
latter  had  displayed  from  childhood  a  cordial 
womanly  feeling.  Miss  Fanny  was  more  easily 
able  to  appreciate  the  exalted  miud  of  her  young 
friend  by  means  of  her  feelings,  than  with  her 
understanding  to  comprehend  her  mysterious 
nature,  which  she  revered  in  Dolores,  as  much 
as  she  had  loved  her  as  a  playmate. 

She  was  descended  on  her  mother's  side  from 
one  of  those  numerous  sects,  which  ia  England 


separate  themselves  from  the  established  church 
and  had  grown  up  in  that  mental  confusion, 
which,  so  often  coupled  with  narrowness  of  con- 
ception, considers  the  unlimited  observance  of 
church  forms  as  religion,  and,  based  on  fear  ra- 
ther than  faith,  acknowledges  an  evil  principle, 
whose  power  on  earth  even  the  Deity  was  not 
able  to  overcome. 

Mr.  John  Walker,  as  a  man  of  the  world,  less 
anxious  about  church  forms  than  his  wife,  under 
the  mask  of  tolerance  concealed  that  indiffer- 
ence to  all  religion  which  characterizes  our 
times.  Without  giving  in  his  open  life  any  of- 
fence to  the  general  requirements  of  so  called  re- 
ligion, he  acknowledged  the  exchange  as  the 
temple  of  business,  to  which  alone  he  looked 
for  happiness — mammon  as  the  God  of  our  cen- 
tury ;  and  he  considered  credit  more  important 
than  faith.  He  passed  (in  this  respect)  for  an 
enlightened  man,  who  had  risen  above  many 
prejudices,  and  acknowledged  the  Christian  reli- 
gion only  to  take  an  oath  in  the  way  of  his  busi- 
ness, at  the  custom  house,  or  as  a  witness  before 
a  court. 

Miss  Fanny's  religious  bias  showed  itself  prin- 
cipally in  consa^ence  of  her  mother's  influence, 
in  unlimited  hatred  and  rigid  aversion  against 
the  Catholic  church,  and  all  Catholics,  of  what- 
ever nation  they  might  be,  while  she  pitied  and 
looked  down  also  upon  all  Protestant  sects, 
with  the  same  Christian  compassion  with  which 
they  despise  the  unfortunate  infidels  and  gen- 
tiles, who  incur  eternal  damnation  by  anticipa- 
tion. The  only  point  of  religious  union  between 
Miss  Fanny  and  Senora  Dolores,  was  found  in 
the  circumstance,  that  the  latter  had  long  since 
released  herself  from  the  forms  of  the  "  only 
saving  church,"  without  having  as  yet,  however, 
preferred  any  other  church  to  the  Romish,  while 
she  strictly  separated  the  notions  of  church  and 
religion,  and  regarded  the  ordinances  of  any  es- 
tablished church  as  being  in  direct  contradiction 
to  the  religion  of  Jesus. 

Through  mental  reflection,  and  the  profound 
study  of  history,  Dolores  was  brought  to  the  con- 
viction that  the  fundamental  principles  of  love, 
equality,  and  righteousness,  had  been  as  little 
upheld  or  practised,  on  the  part  of  the  Romish, 
as  of  any  other  established  church,  since  the 
foundation  of  the  Christian  church  in  the  third 
century. 

As  the  principles  of  humanity,  aroused  in  Do- 
lores, by  the  condition  and  sufferings  of  her 
country,  under  the  yoke  of  tyranny,  proceeded 
from  the  depth  of  her  religious  convictions,  so 
did  religion  appear  in  her  whole  being,  as  the 
ruling  element  of  life,  and  of  mental  power.  Her 
sympathy  in  the  political  events  of  the  time, 
called  out  by  the  lawless  outrages  of  a  brutal 
tyrant,  was  not  at  all  that  petty  "  spirit  of  party" 
with  which  so  many  condemn  the  political  move- 
ments around  them ;  viewing  every  appearance 
as  founded  on  the  same  personal  interest  which 
guides  themselves.  She  cherished  from  her 
heart  the  republican  principle  which  she  ac- 
knowledged as  the  basis  of  development  in  all 
nations,  and  which  she  saw  most  ignominiouslj 
despised  and  proscribed  under  the  arbitrary  poVr- 
er  of  an  usurper. 

Dolores  was  penetrated  by  the  principle  of 
love,  which  especially  reveals  itself  by  tolerance, 
in  opposition  to  the  intolerance  of  all  sects ;  in 


DOLORES. 


17 


which,  instead  of  love,  the /ear  of  the  devil  pre- 
vails ;  consei|uently  she  loved  in  Miss  Fanny, 
the  playmate  uf  hev  childhood,  without  seeking, 
in  the  smallest  degree,  to  influence  her  religious 
views,  any  more  than  she  would  have  suft'ered 
s  proselyte  maker  to  approach  her,  to  win  her 
to  this  or  that  religious  sect. 

To  conclude  our  statement  of  the  relations  in 
which  Senora  Dolores  is  to  be  considered  almost 
as  a  member  of  tlic  English  family,  we  will  only 
remark,  that  Mr.  Walker  was  the  only  Briton  in 
Buenos  Ayres  who  knew  of  the  young  lady's 
distinguished  poetic  talent. 


—'**^*^'t-t^3&-^-*^^*^rr— 


CHAPTER   VI. 

THE    rABEWELL   IX   THE    PRISON. 

It  wanted  a  quarter  to  eleven — the  silence  of 
death  reigned  in  the  prison,  interrupted  only  by 
tlie  dull  tread  of  soldiers  without  military  bear- 
ing, who  carried  their  muskets  sometimes  on  the 
right,  and  sometimes  on  the  left  shoulder,  yawn- 
ing in  the  dusky  night,  one  minute  standing  still, 
and  the  next  walking  Ijack  and  forth. 

In  the  upper  stories,  appropriated  as  barracks, 
Morplieus  seemed  to  have  taken  charge  of  the 
watch  himself,  having  relieved  the  mercenaries 
from  duty,  producing  a  most  inharmonious  nasal 
concert,  which  would  be  insupportable  to  the 
hearers  as  long  as  they  took  no  part  in  it  them- 
selves. 

From  time  to  time  tlie  clanking  of  a  chain  was 
neard  through  the  grating  of  a  dungeon,  caused 
by  the  noisy  stirring  of  an  unfortunate,  who, 
perhaps,  turning  liimseif  sleeplessly  on  his  hard 
dcd,  longed  for  a  draught  of  Lethe  in  the  arms 
of  sleep,  but  found  not  the  solace.  SeHor  Do- 
mingo sat  sunk  in  profound  slumber  in  the  wide 
arm-chair  of  his  little  room,  with  his  snutf  box 
in  one  liand,  and  an  unused  pinch  of  snufi'  be- 
tween tlie  fingers  of  the  other,  disturbed,  from 
time  to  time,  by  the  preponderance  of  his  old 
gray  head,  which  sank  ujjon  his  breast,  obeyed 
the  laws  of  gravity,  and  every  now  and  then 
nodded  more  profoundly. 

Narcissus,  the  restless  factotum  of  all  com- 
missions, had  taken  his  place  opposite,  and 
leaned  his  arm  and  head  upon  a  table,  while  he 
slipped  about  upon  a  wooden  bench,  to  which 
long  usage  had  given  a  natui-al  polish  and  lustre. 

The  sentry  before  the  door  tediously  counted 
the  minutes  of  the  last  quarter  of  an  hour  of  his 
nigtitly  post,  until  at  last  it  sh-uck  eleven.  A 
night  watchman,  with  a  lantern  in  his  hand,  ap- 
peared at  a  distance  from  the  building,  and  cried, 
in  a  hoarse,  twanging  voice,  **  Viva  la  Confede- 
racion  !  mueran  los  salvages  Unitarios  !  viva  la 
representacion !  .  .  .  .las  once !  tiempo 
sereno  !     ...     el  cielo  Ileno  de  estrellas  !' 

This  announcement  of  fine  weather,  which  at 
the  moment  by  no  means  agreed  with  the  truth, 
inasmuch  as  the  sky  was  covered  with  thunder 
clouds,  escaped  involuntarily  from  this,  as  it  did 


•  Long  live  the  Confederation !   death  to  the  cursed 
Unitarians '.    long    live    the    representation  t      Eleven 
J'clock  :  tine  weather  1  the  sky  is  lull  of  stars  I 
3 


from  many  other  watchmen  of  Buenos  Ayres,  as 
if  in  honor  of  the  name  of  the  city,  even  wlien 
the  sky  was  filled  with  clouds,  and  the  rain  was 
falling  by  buckets  full. 

With  the  change  of  sentries,  two  monkish 
forms  approached,  attended  by  a  negro  in  a  wide 
cloak.  A  loud  challenge  was  succeeded  by  as 
loud  a  reply.  The  corporal  cast  an  offici;il  glance 
upon  both  monks,  one  of  whom  presented  to 
him  the  crucifix  with  outstretched  ai-m,  crying, 
in  a  low  voice,  "  Memento  mori  '" 

Surprised  and  almost  terrified  at  the  appear- 
ance of  the  personified  Saviour,  he  stepped  back, 
and  pulled  with  one  hand  the  bell  handle  of  the 
gate,  which  operation  set  the  perplexed  pojter 
in  motion.  The  gate  opened,  the  monks  stepped 
over  the  threshold,  the  soldiers  bowed  with 
bended  knees,  crossed  foreheads  and  breasts,  and 
then  arose  to  discharge  the  watch  for  the  night. 
The  sentries  of  the  former  watch  soon  left  their 
posts, and  entered  the  building,  whose  gate,  creak- 
ing and  rattling,  closed  behind  them.  The  porter, 
a  secondary  helper  in  the  bloody  tragedy,  spurred 
to  diligence  by  Seiior  Domingo's  unwonted  night 
watching,  locked  and  bolted  the  entrance,  hung 
a  heavy  double  chain  across  the  gate,  bent  reve- 
rently before  the  two  monks,  and  threw  himself 
on  his  knees,  embracing  the  occasion  to  secure  a 
holy  benediction. 

"  Let  the  cell  of  the  condemned  be  opened  for 
us  at  once,"  at  length  said  Erother  Celeste, 
breaking  the  death-like  silence  which  was  again 
prevailing,  and  addressing  Seiior  Domingo,  who 
met  him,  "  and  be  pleased  to  await  us  in  the 
chapel,  while  we  prepare  the  condemned  for 
the  sacrament  of  the  holy  supper." 

"  It  shall  be  done  immediately,  without  fail," 
said  the  old  officer,  ordering  the  mulatto.  Nar- 
cissus, to  call  the  turnkey  of  the  wing  under 
which  the  dungeon  vault  lay,  in  whose  gloomy 
obscurity  Alphonso  withered. 

Dolores  was  one  of  those  charming  forms  of  La 
Plata,  whose  fame,  in  respect  to  the  symmetry  of 
their  persons,  and  their  natural  grace  of  carriage 
and  movement,  has  been  proclaimed  by  so  many 
travellers  from  all  parts  of  the  world.  Enve- 
loped in  the  black  habit  of  the  order,  with  white 
sleeves,  she  appeared  like  a  young  monk.  Her 
glossy  black  hair,  besides  being  covered  with  the 
concealing  white  hood,  was  further  disguised  by 
a  false  tonsure.  An  artificial  beard,  correspond- 
ing to  the  early  age  indicated  by  her  grief- 
blanched  countenance,  covered  her  upper  lip 
and  chin.  With  a  trembling  hand  she  bore  the 
cup  of  the  Lord.  She  stood  panting,  and  with  a 
heaving  breast,  leaning  against  a  pillar,  near 
Celeste,  who  carried  the  crucifix,  as  if  over- 
powered by  the  struggles  of  contending  emotions, 
which  raged  more  fiercely  within  her,  the  more 
she  felt  herself  compelled  to  suppress  their  mani- 
festation. 

Narcissus  appeared  at  last  with  the  under 
turnkey,  a  robust  mixture  of  the  European  and 
Patagonian  ;  the  latter  omitted  not  to  pay  his 
reverence  to  the  holy  symbols,  and  awaited  the 
orders  of  the  two  monks.  Celeste  desired  him 
to  take  the  ciboriurn  and  crucifix  to  the  chapel, 
and  place  them  on  the  altar,  there  to  remain 
until  he  was  prepared  for  the  sacred  ceremony. 
He  pointed  out  his  attendant  Achilles  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  watch  of  his  monastery,  and  ordered 
him  to  remain  near  him. 


18 


DOLORES. 


The  chapel,  in  the  projection  of  a  wing  of  the 
bnikting,  was  opened.  The  twilight  glimmer  of 
the  "  holy  lamp,"  the  so  called  "  eternal  light," 
shone  through  the  shadowy  masses  of  the  columns 
and  narrow  aisles ;  and  the  low  tread  of  the 
monks,  enveloped  in  their  long  garments,  pro- 
duced an  echoing  rustle  in  the  death-like  still- 
ness. Both  monks  approached  the  altar,  and 
ridding  themselves  of  the  consecrated  objects, 
knelt  down  in  fervent  devotion,  sending  up  an 
inward  prayer  to  the  Lord  of  all  worlds,  to  the 
judge  of  all  tyrants,  who  trieth  the  heart  and 
searcheth  it  to  its  innermost  depths. 

A  stream  of  tears  flowed  from  the  beaming 
eyes  of  Dolores ;  convulsively  clasping  her  hands, 
sh^esought  of  God  shelter  and  defence,  strength 
and  firmness  of  soul,  for  the  next  hours  of  her 
troubled  existence.  Sighing  from  an  anguished 
breast,  she  prayed  aloud,  "  We  call  upon  thee, 
O  Lord  !  Lord  hear  us !  Easier  is  it,  0  Lord, 
to  sutler  death,  than  to  tear  ourselves  from  the 
arms  of  the  friend,  on  the  steps  of  the  scaffold, 
to  which  he  voluntarily  offers  himself  for  thy 
sake,  while  the  night  of  slavery  oppresses  our 
people.  We  cry  to  thee,  O  Lord,  in  this  hour  of 
despair.  Enlighten  us  with  the  light  of  thy 
U-uth ;  revive  us  by  thy  all-surrounding  might ; 
elevate  us  with  the  spirit  of  thy  eternal  love ; 
strengthen  our  souls  and  bodies,  that  we  may  not 
shrink,  nor  tremble,  and  faint,  in  the  moment  of 
parting  from  him — from  him — whom  thou  know- 
est  as  he  knoweth  thee !  Lead  and  guide  us, 
that  we  sink  not  under  the  superhuman  suffering 
which  we  endure  for  his  sake,  and  thine,  0 
God !" 

Pervaded  and  sustained  by  supernatural 
strength,  Dolores  rose,  and  soon  after  Celeste. 
Silent  and  speechless,  each  extended  a  hand  to 
the  other,  while  their  tear-bedewed  glances  en- 
countered each  other. 

With  hasty  steps  they  left  the  altar,  and  passed 
the  threshold  of  the  chapel,  accompanied  by  the 
turnkey,  while  Achilles,  gazing  earnestly  on  all 
sides,  followed  them. 

The  fatal  door  was  reached  at  length,  lock  and 
bolt  creaked  and  rattled,  the  turnkey  placed  a 
dark  lantern  on  the  floor  of  the  vault,  released 
the  condemned  from  his  fetters,  and  then  de- 
parted, intimating  with  a  nod  that  all  was  now 
prepared  for  the  enti'ance  of  the  ghostly  fathers. 

The  two  monks  passed  the  threshold,  Achilles 
followed,  and  the  door  was  closed  from  the  out- 
side without  being  locked. 

There  is  a  limit  to  mortal  language,  and  a 
sway  of  feeling  which  no  sound  of  the  tongue 
serves  to  express — when  even  the  tear  of  an- 
guish is  congealed.  There  are  moments  in 
which  the  heart  of  man,  rent  by  superhuman 
agony,  appears  to  cease  its  pulsations  for  the 
maintenance  of  physical  life,  while  the  soul 
escapes  from  its  mortal  fetters,  an<l  raises  itself  to 
the  bright  regions  of  anticipation  and  of  faith. 
There  are  moments  when  this  world,  and  all 
that  encompa-sses  it,  become  as  foreign  to  men 
as  if  they  no  more  belonged  to  it ;  in  such  mo- 
ments they  seem  to  abide  as  spiritual  beings  of 
a  brighter  world  within  the  sliell  of  earthly  clay, 
which  can  have  nothing  in  common  with  the 
spirit. 

Dolores  and  Alphonso  struggled  through  such 
moments  in  speechless  embraces,  as  if  paralyzed 
lo  corpses  by  a  nervous    stroke,  while   their 


spirits,  overstepping  time  and  space  on  the  wing* 
of  faith,  floated  m  the  element  of  divine  love. 

The  return  to  earth  awakened  that  powerful 
organ  of  the  souls'  life — the  glance,  to  glance 
directed,  for  whose  expression  no  word  is  ade- 
quate. They  gazed  on  each  other,  as  if  recipro- 
cally sending  beam  after  beam,  and  receiving 
them  within  the  depths  of  their  congenial  souls. 
The  story  of  all  the  sufferings  of  an  agonizing 
separation  lay  in  a  single  glance,  the  softest 
emotions  of  the  speechless  breast  were  ex- 
pressed by  a  single  glance.  Paith,  resignation, 
submission  to  the  will  of  the  Most  High-  antici- 
pation of  the  future,  and  courage  and  spiritual 
strength  for  the  present,  were  mutually  pro- 
claimed by  a  single  glance. 

Each  pressed  the  other's  hand  like  two  friends 
who  unexpectedly  meet  again,  and  in  the  joy  of 
re-union  forget  that  they  are  about  to  be  parted, 
to  meet  no  more  forever.  At  length  an  inde- 
scribable smile  of  sadness  and  grief  flitted  over  the 
lips  of  both,  as  in  transition  to  the  flow  of  words, 
which  yet  appeared  not  to  be  at  their  command. 

There  is  a  union  of  two  souls,  a  union  in  the 
element  of  love,  by  means  of  which  the  one  an- 
ticipates, and  feels,  and  experiences,  all  that 
which,  however  lightly,  moves  its  kindred  souL 
There  is  an  understanding  and  being  under- 
stood, a  knowing  and  being  known,  without  in- 
tercourse through  words,  and  often  even  without 
the  influence  of  the  magnetic  fluid  of  the  eye- 
glance.  This  perception,  and  comprehension  of 
the  most  secret  passions  in  the  depth  of  conge- 
nial souls,  is  the  effect  and  condition  of  the  holiest 
sympathy. 

Love  and  friendship  are  different  forms  of  one 
and  the  same  attraction  of  soul  in  the  eJement  of 
sympathy.  The  higher  the  soul  in  the  scale  of 
spiritual  improvement  and  development,  the 
purer  and  clearer  are  its  depths ;  the  more  it  ap- 
proaches the  same  degree  of  elevation  and  purity, 
the  more  powerful  the  attraction,  the  closer  the 
bond  of  sympathy,  be  it  in  the  form  of  friendship 
or  of  love. 

Dolores  and  Alphonso,  in  the  same  scale  of 
spiritual  enlightenment,  with  equal  clearness 
and  depth  of  mind,  reciprocally  comprehended 
the  slightest  impulse  of  their  worldless  breasts  ; 
strengthened  by  the  mutual  action  of  their  exalted 
soul-sympathy,  both  (as  if  in  magnetic  rapport, 
soaring  over  the  present)  appeared  to  be  in  the 
appropriate  sphere  of  their  existence ;  at  last  find- 
ing utterance,  they  speak  and  move  like  som- 
nambulists, in  an  element  of  light,  while  their 
their  mortal  bodies  remain  prostrate  and  ex- 
hausted, unconscious  of  their  physical  suflerings. 

The  earthly  world,  and  its  puppets  of  the  so 
called  "  social  world,"  with  its  sliades  of  human 
errors  and  crimes,  was  far  removed  from  them ; 
it  was,  as  if  feeble  recollections  slightly  reminded 
them  of  past  sufferings  and  afflictions,  while 
they  recognised  themselves  as  souls  in  the 
spheres  of  light  and  love — in  the  consciousness 
of  the  unity  of  their  existence,  zmd  the  immor- 
tality of  their  being. 

"  Farewell,  Alphonso !"  said  Dolores,  at 
length ;  and  the  sad  smile  which  rested  on  het 
lip  spread  itself  over  her  countenance  like  th8 
reflection  of  the  spiritual  glory  which  streamed 
through  her  soul. 

"  Farewell,  Alphonso  !  we  shall  meet  again. 
What  is  a  human  life  in  the  scale  of  sacrifice. 


DOLORES. 


19 


when  fte  Kuman  spirit  knows  the  destiny 
which  awaits  it  beyond  the  grave,  to  which  on 
eStfth  it  never  can  attain.  How  joyfully  do  we 
embrace  death,  sustained  by  the  thought  that 
We  shall  soar  above,  in  the  spheres  of  light — 
perhaps  live  anew  in  a  nobler  form  upem  an- 
other planet,  this  earthly  covering  being  thrown 
aside,  to  endure  some  lesser  stru'j,gle  in  the  pro- 
gress towards  perfection^pcrh^ps  from  phtnet 
t»  planet,  ever  wrestling  and  striving,  a  million 
times  ennobled  and  enlightened,  to  approach  the 
light  of  all  being,  the  primitive  source  of  all 
love — to  become  brighter  and  mere  refulgent, 
from  the  vision  of  the  Godhead^  until  we,  made 
after  the  image  of  God,  borne  upwards  by  faith, 
lighted  by  the  glow  of  love,  moving  godlike  from 
step  to  step,  from  star  to  star,  at  length  beheld 
God — the  source  of  light,  life  and  strength ; 
perhaps,  after  millions  of  years  of  mortal  reckon- 
ing, arriving  for  the  first  time  at  the  censcioits- 
ness  of  our  immortal  nature,  as  we  here  attain  to 
the  contemplation  of  our  connexion  with  God, 
through  faith  in  God,  which  here  in  the  dust 
we  may  suspect,  hut  which  will  be  first  known 
beyond  the  grave. 

"  Farewell,  Alphonso ! "  she  exclaimed,  with 
increasing  emotion  ;  "  we  part  like  two  wander- 
ers— two  children  of  one  faith,  seeking  herbs  on 
separate  desert  plains,  to  prepare  a  drink  that 
shall  strengthen  the  human  heart  in  the  long 
hours  of  suffering;  that  shall  purify  the  soul 
and  lighten  its  struggle  after  virtue;  that  shall 
arouse  the  spirit,  and  raising  it  upwards  into  the 
element  of  freedom,  shall  cause  it  to  glow  with 
the  self-consciousness  of  a  mighty  strength  of 
will.  Well  for  us,  if  we  find  some  flowers  for 
such  an  exalted  purpose ;  well  for  us,  if  we  are 
permitted  to  demonstrate  the  existence  of  a  heal- 
ing power,  as  within  the  compass  of  possibility. 
Our  Father  now  calls  thee  hence.  It  is  his  will, 
and  his  will  be  done.  But  he  leaves  me  behind 
on  earth,  perhaps  for  years,  perhaps  for  months, 
perhaps  only  for  hours,  at  most  but  the  momen- 
tary pulse-throb  of  time,  as  compared  with  eter- 
nity !  The  all-loving  Father  calls  thee  home  : 
His  will  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven  !  His 
kingdom  come !  May  the  reign  of  that  love  be 
realized  on  earth  which  the  Son  of  Man  once 
proclaimed,  who  suffered  for  man's  sake — en- 
dured the  death  of  the  cross,  sealing  his  doc- 
trine with  his  blood — the  doctrine  of  equality, 
justice,  and  the  love  of  man.  This  doctrine  we 
have  maintained  in  the  consciousness  of  our  vo- 
cation, as  members  of  the  great  confederacy  of 
love.  For  the  sake  of  this  doctrine,  thou,  my  Al- 
phonso, goest  to  the  death  which  awaits  thee,  as 
to  martyrdom,  and  to  which  I  shall  perhaps  also 
soon  be  summoned,  when  I  shall  have  plucked 
another  flower  for  the  healing  draught  of  man- 
kind, in  the  name  of  God  the  Father,  (the 
source  of  all  things,)  in  the  name  of  God  the 
Son,  (of  man  who  proceeds  from  him,)  in  the 
name  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  (who  unites  Father  and 
Son,)  in  the  name  of  the  holy  spirit  of  progress 
and  improvement     Amen  !     Amen  !" 

"  Amen  !"  cried  Lorenzo,  while  Dolores  sank 
anew  on  the  breast  of  Alphonso,  elevated  above 
the  earth  as  before,  and  absorbed  in  the  sense  of 
her  higher  existence. 

"  I  am  ready  for  death — ready  for  the  passage 
through  darkness  into  light !"'  said  Alphonso, 
»fter  a  long  pause,  during  which  Dolores  had  re- 


turned to  the  perception  of  outward  life,  an  1 
perhaps  hardly  knew  what  she  had  just  spokea 
as  in  a  dream — in  the  dream-like  state  similar  to 
somnambulism,  from  which  she  had  recovered. 
"  Partake  with  me  the  Lord's  supper,  the  fare- 
well supper  of  the  Son  of  Man.  Thou  wilt  pre- 
sent it  to  me,  Dolores;  I  desire  to  receive  it  from 
thy  hand,"  concluded  Alphonso. 

Dolores,  joyfully  surprised  at  this  unexpected 
proposal,  answered  without  words  the  soul- 
beaming  glance  which  accompanied  the  request 
of  Alphonso ;  Lorenzo  gave  a  sign  to  the  trou- 
bled and  agitated  negro,  who  now  beheld  in  his 
mistress  a  seraph,  whose  presence  filled  him 
with  awe. 

Achilles,  hardly  able  to  contain  himself,  ap- 
proached the  closed  door,  to  intimate  to  the 
guard  that  the  condemned  was  to  be  conducted 
to  the  chapel.  He  found  the  turnkey  fast  asleep 
on  the  steps  of  a  winding  staircase  near  the  door, 
and  by  his  side  a  soldier,  whose  loud  yawning 
indicated  that  he  would  gladly  have  followed 
the  example  of  the  wearied  man,  if  his  harder 
duty  had  not  denied  him  the  enjoyment  of  this 
comfort. 

With  a  morose  countenance,  provoked  by  the 
tedious  preparation  of  a  criminal  for  approaching 
death,  the  turnkey  seized  the  lamp,  whose  glim- 
mering light  was  hardly  perceivable  in  the  dun- 
geon, and  staggering  like  a  horse  half  asleep,  he 
ordered  the  soldier  to  close  the  procession  and 
follow  the  monks. 


CHAPTER   VII.' 

THE   CONSECRATION  TO   DEATH. 

The  crucifix  and  ciborium  remained,  in  the 
silent  gloom  of  night,  as  the  monks  had  lately 
left  them.  Alphonso,  with  those  accompanying 
him,  silently  crossed  the  threshold  of  the  chap- 
el, approached  the  steps  of  the  altar  with  a  firm 
and  manly  deportment,  and  knelt  in  prayer ; 
his  example  was  followed  by  the  two  monks, 
Achilles  and  the  attendant  guard. 

At  the  conclusion  of  his  prayer,  Alphonso 
rose,  and  likewise  Dolores  and  Lorenzo.  Al- 
phonso, sticngthencd  in  soul  and  nerves,  by  his 
spiritual  intercourse  with  the  beloved  and  "  won- 
derful being,"  now  began  to  speak  in  the  French 
language,  which  was  not  understood  by  the  guard, 
who,  besides,  had  already  chosen  their  resting- 
places,  and  were  gradually  sinking  to  slumber. 
He  said — 

"  In  the  name  of  the  Father,  who  created  the 
myriads  of  stars  !  in  the  name  of  the  Son,  the 
carpenter's  son  !  who  proclaimed  the  deliver- 
ance of  mankind  ;  in  the  name  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
who  united  mankind  with  the  Godhead,  and  is 
manifested  as  the  spirit  of  progress  and  improve- 
ment from  century  to  century:  I  take  leave  o{ 
you,  and  of  this  earthly  world,  and  approach 
my  death.     Amen  !  Amen ! 

"  When  the  Son  of  Man  was  born  in  the  Roman 
province  of  Galilee,  his  countrymen  lived  under 
the  dominion  of  the  Roman  emperors.  Mankind 
was  sunk  in  unbelief,  and  selfishness,  and  idola- 
try, while,  at  the  same  time,  no  religion  prevailed 
upon  earth     Faith  had  expired,  the  glow  of 


20 


DOLORES, 


love  was  extinguished.  Mankind,  degraded  by 
slavery,  wallowed  in  sensuality  at  the  footstools 
of  pompons  idols  !  IVIan  worshipped  forms  in- 
stead of  spirit  i  Man  felt  the  need  of  love,  and 
embraced  a  marble  statue  t  He  felt  the  prompt- 
ings of  faith,  and  believed  in  a  Messiah.  And 
Jesus  appeared — ''  a  man  who  performed  Won- 
derful works,'  and  taught,  in  the  spirit  of  tni*h, 
the  principles  of  equality,  ji2stice,  and  love 
of  man,  in  direct  opposition  to  the  slavery  of 
iovelesj?  and  right-despising  despotism.  The 
Scribes  and  Pharisees  beheld  in  nim  the  effort 
to  re-establish  the  primitive  religion,  to  the  sub- 
version of  their  traditions  and  forms  for  the 
subjugation  of  the  mind.  He  was  accused,  and 
condemned  as  guilty,  as  having  sou^t  to  elevate 
his  countrymen  ay  a  people,  on  the  basis  of  de- 
mocracy, because  he  wished  to  free  them  from 
moral  9er\'itude  ;  and  he  was  betrayed  and  sold, 
and  delivered  to  his  enemies,  and  nailed  to  the 
cross  as  a  rebel!  Scoffed  3^  as  "RexJudaeo- 
rum  I*  And  as  the  hcoir  of  his  death  drew  n^ar, 
he  proclaimed  to  his  disciples  the  stiuggle  of 
the  human  race?  which  has  remained  the  same 
from  century  to  century,  until  this  day — saying:* 

**  Think  not  that  I  am  come  to  send  peace  on 
earth  :  I  come  not  to  send  peace,  but  a  sword. 

**  For  I  have  come  to  set  man  at  variance 
against  his  father,  and  the  daughter  afjainst  her 
mother.  And  a  man's  foes  shall  be  they  of  his 
own  household- 

**  But,  beware  of  men,  for  they  will  deliver 
you  to  the  councils,  and  they  will  scourge  you  in 
their  synagogues. 

•*  And  the  brother  shall  deliver  up  the  brother 
to  death,  and  the  father  the  child. 

**  And  ye  shall  be  hated  of  all  men  for  my 
name's  sake;  but  he  that  endureth  to  the  end 
shall  be  saved. 

*'  But  when  they  persecute  you  in  one  city, 
flee  ye  into  another. 

'*  And  he  that  taketh  not  his  cross,  and  fotlow- 
eth  after  me,  is  not  worthy  of  me.  He  that 
fiudeth  his  life  shnll  lose  it ;  and  he  that  loseth 
his  life  for  my  sake,  shaU  find  it. 

**  *Andhe,  foreknowii  ig  the  approach  of  his  last 
hour,  assembled  his  disciples  on  the  eve  of  his 
martyrdom,  to  partake  with  him  the  farewell 
supper.* " 

At  the^  words,  Alphonso  looked  at  the  cibo- 
TJum,  and  then  gazed  in  the  eyes  of  Dolores, 
■which  had  hitherto  been  steadily  fixed  U}>on  him, 
and  whose  beams  apparently  mingled  with  his 
own.  Slowly,  and  in  tones  full  of  expression, 
Dolores  said — 

•*  Spirit,  strength,  light,  and  lore,  are  one; 
kindred  rays  emanating  from  one  source,  from 
God,  the  source  of  all ;  in  whom  we  believe  in 
the  dust ;  whom  we  shall,  hereai'ter,  behold  in 
light ! 

O,  friend  I    Wliat  ra  tbe  universe-  suiT?<um[3  us  j 
The  Spirit  'tis,  tlvit  keeps  the  stars  ic  motion  ; 
Th'  eternal  Spiiit !  call  him  Goii  or  Allah, 
From  love  ht;  radsed  tbe  hymn  of  all  creation— 
The  exalted  iijmn  of  bsrhig.     Bound  to  being 
Are  all  created  things  j  and  love  displaying 
Its  greatest  power  in  life  but  through  emotion. 
The  universe  vvere  nought,  without  k?ve's  presence. 

Life  would  be  no  life,  were  there  no  disturbance. 
For  unexoited  power  no  miglit  di3pla:j"8, 

•  Matthew,  Chapter  10,  verses  34,  35,  36—17,31,22, 
S3,  3d,  39, 


All  forTfts  of  matter  meet  With  Wrt  d#ff(rc*Tt*5B  ^ 
The  spirit's  working  siumbereth  not,  dot  reH» 
From  strife  and  death  the  ransomed  spirit  risetfe 
Which  then,  renewed  and  strengthened,  takes  aei?  laTO0 
Disturbance,  struggle,  life,  the  Ibrurs  deslrucli^a. 
Are  but  the  spirit  in  its  upw^d  strivings 

Perplescd  are  ^uman  nature's  glocnrj-  tbr)ugiit« 
Of  death — no  death  reigns  in  the  universe  ^ 
Strife,  motion,  dissolution,  is  the  warfare, 
Where  matter  menaces  itself  and  spirit. 
Our  entrance  on  the  morning  dawu  of  death 
Is  only  the  perfection  of  our  being, 
E.ven  tbe  breath  of  worms  dies  nc-*,  in  vain, 
Aa  bcaateous  buttertlies  tbcy  live  ©gain. 

Perplexed  are  n7an''s  ideas  of  annihilation—  ' 

Call  it  det:ay — there  is  so  acnihilation. 

Life's  progress  is  the  univei'Sal  poem  ; 

The  spirit's  soarieg  when  the  fonn  is  rent, 

Still  upward  striving,  to  its  source  aspiring'- 

The  source's  sairctuar\-  is  love  and  light  y 

The  being  God — his  element  is  love. 

Which  n*;ither  darkness  nor  corruption  pnyv^, 

Prog^ress  cecds  strife — developraent,  rth€liiQn  j 
Death  elevates  the  spirit  evermore 
On  its  unbounded  path.    Love  is  its  strerTgtk  j 
Ths  spirit  wills  that  streagth  be  exercised- 

KnoTV  tlien,  xti\  friend,  thv  being^s  high  design . 
What  is  thy  life  ^  this  little  space  of  time  j 
A  span  it  is  j  the  spirit's  might  increasing 
A  cypher  in  the' realm  of  immortality. 
Despair  will  ever  bo  1otc-*s  surs  atteiid^t. 
When  to  mankind  them  giv'st  thyself  as  man. 
The  "  Son  of  Man"  di§d  on  the  cross  complain iTyg", 
While  bitter  pangs  trai^spierceU  his  bleeding  heai'C 


"  Despair  .'  no,  not  despair.  Did  the  *  Son  of 
Man,'  when  upon  the  cross,  for  a  moment  feej 
himself  *  foreaken  of  God  ?'  It  Vas  thus  that  he 
made  known  to  us  his  breaking  hitman  heart 
He  despaired  of  the  sticcess  of  his  doctrine  of 
the  deliverance  oi  the  human  race  at  that  pe- 
riodyhut  not  of  mankind.  His  life,  like  hia 
death,  indicated  hvman  feelinsrs,  Awmnn  sraffef- 
ini^^s — -faith  in  humanity— ^tVith  in  the  eletation 
of  mankind.  And  mankind  are  advancing  to 
wards  their  destiny, 

"  It  ia  no  dream,'*  c*wytinoed  Dolores— 


•*  It  is  no  dream — it  yet  sTiaH  b«  fulfilled. 

The  nations  yet  shall  rise  in  all  their  miglif. 
And  love  on  earth  its  heavenly  throne  shail  butid. 

And  life  progressive  soar  in  mornii^  ligl^» 
At  last  HKiii's  suffering  shal?  diniini^Ued  be, 

Wheri  to  the  world  this  truth  is  once  mtuie  cSear, 
That  all  miist  Kve  in  love,  who  fain  would  see 

The  kiDgdoi»  of  the  L»rd  established  h«v«. 

It  is  no  drenm,  tnat  in  the  human  soul 

Can  raise  forbodings  of  those  better  days, 
"When  sacred  charity  shall  each  control 

To  bear  the  error?  of  a  brother's  ways  j 
"When  love  shall  steel  the  heart  against  the  sfri/lj 

With  death — and  faith  shall  bid  the  soul  ai'ise. 
Above  the  shrpud  and  grave,  to  endless  life, 

Loosesed  from  earth,  ta  ftoMrish  in  the  skie*. 

It  is  no  dream— the  p^er  spirit  life, 

The  innnte  consciousness  of  inward  streagtli, 
"Whose  prescience  in  the  human  heart  is  rife, 

And  gives  to  weakness  ptrwcr  la  rise  at  lengtb. 
And  strug^gte  onwards  towards  its  endless  aiaa. 

E'en  though  the  crowd  to-  slavery  will  bend, 
A  nran  Brtay,  by  his  words  and  deed's,  proclaim 

Truth,  by  which  nations  soay  to  life  sscendL 

"We  hear  a  wond'rous  music  '.  from  the  heart 
Of  all  the  nations  issues  forth  the  sound  > 

The  mighty  symphony  of  souls  its  part 
Of  love  assumes — aiid  man  to  man  is  boanj  j 

The  kingdom  of  our  God  on  earth  shall  bloom, 

The  nation's  hatred,  scorn,  and  doubt's  deep  QloVtBr 

3e  lost  in  love— love  that  sarrives  the  toic&b 


DOLORES. 


31 


iXL  th»t  is  vrriUea,  then  shall  tc  fulfillea, 

All  that  the  Son  of  Man  consoling  spoke. 
The  Eastern  Satan  is  already  killed  ; 

Men  shall  as  brethren  love,  nor  fear  his  yoke  ; 
And  Mammon,  pois-nous  serpent,  be  e^ipelled 

From  Eden,  which  his  trail  has  soiled  full  long  ; 
And  where,  as  sov'reign,  he  the  keys  has  held 

Of  love's  pure  kingdom,  which  to  man  belong. 


Satan  has  vanished  from  the  glorious  East, 

Men  are  no  longer  swayed  liy  devilish  fear  5 
The  hours  draw  nigh,  and  be  their  speed  increased; 

The  Nazareue's  pure  doctrine  all  shall  hear— 
The  duni^ioii  ^raie  of  mankind  shall  be  void — 

Love's  spirit,  glitt'ring  in  its  own  pure  light. 
Appear — and  fraud  anil  lies  shall  take  to  flight, 

And  thea  shall  God  be  known  and  served  aright," 


Dolores  breathed  out  the  last  words  in  the 
loftiest  elevation  of  godlike  inspiration,  then,  ta- 
king a  consecrated  wafer,  she  broke  it,  and  shar- 
ing it  with  Alphonso  and  Lorenzo,  she  said,  in  a 
gentler  voice, — 

"  And  he  took  the  bread  and  gave  thanks,  and 
reached  it  to  his  friends  andjsaid,  '  Take  and  eat, 
and  regard  this  bread  as  my  body,  which  is  bro- 
ken for  the  healing  of  humanity  ;  and  as  often 
as  ye  meet  in  spirit  think  of  me  !'  "  and  taking 
the  chalice  she  extended  it  to  both  friends,  and 
conveyed  it  to  their  lips,  saying :  "  And  he  took 
the  cup,  and  handed  it  to  his  disciples,  and  gave 
thanks,  and  said.  Drink  ye  ail  of  this,  and  think 
that  it  is  my  blood,  the  blood  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment of  my  legacies  to  humanity,  which  is  shed 
for  many  !  I  say  unto  you  that  1  will  drink  no 
more  of  the  growth  of  the  vine  !  take  ye  and 
drink  it,  and  think  of  me  !  " 

A  long  pause  followed  this  solemn  act.  All 
three  knelt  down  in  silent  prayer. 

Whoever  is  acquainted  with  the  Catholic  rit- 
ual, will  'have  already  perceived  that  this  cele- 
bration of  the  Last  Supper  was  by  no  means  ac- 
cording to  the  prescribed  ceremonials  and  regu- 
lations of  that  church.  This  circumstance  arose 
from  the  situation  and  relations  of  these  Chris 
tians,  who,  separated  of  necessity  from  the  church 
as  the  state  institution  of  tyrants,  and  with  the 
comprehension  of  the  divine  idea  of  Christianity, 
availed  themselves  of  such  forms  as  most  clearly 
indicated  the  primitive  spirit  of  the  Farewell 
Supper  of  Jesus. 

The  constellation  of  the  southern  cross,  invis- 
ible to  the  inhabitants  of  our  northern  hemis- 
phere, suddenly  shone  through  the  rent  masses 
of  dark  thunder  clouds.  The  light  of  these 
stars  (all  the  more  brilliant  as  the  southern 
hemisphere  is  less  distinguished  by  prominent 
constellations  than  the  northern)  cast  its  rays 
through  a  high  bow  window  into  the  obscurity 
of  the  chapel.  Like  the  constellation  of  the 
great  bear  around  the  polar  star  of  the  north, 
tile  cross  revolving  around  the  south  pole  of  infi- 
nity (in  whicli  the  human  eye  has  discovered 
no  polar  star)  had  reached  tlie  altitude  in  which 
it  became  visible  to  the  three  mortals  at  the  al- 
tar of  the  feast  of  death. 

"  Dante  !"  suddenly  cried  Lorenzo,  perceiving 
the  light  of  the  cross.  The  friends  raised  their 
eyes  and  the  aspirations  of  their  spirits  towards 
the  symbol  of  martyrdom,  which  the  most  an- 
cient, and  perhapa  the  greatest  poet  of  our  Chris- 
liaii  era,  beheld  centuries  ago  in  wonderful  vi- 
eiutt,  before  auv  European,  mo  !ir  as  we  know, 


had  crossed  the  equator,  and  made  known  the 
constellations  of  the  southern  hemisphere  * 

"  Dante  !"  sighed  Lorenzo,  speaking  after  a 
short  pause,  during  which  his  uplifted  gaze  re- 
mained as  it  were  riveted  to  the  constellation. 
"  As  Dante's  spirit  in  holy  contemplation  beheld 
this  constellation,  centuries  before  it  was  known 
to  any  human  eye  north  of  the  equator,  so  do 
our  eyes  behold  the  stars  of  the  freedom  of  South 
America !  as  brilliant  stars  of  the  future — of  lii- 
erty,  equality,  and  humanity  !  As  Galileof  was 
once  condemned  before  a  civil  and  ecclesiastical 
tribunal,  for  declaring  that  our  earth  revolved 
with  other  planets  around  the  sun,  in  opposition 
to  the  letter  of  the  Scriptures — as  he  asserted 
in  his  last  words,  "  I  believe  in  the  motion  of 
the  planets  " — so  wert  thou  also  condemned  for 
believing  in  motion  of  mankind,  in  the  elevation 
of  tlie  human  race  in  opposition  to  the  despotic 
command  of  tyranny — "Humanity,  standstill .'" 

Alphonso,  "who  was  suddenly  brought  back  by 
the  spirit  of  these  words  to  his  element,  laid  his 
right  hand  on  his  convulsed  heart,  and  broke 
forth  in  the  following  declaration  : 

"  I  believe  in  God  and  humanity ;  for  this  I 
have  contended.  I  see  the  stars  of  the  future 
brighten — the  brilliant  stars  of  freedom— the 
stars  of  the  unity  of  South  America ;  and  because 
I  declared  what  I  beheld,  and  acted  according  to 
my  belief,  1  am  compelled  to  die.  I  die,  but  I 
have  not  lived  in  vain.  The  spirit  of  the  Lord 
appeared  to  me  here  as  love,  and  I  proclaimed 
the  exalted  tie  of  the  love  of  mankind  as  the  bond 
of  the  Lord  upon  earth,  that  shall  bind  and  unite 
all  nations  !  And  my  declaration  was  made  in 
love.  I  proclaimed  that  no  people  can  satisfy 
the  claims  and  conditions  of  the  Deity,  without 
the  consciousness  of  nationality !  Only  as  a. 
people  can  they  include  themselves  in  the  great 
bond  of  humanity ;  in  like  manner  as  each  man 
on  earth  can  only  fully  accomplish  his  high  call- 
ing, and  satisfy  the  demands  of  the  Deity,  as  a 
ma7i,  acting  as  a  man  among  his  people,  and  a.s  a 
son  of  his  fatherland.  I  studied  the  history  of  na- 
tions, and  read  the  '  book  of  mankind,'  in  the  re- 
ality of  our  present  time.  And  it  appeared  to  me 
like  a  caricature  :  a  people  without  the  conscious- 
ness of  their  nationality  ;  and  I  saw  it  wilUess, 
wordless,  and  deedless — as  an  instrument  in  the 
hand  of  alisolutism,  ignorant  of  itself — sinking 
more  deeply  in  slavery — nourishing  hatred  and 
enmity  against  kindred  nations.  And  1  trembled 
at  the  reality  of  such  a  caricature.  I  saw  nation 
al'ter  nation  in  such  a  condition  of  degradation ; 
and  I  sighed  to  God — '  thy  kingdom  come !'  the 
kingdom  of  love!  for  love  is  the  essence  of  God, 


•  "  lo  mi  volsi  a  man  destra,  e  posi  mente 
All  altro  polo,  e  vidi  quattro  stelle 
Non  viste  mai  fuor  ch'  alia  prima  gente, 
Coder  pareva  'I  ciel  di  for  tiammclle,"  etc.  etc. 
Queste  qualtro  stelle  d'  una  bellezza  superiore  si  pre- 
sentarono  alio  giiardo   di  Dante  nella  direzione  del  polo 
antartico,  Amerigo  Vespucci — compagno   del  gran  Co- 
lumbo  nel  secondo  suo  viaggio  all'  America — alia  vista 
di  quelle  etelle — si   ricordo  delta    adotta   quartina  di 
Dante.  H. 

t  Some  royalist  authors,  of  late,  will  insist  that  Gali- 
leo was  not  persecuted  on  account  of  his  spiritual  staa 
ding.  They  appeal  to  documents  in  the  archives  of  those 
dynasties  in  wliose  pay  they  write.  We  sliall  soon  look 
for  a  learned  confutation  of  the  poisoning  of  Socrates,  or 
the  burning  of  Jo/iii  Huj*  H. 


22 


DOLORES. 


and/reedom  the  element  of  humanity — the  means 
of  all  development  and  improvement.  I  saw  na- 
tion after  nation  without  nationalitj-,  incapable  of 
fulfilling  the  duties  of  humanity  towards  other 
nations — every  bond  rent  asunder  by  slavery. 
X  saw  men  without  patriotism,  renouncing  their 
people  and  fatlierland,  disowning  their  duty  to 
their  country,  and  I  trembled  at  such  depth  of 
eelfishness. 

'*  And  I  was  penetrated  with  the  light  of  an 
idea — as  a  ray  from  the  source  of  love  ;  the  idea 
of  the  United  States  of  South  America,  on  the 
basis  of  humanity,  in  tlie  brilliancy  of  the  star 
of  the  future  !  And  I  recognised  the  same  idea 
in  thee,  Dolores,  and  like  twin  stars  united  on  an 
endless  path,  our  spirits  struggled  upwards  to  the 
source  of  love  ;  imploring  power  to  disseminate 
the  idea,  that  its  light  might  illuminate,  and 
warm,  and  rejoice  the  hearts  of  kindred  people. 
And  thy  word  became  deed,  and  the  deed  was 
looked  upon  as  the  crime  of  love,  and  the  staff 
was  broken  over  us. 

"  I  die  !  but  the  idea  of  the  deliverance  of  South 
America,  and  the  establishment  of  a  Union  of 
States  in  the  spirit  of  humanity,  dies  not  %vith 
me  !  The  bullets  of  tyranny  may,  in  a  few 
hours,  pierce  my  heaj't — may  shatter  my  shell  of 
clay  !  but  they  destroy  not  the  principle  of  love, 
which  was  developed  in  me,  and  in  whose  glow, 
the  idea  of  freedom  becomes  brighter  ajid  purer. 
God  is  love!  the  el^me^t  of  hutnanitt/  is  free- 
dom— freedom  is  the  tneans  to  elevate  and  en- 
noble men  in  the  spirit  of  humanity .'  Make 
known  these,  my  last  words,  to  all  conditions  of 
our  people — to  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  ;  send 
my  deatli-greeting  to  our  confederates  in  Eu- 
rope ;  persevere  in  the  belief  in  God,  and  think 
of  me  in  the  hour  of  the  uprising  of  the  nations  !" 

Inspired  by  supernatural  strength,  the  martyr, 
at  these  words,  gazed  once  more  upward  towai'ds 
the  constellation  of  the  cross,  and  then  in  the 
eyes  of  Dolores — whose  arm,  fettered  by  the  cir- 
cumstance of  her  disguise,  and  the  presence  of 
the  guard,  might  not  press  the  beloved  to  her 
throbbing  heart,  as  a  last — last — farewell.  A 
glance  and  pressure  of  the  hand  remained  alone 
to  be  indulged.  Alphonso  seized  her  hand,  and 
pressed  it  once  to  his  quivering  lips;  suddenly 
he  let  it  fall,  kneeling  down  before  her,  and  ex- 
tending his  right  hand  to  heaven,  while  he  gave 
her  a  sign  with  the  lelt  to  leave  him  to  death, 
and  repeated  to  himself,  with  inspiration,  the 
following  words : 

"Who  for  a  nation's  freedom  dies,  though  by  the  hang- 
man's hand, 

Hajs  won  on  earth  the  holiest  prize  from  Ood — for  father- 
land '. " 

Dolores  and  Lorenzo  stood  motionless,  in  silent 
prayer.  Achilles,  who  all  along  had  been,  as  it 
were,  in  a  land  of  dreams,  and  had  obscurely 
comprehended  the  signification  of  the  farewell 
words  in  a  strange  language,  more  from  the 
scene  itself,  than  from  the  words,  could  no 
longer  remain  at  a  distance  from  the  beloved  of 
his  mistress.  Impelled  towards  him  by  the 
powerful  impulse  of  sacred  veneration,  belonged 
to  bear  away  with  him  at  least  a  look  of  the  mar- 
tyr's eye  as  a  legacy. 

He  glanced  timidly  around,  to  see  if  the  half- 
sleeping  guard  might  observe  his  movements — 
threw  himself  on  his  knees  towards  the  altar. 


and  sought,  by  his  stjpplicating  air,  to  convey  to 
the  martyr  a  token  of  his  pure,  manly  attach' 
ment  and  veneration. 

Alphonso,  at  parting,  in  looking  around 
through  the  obscurity,  appeared  to  appreciate 
the  feedings  of  the  worthy  negro,  and  to  under- 
stand him  ;  he  cast  a  glance  upon  him,  while  the 
faithful  attendant  of  his  beloved,  entirely  over- 
come, burst  into  tears.  His  sobs  awoke  the  at- 
tendant mercenaries  of  the  tyrant,  who  ascribed 
them  to  the  condemned,  without  supposing  that 
a  feeling  human  heart  could  beat  within  the 
breast  of  a  negro.  The  eyes  of  Dolores  rested 
upon  Alphonso.  Lorenzo  awoke  out  of  pro- 
found rejlection,  raised  his  voice,  and  said, 

*'  It  is  no  dream — it  yet  shall  be  fulfilled, 
The  nations  jet  shall  rise  in  all  their  might." 

then  extending  his  hand  over  Alphonso,  he 
continued :  "  The  Lord  cause  the  stars  of 
futurity  to  shine  over  our  country ;  the  Lord 
establish  and  elevate  the  United  States  of 
South  America  to  the  welfare  of  the  nations 
who  dwell  therein ;  the  Lord  strengthen  and 
sustain  thee  in  the  hour  of  thy  death,  as  a  mar- 
tyr to  this  exalted  idea;  the  Lord  be  with  thee 
at  the  moment  of  passing  from  night  to  light ' 
The  Lord  conduct  thee  from  step  to  step  of  ever- 
lasting perfection,  to  the  contemplation  of  his 
omnipotence  and  grandeur ;  the  Lord  unite  us 
with  thee  in  the  splendor  of  his  love  in  eterni- 
ty. Amen  !"  "  Amen  !"  cried  Alphonso  and 
Dolores  aloud,  in  joyful  tones,  which  pervaded 
the  deathlike  silence,  and  awakened  a  light  echo 
in  the  gloomy  vaults  of  the  chapel.  The  clock 
in  the  neighboring  steeple,  slowly,  and  with  loud 
reverberating  sound,  struck  midnight. 

Seiior  Domingo,  aroused  from  his  sleep,  which 
had  confined  him  during  this  time  to  his  chair, 
mechanically  felt  for  his  snulf  box,  and  sought  to 
raise  his  spirits  by  a  tremendous  pinch,  and 
counted  aloud  the  strokes  of  the  old  clock  bell, 
from  one  to  twelve,  as  if  to  aftbrd  evidence  to  the 
monks  that  he,  in  conl'ormity  to  his  duty,  had  by 
no  means  slept. 

"Are  you  ready  now.  Brother  Celeste!"  said 
he,  rubbing  his  eyes,  after  a  prolonged  yawn  ;  "  it 
is  midnight,  and  the  sun  rises  very  early  at  this 
time  of  the  year,  and  before  it  has  fairly  riscQ 
the  sentence" 

Lorenzo — Celeste,  interrupted  the  old  man, 
who  regarded  the  execution  of  an  unfnrtunate  as 
business,  with  the  same  coolness  as  the  mer- 
chant thinks  of  the  expedition  of  a  ship  captain 
to  jinother  part  of  the  world,  with  the  difference, 
that  he  concerned  himself  less  about  the  happy 
arrival  of  the  doomed  man  at  his  destined  port, 
than  the  merchant  does  himself  in  regard  to  the 
voyage  of  the  captain,  unless  the  ship  and  cargo 
should  have  been  prudently  insured. 

"  1  will  myself  announce  to  the  condemned 
his  hour,"  interrupted  Lorenzo,  "  and  will  there- 
fore remain  here  with  him  in  his  dungeon." 

"  Very  well !  very  well !"  answered  Senor 
Domingo,  "  1  would  not  cherish  suspicion  against 
your  reverence,  but  the  guard  tliat  remains 
here  must  be  doubled,  according  to  regulation. 
You  may  remain  here,  hut  alone,  your  reverence, 
entirely  alone,  in  obedience  to  the  ordinance  ol 
our  lord  and    ruler :  may  God  protect  him,  at 

least  as  long  as  I   live so  tliat  I  may  uot 

lose  my  post" 


DOLORES, 


33 


He  murmured  the  last  words  slowly  to  himself, 
vawned  again,  took  another  pinch  of  snutf, 
offered  the  box  to  the  monks,  who  were  not  in- 
clined to  make  use  of  it,  and  ordered  a  long, 
lank  fellow,  dressed  in  a  corporal's  uniform,  to 
conduct  the  condemned,  together  with  one  of  the 
monks,  to  the  dungeon. 

Alphonso,  prostrate  on  his  knees  before  the 
altar,  felt  the  touch  of  Lorenzo's  hand  arousing 
him,  who,  at  the  same  time,  whispered  in  his  ear 
that  he  would  remain  with  him  till  the  last  mo- 
ments of  his  mortal  existence. 

Surprised  by  such  a  consolation,  which  he 
could  hardly  have  expected  under  existing  cir- 
cumstances, he  suddenly  rose,  and  sank  into  the 
arms  of  ais  friend.  Dolores,  involuntarily  ap- 
proaching him,  once  more  seized  the  martyr's 
right  hand,  imprinted  a  kiss  on  his  forehead,  and 
felt  the  imperative  necessity  of  immediately 
quitting  her  beloved  and  the  friend  of  her  de- 
ceased sister,  who  had  now  become  more  than  a 
friend  to  her. 

"  Dolores,"  whispered  Celeste  in  the  ear  of  the 
unhappy  one,  **  Dolores,  we  must  separate,  but 
not  forever.  I  shall  see  you  again  upon  Earth — 
perhaps  soon — God  willing. 

**  Lorenzo  !"  exclaimed  Dolores,  trembling 
and  joyfully  agitated  by  this  announcement  of  a 
purpose  which,  at  the  instant  remained  obscure 
to  her.  "  Farewell,  Lorenzo  !  Farewell,  Al- 
phonso— we  shall  meet  again  there — there — !" 
The  beam  of  her  expressive  look  lost  itself  in 
the  down-streaming  light  of  the  southern  cross. 

"  Forward  to  the  dungeon,  if  you  please,"  ex- 
claimed the  long,  bony  corporal,  striding  up  to  the 
condemned. 

"  The  Lord  be  with  you  !"  said  Dolores,  in  a 
tone  corresponding  with  her  disguise  as  priest. 
She  felt  herself  without  strength  to  leave  the 
altar  and  the  friends,  who,  standing  there  in  a 
silent  embrace,  had  convulsively  seized  both  her 
bands. 

"  Separate  yourselves— break  loose  !  forward  !" 
exclaimed  the  corporal,  parting  their  hands  with 
great  dithculty  and  etlbrt,  while  Dolores,  sup- 
ported by  --ichiUes,  suddenly  gained  A,e  requisite 
presence  of  mind,  collected  herselt-  and,  with 
drooping  head,  slowly  and  with  tresfaling  steps 
left  the  chapel  and  the  '/.vison,  by  t-b/i  side  of 
Achilles,  separated  from  Alphonso,  who,  in  the 
arms  of  his  friend,  enlightened  and  strengthened 
by  the  love  of  the  **  wonderiul  being,"  regarded 
the  moment  of  death  as  the  passage  from  night 
into  light. 


6^ft^^*^^^*^'~ 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

PUBLIC    COi"VVERSATION. 

In  the  corner  house  of  the  "  Calle  de  reinte 
y  cinco  de  mayo,'  and  a  street,  the  name  of  which, 
used  as  an  address,"  would  by  no  means  serve  as 
an  attestation  of  respectability,  was  to  be  found 
a  pulperia  (shop)  in  which  coffee  and  national 
tea  and  liquors  of  all  sorts  were  sold,  resembling 
the  small  estaminets  or  cafes  of  the  European 


•  Street  of  tho  25th  Maj-. 


continent,  in  which  the  peace-loving  citizens  of 
the  middle  classes  chat  away  their  evening 
hours. 

The  pulperia  of  Seiior  Boto  was  notorious  as 
the  gathering  place  of  the  secret  agents  of  the 
Rosas  police,  and  was,  on  this  account,  in  high 
repute  with  all  the  poor  sinners  of  servility — crea- 
tures of  meanness,  and  the  like,  who,  in  some 
way  or  other,  sought  to  earn  their  daily  bread  in 
some  office  of  the  state,  or  had  already  gained 
the  same  in  the  Supreme  Director's  service,  on 
the  condition  of  never  showing  the  diploma  of 
their  suspicious  dignity. 

The  s))irit  or  character  of  the  customary  eve- 
ning company  in  Boto's  pulperia  (if  spirits 
could  be  found  there,  except  among  the  con- 
tents of  his  bottles,  and  if  a  certain  privileged 
want  of  character  should  pass  for  character) 
was  conformable  to  the  principles  of  despotic 
monarchy,  which  the  government  represented 
under  the  false  flag  of  a  republic.  To  follow 
out  the  monarchical  principle,  is  to  license 
every  vice  that  is  founded  on  the  egotism  of  man, 
to  increase  the  instruments  of  blind  daspotism, 
while  men  yield  themselves  to  all  its  purposes, 
to  satisfy  under  the  mask  of  civilization  their 
animal  desires,  where  they  have  no  higher  aim 
in  life  than  the  gratification  of  material  wants 
of  sensuality.  As  the  principle  of  despotism 
licenses  each  vice,  in  so  far  as  it  removes  men 
from  the  higher  aspirations  of  spiritual  life, 
so  does  it  despise  and  proscribe  virtue  (founded 
on  moral  self-consciousness)  because  it  requires 
the  fulfilment  of  the  higher  duties  opposed  to 
despotism. 

Moral  slavery  is  the  element  of  vice.  Moral 
freedom,  in  the  consciousness  of  man's  dignity,  is 
the  element  of  virtue.  The  principle  of  despo- 
tism, proceeding  from  egotism,  makes  use  of  man 
as  an  egotist,  while  it  permits  him  to  make  good 
his  personal  claims  at  the  expense  of  others. 

The  principle  of  humanity  {as  the  basis  of  a 
republic)  requires  from  men  the  sacrifice  of 
their  individuality,  the  sacrifice  of  all  personal 
claims,  for  the  welfare  and  best  interests  of  their 
country — their  fatherland. 

Monarchy  desires  slaves — slaves  of  sensuality 
and  all  the  passions,  because  these  degrade  men 
into  the  wiUess  instruments  of  absolute  despo- 
tism. Republics  require  i7ien — men  in  the  con- 
sciousness of  moral  freedom  and  mental  dignity, 
iiecause  without  these  no  virtue,  no  sacrifice  for 
people  and  fatherland  is  to  be  expected. 

If  we  cousider  the  history  of  the  revolutions  of 
nations,  of  the  struggles  of  the  principles  of 
freedom  within  the  last  half  of  the  preceding 
century,  despotism  shows  itself  to  us  in  its  great- 
est nakedness,  when  it  seeks  the  means  of  sus- 
taining itself  by  degrading  men  to  moral  deprav- 
ity— by  the  system  of  a  secret  police. 

As  despotism,  by  means  of  a  dishonoring  cen- 
sorship, disputes  the  right  of  men  to  avail  them- 
selves of  words  for  the  expression  of  their 
thoughts  and  feelings, — so  it  heightens  the 
crime  of  high  treason  in  a  nation,  while,  by 
means  of  its  hireling  creatures,  it  seeks  to  spy 
out  the  thoughts  and  emotions  in  the  depths  of 
the  human  breast,  to  hear  the  suppressed  word, 
to  catch  up  the  sigh  of  despair,  that  it  may  fill  ita 
dungeons,  and  seal  the  diplomas  of  its  disgrace 
with  the  blood  of  martyrs. 

The  pulperia  of  Seiior  Boto  was  too  notorious 


24 


DOLORES. 


as  the  gathering  place  of  the  before  mentioned 
creatures,  for  any  other  person,  however  superfi- 
cially acquainted  with  the  localities  of  the  city, 
to  incur  the  risk  o^allowing  himself  to  be  listened 
to  and  spied  upon  there. 

Senor  Boto  was  formerly,  as  a  mechanic  and 
citizen,  a  zealous  patriot,  a  rigid  Unitai-ian,  and 
was  imprisoned  as  a  member  of  a  conspiracy 
against  Rosas.  The  loneliness  of  the  prison, 
combined  with  many  sufl'erings  from  privation, 
(which  a  patriot  can  so  seldom  endure  without 
becoming  more  or  less  shaken  in  his  principles,) 
had  in  a  short  time  turned  Seiior  Boto.  At  the 
first  hearing,  he  already  manifested  himself  ap- 
parently near  to  the  "  state  of  grace  ^^  and  to  the 
acknowledgement  of"  the  only  comfortable  ma- 
king" absolutism,  and  was  subjected  to  still 
severer  treatment.  He  received  several  dozen 
lashes  upon  his  back,  and  at  last  confessed  more 
than  was  asked  of  him,  and  especially  besought, 
in  penitent  humility  and  misery,  to  be  received 
into  the  secret  service  of  the  tyrant — who  could 
make  use  of  such  creatures.  After  several  heads 
had  fallen  in  consequence  of  his  denunciation, 
and  found  their  places  of  honor  on  the  iron  rail- 
ing which  surrounds  the  obelisk  in  the  Plaza 
de  la  Victoria,  Senor  Boto  was  set  at  liberty, 
under  secret  and  open  police  inspection.  iHe 
still  endeavored  to  wear  the  mask  of  a  patriot, 
behind  which,  however,  the  stamp  of  the  kna- 
very of  his  nature,  was  but  too  prominently  le- 
gible. Under  the  pretence  that  he  had  spent  a 
great  deal  of  money,  and  that  his  former  business 
was  ruined,  he  established  a  coffee  house,  while 
he  held  the  post  of  a  spy.  But  it  was  with  him, 
as  with  many  of  his  kind  in  other  despotic  States ; 
he  was  as  stupid,  as  characterless,  and  soon  in- 
voluntarily betrayed  his  position.  The  party  of 
the  patriots  lost  nothing  in  him,  and  despotism 
did  not  gain  much.  But  he  nevertheless  drew  a 
pension  from  the  secret  fund,  which  was  at  the 
same  time  the  private  purse  of  Rosas,  and  vege- 
tated on,  like  a  poisonous  plant  in  a  fruit  garden. 

A  group  of  fitting  subjects  for  the  future  king 
of  Rio  de  la  Plata  with  red  ribannds  in  their  but- 
ton holes,  red  handkerchiefs — some  with  red 
vests — others,  besides  these  marks  of  the  Rosas 
party,  with  red  noses — were  just  discussing  the 
day's  topic,  the  execution  of  the  infamous  Al- 
phonso,  (as  they,  in  their  dutiful  contempt,  cal- 
led him,)  when  Serior  Falsodo  entered,  and  or- 
dered a  glass  of  liquor. 

Attentively  listening  to  the  conversation,  ac- 
cording to  the  custom  of  his  secret  profession, 
he  held  the  glass  to  his  lips,  while  he  directed 
a  searching  glance  upon  those  present,  and  last 
upon  Senor  Boto,  silently  inquiring  of  him 
whether  he  had  learned  any  thing  that  would  be 
of  importance  to  him. 

What  is  the  news,  Seiior  Boto.'"  inquired 
he,  in  a  low  voice,  apprehending  that  his  look 
had  not  been  sufiiciently  understood. 

"  Nothing,  but  vvliat  you  probably  know  al- 
ready," replied  the  host,  "  what  the  gentlemen 
were  just  talking  about — that  his  Excellency, 
the  Supreme  Director,  has  set  a  price  on  the  dis- 
covery of  the  author  of  the  Elegies,  and  will 
double  the  sum  to  the  one  who  will  take  the 
author,  living,  into  custody." 

♦'  Alas  !  I  know  that  already,"  sighed  Seuor 
Falsodo. 

"  Alas !"  replied  Senor  Boto  ;  "  perhaps  you 


are  afraid  that  some  one  will  gain  the  reward. 
Do  you  fear  that  from  interest  for  the  unknown 
author .'" 

Several  of  the  guests  turned  arouno  with  un- 
restrained astonishment  towards  the  meagre  per- 
son of  Senor  Falsodo,  beholding  in  him  a  Unita- 
rian, the  arch  enemy  of  confederative  despot- 
ism. "1!  from  interest  in  the  author!"  ex- 
claimed he,  evidently  shocked  at  the  slighest 
suspicion  of  such  a  monstrous  supposition.  "  I ! 
I !  from  interest  in  the  ti-aitor .'  Senor  Boto, 
what  do  you  take  me  for .'  1  said  "  alas,"  be- 
cause, "  alas,"  no  man  will  gain  the  reward — at 
least  there  is  yet  small  prospect  of  it,  as  far  as  I 
can  undei'stand  from  people  who  are  in  connex- 
ion with  the  otficers  of  government,  who  ought 
to  know  something  about  it. 

"  The  '  Elegias  de  la  Plata,'  which  set  forth 
the  idea  of  the  union  of  South  America  as  a 
republic — the  Elegies  of  which  we  were  just 
now  speaking,"  interrupted  one  of  the  guests, 
with  an  unusually  wide  red  riband  in  the  but- 
ton-hole of  a  fashionable  dress  coat,  "  are  to  be 
attributed  to  no  one  else  but  the  condemned 
Seiior  Alphonso,  himself !  " 

"  People  do  not  call  a  condemned  traitor,  Se- 
nor, rejoined  a  short,  thick  set  fellow,  with  gray 
whiskers,  taking  him  up  at  the  word,  and  sudden- 
ly brought  into  such  a  state  of  confusion  from  loy- 
al effervescence,  that  he  put  the  wrong  end  of  a 
newly  lighted  cigar  in  his  mouth.  With  the 
end  of  his  tongue  well  burnt,  and  the  ashes  be- 
tween his  teeth,  he  made  most  singular  grima- 
ces, sputtering  about,  and  cursing  the  entitling 
of  a  traitor. 

Involuntary  laughter  and  merriment  among 
the  bystanders  excited  the  wrath  of  the  short  man 
whose  violent  gestures  were  extremely  comical. 

The  man  in  the  new  dress  coat,  with  the  broad 
(log^s  mark  of  Jiosas'  legitimacy  in  his  button- 
hole, was  a  so  called  handsome  figure,  such  ad 
the  French  vv'ould  denominate  "  bel  homme," 
with  well  cultivated,  dark  whiskers. 

As  the  Emperor  of  Russia,  the  King  of  Na- 
ples, and  other  legitimate  potentates,  have  issued 
ordinances  against  the  moustache  and  beard,  so 
there  wa.-i  law  in  Buenos  Ayres,  making  it 
the  duty  if  tvery  owner  of  a  beard  to  shave  his 
chin,  in  Cjjnti'adistiiietion  to  the  European  mode 
of  a  later  period,  which  caused  the  beard  to  be 
shaved  in  a  half  circle,  as  a  kind  of  border,  or 
setting  to  the  face.  \Vhethcr  these  modes  ori- 
ginated from  the  so  called  liberals,  or  whether, 
on  the  contrai-y,  they  were  fashioned  after  the 
"  Royal  military  ordinance  for  the  growth  of  the 
sappeurs'  beards,"  we  leave  a  matter  for  historic 
and  scientific  research  upon  the  human  beai'd; 
a  study  which  already  counts  some  literary 
works,  among  which  is  an  octavo  volume  in  the 
French  language — "  Sur  la  barbe  de  I'hommc," 
— which  appeared  towards  the  close  of  the  last 
century. 

In  consequence  of  this  singular  fixed  idea  of 
despotism  and  its  instruments  :  that  the  opin- 
ions, views,  and  convictions  of  men  depend  on 
their  beard,  without  reference  to  the  rules  of 
physiognomy,  (which  for  good  reasons  do  not  en- 
ter into  their  considerations,)  Rosas  had,  also, 
long  since,  manifested  his  decided  antipathy  to 
the  full  beai'd  under  the  chin,  by  a  special  or- 
dinance. 

Whether  the  Director  or  Gobernador  of  the 


DOLORES. 


26 


Argentine  Republic,  was  as  narrow  minded  as 
the  European  monarchs,  who  sought  to  extir- 
pate convictions  and  emotions  from  men's  minds, 
by  means  of  shaving  their  beards  (thus  provi- 
ding for  the  peace  of  the  state,  and  the  security 
of  his  throne)  is  a  matter  for  controversy.  We 
kpow  that  the  Regent,  Rosas,  had  a  special  dis- 
like to  the  beai-d  on  the  chin,  because  this,  uni- 
ted with  the  whiskers,  forms  anU;  which,  as 
the  first  letter  of  the  words  Uuidad,  Unitario, 
and  Uruguay,  was  hated  by  him  to  extermina- 
tion— at  least  to  the  extermination  of  the  beard. 
This  ordinance  against  beards  was  in  full  force 
in  Buenos  Ayrcs,  and  a  special  instruction  ex- 
pressly directed  the  observation  of  all  the  open 
and  secret  police  officers  to  the  beard.  Each 
true  subject  of  Rosas,  and  peace-loving  citizen 
of  the  quasi  republic,  was  constrained  to  mani- 
fest a  humble  submission  to  the  all  prevailing 
will  of  the  despot,  by  a  shorn  chin,  that  it  miglit 
be  judged  thereby  what  opinion  he  cherished, 
be  it  political,  moral,  or  religious. 

The  short  man,  with  the  gray  whiskers,  ap- 
peared singularly  overcome  by  the  hearty  laugh 
of  the  handsome  man  in  the  new  coat,  and  in- 
voluntarily turned  his  close  attention  towards 
his  person,  for  having  entitled  the  infamous, 
condemned  traitor,  Senor. 

"  Sir,  what  do  you  mean  by  laughing  at  me  .' 
Who  are  you  ?  You  ! — you  are  perhaps  an  Unita- 
rian, and  come  here  into  the  company  of  loyal 
confederados,  to  give  the  title  of  Seiior  to  a  trai- 
tor !  'Tis  true,  upon  my  soul !  you  are  a  Unita- 
rian, and  wish  to  deceive  and  betray  us  with  your 
new  riband  in  your  button-hole,  which  you  evi- 
dently have  just  put  there  !"  The  short  man  be- 
coming more  and  more  violent,  made  a  sort  of 
upward  spring  at  the  suspected  person,  and 
passed  his  finger  between  his  chin  and  cravat, 
in  search  of  z  political  conviction.  The  hand- 
some man,  as  has  been  observed  before,  wore  his 
whiskers  peculiarly  long,  in  well  tended  curls. 
Notwithstanding  his  beard  was  legally  shaven, 
according  to  statute  and  pattern,  a  part  fell  down 
of  itself  in  front — whereby  he  became,  in  the 
eyes  of  the  confederates,  suspected  of  Unitarian 
sentiments,  and  of  course  "  a  refractory  subjsct," 
and  liable  to  punishment  as  a  rebel. 

The  short  man,  who  found  no  hair  under  the 
handsome  man's  chin,  on  which  he  and  his  con- 
jectures might  hold  fast,  shrank  down  before 
the  suspected  man,  as  suddenly  as  he  had 
jumped  up  to  him.  The  handsome  man,  now, 
in  retaliation,  (for  the  other's  importunity,) 
yet  with  more  coolness,  seized  on  his  cravat, 
and  holding  him  before  him  with  outstretched 
arms,  inquired,  in  a  calm  voice,  "  Who,  then,  are 
you  ?  "  iVIost  of  the  bystanders,  already  greatly 
amazed  by  the  foregoing  scene,  could  no  longer 
restrain  their  laughter,  while  the  short  man, 
who  was  all  the  while  in  trouble  with  his  singed 
tongue,  entirely  lost  his  presence  of  mind. 

"  I !  I !  who  am  I .'  "  stammered  he,  now,  with 
deep  gaspings,  in  danger  of  being  strangled,  like 
a  Unitarian  under  the  hand  of  the  executioner, 
I  !  I  am  the  barber,  Antonio  PedriUo  Gordo,  liv- 
ing here  in  Buenos  Ayres,  over  there,  in  the 
calle  de  veinte  y  cinco  de  mayo  !  Antonio  Pe- 
driUo Gordo,  I  am — barber — barber  !  Shaving  is 
my  business,  and  I  am  an  unsuspected,  practical, 
shaving  confederado  ! " 

"  Oh  ! "  cried  the  handsome  man  in  the  new 


dress  coat,  "  you  hare  then  certainly  an  interest, 

if  not  a  right,  to  seize  a  stranger  by  the  chin  and 
ascertain  whether  he  is  shaven  or  not ;  as  to 
the  rest,  I  would  remark  to  you,  that  you  must 
neither  approach  my  chin  nor  my  person  ;  my 
name  is  known  to  the  police,  and  if  a  police 
officer  were  here,  I  would  claim  his  protection 
against  such  a  grasp  at  my  personal  i)roperty 
Waiter!  give  me  another  glass.of  punch,"  said 
he,  in  a  lower  tone,  turning  away  from  tlie  bar- 
ber, whom  Seiior  Falsodo  now  courteously  ap- 
proached and  offered  a  cigar  in  indemnification 
ibr  his  rufiled  plumage. 

"  Recover  yourself !  compose  yourself,  Senor 
Pedrillo,"  whispered  the  spy — "compose  your- 
self in  your  praiseworthy  zeal ;  it  is  very  praise- 
worthy indeed,  very  praiseworthy  on  your  part, 
to  be  so  observant  in  relation  to  the  expressions 
and  intentions  of  an  unknow'n  person  ;  whose 
name  I  know,  nevertheless,"  added  he,  in  a  low 
voice — "  The  stranger  there,  is  a  farmer,  from 
the  neighborhood  of  Rio  Negro,  from  Patagonia 
— only  a  short  time  here,  in  Buenos  Ayres,  on 
business — he  is  an  Italian  by  birth,  his  name  is 
Guiuseppe  Testa." 

"  Ah,  indeed  !"  replied  the  barber,  coming  to 
himself  by  degrees,  while  he  pinched  and 
squeezed  the  accepted  cigar,  and  finally  lighted 
it ;  "  he  seems  to  be  well  acquainted  with  the 
circumstances,  as  he  expressed  the  opinion  that 
the  condemned  might  be  the  author  of  the  ele- 
gies, and  called  him  Senor  into  the  bargain,  an 
evident  expression  of  respect,  which  casts  the 
suspicion  upon  him  of  approving  the  ideas  and 
principles  of  the  author — of  being  on  Unitarian." 

"  It  suddenly  appears  very  much  so  to  me," 
said  Falsodo,  in  a  still  lower  tone ;  "  it  surprises 
me,  I  did  not  expect  it  from  hira ;  no  one  has 
had  any  suspicion  of  him  until  now.  He  came 
here  in  a  Patagonian  dress,  with  a  drove  from 
the  Rio  Negro — with  horses  and  cattle,  ac- 
companied by  the  son  of  a  famous  native  chief; 
he  had  modern  clothing  made  for  liiinsclf,  as 
you  see,  and  he  wears  the  Rosas  riband,  and 
shaves  himself  under  the  chin." 

"  Shaves  himself,  do  you  say .'"  interrupted 
the  barber,  quickly,  and  with  a  wild  stare — 
"  shaves  himself,  do  you  say  ?" 

"  Whether  he,  or  an  artist  of  your  trade  has 
fulfilled  the  regulation  of  the  ordinance  on  his 
cliin,  1  cannot  certainly  decide — enough,  that  he 
appeared  in  all  form  as  a  confederado,  until  the 
thoughtless  and  apparently  very  hasty  expression. 

"  Look  after  him  closely,  Senor  Falsodo !  look 
afler  him  closely  !  do  you  not  observe  that " 

"  That  the  suspicion  may  be  confirmed  of  his 
being  a  Unitarian  7" 

"  1  hope  not — I  do  not  mean  that." 

"  What  then .'  what  am  I  then  to  observe 
about  him.'" 

"  That  the  under  part  of  his  left  whisker  is 
cut  crooked,  a  sign  that  he" 

"  That  he  entertains  crooked  views  as  a  con- 
federado?" inquired  Falsodo,  examining  the 
stranger,  with  blinking  eyes. 

"  No  !  a  sign  that  he  shaves  hinuself,  and  of 
course — and  of  course" — the  barber  Pedrillo 
pinched  and  squeezed  his  cigar  anew,  as  if  he 
would  vent  his  rage  upon  it — "  and  of  course- 
is — is — a  man  for  whom  I  would  not  give  six 
pence,  with  his  knowledge  of  existing  circum- 
stances, and  with  his  giving  titles  to  traitors." 


26 


DOLORES. 


"  Perhaps  he  did  not  shave  at  all  on  the  Rio  Ne- 
gro, or  he  mit:ht  have  been  obli<;ed  to  shave  him- 
self," said  Seiior  Falsodo,  while  he  sharply  con:ii- 
dered  the  stranger,  who  had  resumed  the  con- 
versation about  the  condemned  with  the  other 
guests. 

"  Not  shaved  at  all,"  grumbled  Pedrillo  to 
himself;  "  what  bai'barism  !  how  I  rejoice  in  the 
progress  of  civilization,  which  even  directs  legis- 
lation to  the  beard,  and  commands  shaving, 
whether  it  be  for  the  promotion  of  distinguished 
talent  in  art ;  or  even,  as  in  the  present  case,  for 
the  promotion  of  industry — of  manufactures  ! 
for  whoever  shaves  himself,  or  allows  himself  to 
be  shaved,  at  least  requires  directly  or  indirectly 
one  razor.  Russia  and  Naples  are  in  advance  of 
civilization  by  their  wise  legislation.  In  Eng- 
land, as  I  hear,  such  legislation  is  not  necessary, 
since  the  people,  from  patriotism ,  observe  the  uni. 
versal  law  of  fashion  in  encouraging  the  manu- 
facture of  the  razor,  and  the  industry  of  the 
barbers." 

"  In  England  the  growth  of  the  beard  will  not 
easily  become  the  fashion — the  Briton  wiU  not 
designedly  ruin  his  own  manufactures,"  observed 
Falsodo,  and  walked  towards  the  group  of 
guests,  \>hich  had  formed  around  the  stranger, 
who  appeared  to  know  very  well  in  what  at- 
mosphere he  found  himself,  and  had  visited  the 
pulperia  either  designedly  or  from  curiosity. 

'*  1  repeat,"  said  the  Italian,  while  he  observed 
the  approach  of  Senor  Falsodo,  '•  that  the  ground 
of  my  supposition,  that  the  condemned  is  him- 
self the  author  of  these  poems,  lies  in  this  :  that  I 
cannot  understand  how  a  man,  out  of  generosity 
and  favor  to  another,  could  allow  himself  to  be 
shot,  particularly  as  I  hear  that  he  could  have 
his  freedom,  and  live  heceforth  in  comfort  any 
where  else,  if  he  would  point  out  the  author" 

"  Or  the  authoress,  you  would  say,"  sud- 
denly interrupted  a  little  fellow,  who  had  en- 
tered the  apartment  not  long  before,  and  listened 
to  the  conversation,  while  he  lighted  his  cigar- 
ette. Many  looks  were  directed  towards  the 
owner  of  this  voice,  and  Seiior  Falsodo  ap- 
proached hirn  quickly,  with  the  words,  "  You 
are  also  of  that  opinion  ?  How  do  you  do,  Senor 
Perezoso  .'  I  hope  you  find  yourself  well .'" 

It  was,  in  fact,  no  other  than  the  volunteer  spy, 
whom  we  incidentally  met  at  the  gate  of  the 
monastery,  near  the  negro  Achilles — and  who, 
without  being  yet  in  the  service  of  Rosas,  await- 
ed some  appointment  from  the  favor  and  grace 
of  the  regent,  and,  in  tlie  meanwhile,  diligently 
strove  to  show  himself  worthy  of  the  same. 

Perezoso  had  received  news  of  the  betrothal 
of  Senora  Dolores  to  Senor  Pepefy,  with  great 
interest,  and  left  old  Achilles  in  all  haste,  to 
take  at  least  one  step  towards  making  good  an 
inconsiderable  claim  on  his  former  scholar,  at 
the  same  time  to  gain  what  farther  information 
he  could  respecting  the  projected  mairiage. 
He  betook  himself  straightway  to  the  dwelling 
of  SeHor  Pepefy — was  very  politely  received  by 
an  old  negro,  w  ho  took  his  card  with  equal  po- 
liteness. The  result  of  his  inquiries  as  to  Senor 
Pepefy's  journey,  was  unsatisfactory.  He  went 
from  thence  to  a  shoemaker,  whom  the  uncle  of 
Dolores  from  time  to  time  visited  with  his  cus- 
tom, and  hoped  to  discover  from  him  where  the 
young  •  lady  was  at  that  time — whether  in  the 
country  near  the  city,  or  at  a  distance  from  it. 


as  old  Achilles  had  intimated.  In  a  long  con- 
versation with  the  artist  in  leather,  on  broken 
soles,  upper  leather,  footings,  and  new  boots,  he 
arrived  at  more  valuable  objects — at  broken 
hearts,  the  imprisonment  of  external  relations, 
social  footings  and  standings  on  a  larger  or 
smaller  footing,  from  whence  he  quite  acciden- 
tally mentioned  Senora  Theresa,  as  well  as  her 
sister  Dolores,  and  then  touched  upon  the  rumor 
that  Seiior  Pepefy  was  about  to  have  his  social 
relations  new  footed,  or  rather  would  stand  on  an 
entirely  new  footing. 

The  shoemaker,  quietly  working  on  at  his 
last,  goodnaturedly  heard  and  answered  the  an- 
nouncements and  inquiries  of  his  old  acquain- 
tance, who  had  recommended  many  new  custom- 
ers to  him.  Senor  Perezoso  quite  accidentally 
learned,  to  his  great  surprise,  that  Senora  Dolores 
was  at  that  very  time  in  the  city,  with  her  friend. 
Miss  Walker,  and  apjrarently  would  remain 
there  for  some  time — and,  besides,  that  Mr.  Ro- 
bert Walker  was  preparing  for  a  journey,  and,  as 
he  understood,  was  going  by  sea,  in  a  Swediish 
ship,  as  far  as  Rio  Janeiro. 

Ailer  having  taken  these  steps,  he  returned  to 
his  headijuaiters,  Cafi  Boto,  where  we  have 
just  observed  him.  "  You  are  also  of  that  opin- 
ion," interposed  Seiior  Falsodo — "  that  the  poem 
may  belong  to  a  lady  ?" 

"  A  suspicion  is  always  a  certificate  of  uncer- 
tainty," replied  the  private  teacher,  with  distinct 
pedantic  accent.  "  So  far  as  1  am  acquainted  with 
the  literature,  and  a  great  portion  of  the  writers 
of  our  country,  I  might  doubt  whether  the  poem 
was  the  production  of  a  man  who  had  ever  pub- 
lished any  thing  before.  I  think  it  is  evidently 
the  firstling  of  an  unknown  muse — not  that  it  is 
by  any  means  weak  or  insignificant — but  (just  the 
contrary)  because  it  is  so  original,  and,  alas,  fear- 
fully magnificent  and  powerful — a  style  little 
known  to  us" 

"  Therefore  it  is  so  strongly  prohibited  by 
law,"  remarked  Senor  Boto,  "  and  therefore  the 
sentence  of  death,  pronounced  against  the  person 
who  disseminated  it  through  the  press,  was  one 
of  the  wisest  and  justest  sentences  which  our 
Director  has  ever  signed." 

"  1  am  entirely  of  your  mind,"  averred  Senor 
Falsodo  :  turning  again  to  Perezoso — "  but  now, 
if  I  may  ask,  Seiior  Perezoso,  what  further 
strengthens  your  suspicions  with  respect  to  the 
feminality  of  the  person  who  wrote  the  '  Ele- 
gies V  " 

"  Hem  !  that  I  should  certainly  find  it  diffi- 
cult to  answer  with  precision.  Either,  1  opine — 
either  a  youth  wrote  the  poems,  as  the  firstling 
of  his  muse,  or  a  woman  ;  a  maiden,  a  young  la- 
dy, who  has  already  written  mucli,  but  from 
British  fear  of  making  herself  ridiculous  by  her 
talents  and  acquirements,  has,  until  now,  kept  her 
poetry  entinely  secret.  1  say  British  feai ,  because 
in  England  it  is  an  especialdisgrace  lor  a  woman 
to  possess  either  talents  or  understanding,  and  the 
P^nglish,  besides  so  many  manufactures,  Bibles, 
tracts,  white  and  blue  stockings,  are  likewise 
introducing  among  us  fashion  and  prejudice." 

"  A  very  correct  observation,  Seiior  Perezo- 
so," again  interrupted  Falsodo. 

"  England  and  France  are  rivals  in  their  influ  ■ 
ence  over  our  State,  as  well  as  over  all  South  Ame- 
rica," continued  the  private  teacher.  "  England 
sends  us  fashion,  France  intellect — English  mer- 


DOLORES. 


27 


cantile  houses  show  us  the  pattern  of  civiliza- 
tion, for  the  members  of  their  families  seat  them- 
selves at  table  in  yellow  patent  gloves ;  and 
the  French  disseminate,  here,  literary  works, 
whose  authors,  even  in  France,  are  imprisoned  in 
conseiiuence  of  their  intellectual  labors.  If  tlie 
author,  or  the  presumed  authoress,  be  a  lady,  and 
somewhat  in  connexion  with  English  families 
here,  it  apjjcars  extremely  natural  that  she 
should  always  have  kept  her  poetic  talent  a  pro- 
found secret,  that  she  might  not  appear  ridicu- 
lous among  the  English  women.  Had  she,  on 
the  contrary,  lived  in  intercourse  with  French  or 
Italian  families,  it  is  evident  that  she  would 
have  long  since  become  known  as  a  poetess,  in 
one  way  or  another.  What  among  those  might 
make  her  ridiculous,  among  these  would  have 
been  accounted   to  her  honor." 

"  How  so .'"  suddenly  exclaimed  the  barber, 
PedriUo,  in  conversation  on  the  same  subject  with 
Senor  Boto ;  "  the  villain  would  not  confess, 
would  not  admit  a  confessor  to  see  him  ?" 

"  You  are  mistaken,  Senor  Gordo  !"  remarked 
Serior  Boto ;  "  he  by  no  means  refused  to  admit  a 
confessor,  only  he  desired  his  own  ;  he  wished 
for  some  Benedictine  instead  of  a  Franciscan  ; 
that  is  the  mistake." 

"  A  Benedictine  ?"  inquired  Senor  Perezoso, 
suddenly,  stepping  nearer  to  the  bar ;  while  Fal- 
sodo  would  gladly  have  reserved  to  himself  the 
interesting  discussion  upon  the  standing  of  the 
presumptive  authoress,  and  have  heard  still 
further. 

"  A  Benedictine — a  Brother  Celeste  .'"  con- 
tinued he.  "  So  1  have  just  accidentally  learned. 
Is  it  not  so,  Senor  Boto  ?  you  certainly  mean 
Brother  Celeste." 

"  The  same — the  same,  as  I  was  informed  by 
two  guests,  who  were  talking  over  the  news  of 
the  day,"  athrmed  Boto. 

"  Who  is  Brother  Celeste .'"  inquired  Perezoso. 
"  What  is  his  family  name  ;  is  he  a  South  Ame- 
rican, or  one  of  those  Spanish  priests — one  of 
the  Jesuits  of  Don  Carlos — who  quarter  them- 
selves here .'" 

"  It  is  the  rich  Senor  Lorenzo  de  V ,  who, 

from  love,  (unfortunate  love,  as  people  call  it,) 
took  up  the  idea  of  assuming  the  tonsure,"  as- 
serted Senor  Boto. 

"  Lorenzo  de  V ?"  exclaimed  the  private 

teacher,  with  evident  surprise.  "  Ah  !  is  it 
possible  !  what  do  I  hear .'  that  might  be,"  mur- 
mured he,  half  aside.  "  Ah  !  the  devil ! — that 
might  be,"  and  he  sank  into  earnest  and  pro- 
found reflection,  while  Falsodo  appeared  dis- 
posed to  seize  him  by  the  button  and  detain  him, 
not  only  until  the  former  discussion  was  conclu- 
ded, but  until  he  had  made  a  full  confession  of 
what  at  that  moment  so  fully  occupied  him. 
Perezoso,  however,  felt  by  no  means  disposed  to 
continue  the  discourse  further ;  on  the  contrary, 
he  bitterly  regretted  that  he  had  given  hints 
and  intimations,  the  importance  of  which  had 
just  now  first  become  apparent  to  him,  from  the 
connexion  of  ideas  with  the  sister  of  the  de- 
ceased, Senora  Theresa,  and  her  I'riendly  rela- 
tions with  Alphonso  P ,  with  which  he  now 

combined  the  appearance  of  old  Achilles  by  the 
walls  of  the  Monastery  of  St.  Bento.  Accord- 
iag  to  the  proverb,  "  to  whom  God  gives  an 
office,  he  gives  understanding,"  Falsodo,  as  a 
spy  of  the  police,  might,  without  Perozo3u"s  inti- 


mations, perhaps,  have  hit  upon  the  idea  which 
sudden  as  lightning,  appeared  to  have  been  awa- 
kened in  the  mind  of  the  latter,  namely  :  upon 
the  suspicion  or  probability,  that  a  spiritual  con- 
nexion e.xisted  between  Alphonso  and  Dolores, 
and  that  the  former  had  not  made  choice  of  the 
Monk  Celeste  for  confessor  without  especial 
reasons.  To  bring  the  origin  of  the  famous 
poetry  into  connexion  with  the  above  events, 
now  busied  the  private  teacher's  thoughts  the 
more  earnestly,  from  the  circumstance  that  a 
substantial  reward  was  annexed  to  the  disco- 
very, which,  in  case  he  succeeded,  would  pro- 
mote his  establishment  in  olEce  more  than  any 
protection. 

Perezoso  sought  to  lead  the  conversation  to 
other  subjects,  and  gradually  to  break  off  the 
discourse  with  the  guest ;  he  availed  hiroself  of 
a  moment  while  Falsodo  was  listening  with  par- 
ticular attention  to  the  proprietor  from  Rio  Ne- 
gro, and  departed.  Hardly  had  the  spy  disco- 
vered that  the  well  informed  private  teacher  had 
vanished,  than  he  also  hurried  out  of  the  door, 
and  looked  to  the  right,  and  left,  like  a  hound 
which  suddenly  loses  the  scent  of  another  hound 
that  has  carried  away  a  piece  of  bread  Irom  under 
his  nose. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

BXTENOS    AYRES     AND   JOHTT    BULL. 

There  is  hardly  a  seaport  town  of  the  first 
or  second  class,  which  is  so  inaccessible  to  ship 
navigation  as  Buenos  Ayres  ;  where  there  is  no 
harbor,  in  the  proper  sense  of  the  word,  but  a 
double  road,  extremely  dangerous  as  an  anchor- 
age, which  prevents  the  approach  of  large 
ships. 

The  gigantic  stream,  Rio  de  la  Plata,  increased 
by  the  waters  of  the  Parana  and  the  Paraguay, 
forms  a  basin  which  is  about  a  hundred  miles 
wide  at  its  mouth,  on  the  northerly  coast  of 
which  Monte  Video  is  situated  ;  and  at  a  distance 
of  one  hundred  and  thirty  miles  up  the  stream, 
on  the  opposite  shore,  lies  Buenos  Ayres,  where 
the  stream,  although  but  twenty-five  or  thirty 
miles  wide,  hardly  affords  a  view  of  the  coun- 
try to  the  north.  A  sand  bank,  which  extends 
along  the  city  of  Buenos  Ayres,  divides  the 
road  into  two  anchorages,  the  inner  road,  Bali- 
zas,  where  ships  may  enter  which  do  not  draw 
above  twelve  feet  water ;  and  the  outer  road, 
Amarradero,  like  the  open  sea,  exposes  them  to 
all  the  danger  of  the  winds  and  waves,  which 
assert  their  peculiar  power.  The  scarcely  there 
perceptible  movements  of  the  tide,  which  in  a 
quiet  atmosphere  does  not  alter  the  height  of  the 
water  five  feet  at  most,  attains  a  power  like  the 
tiow  of  the  ocean  when  attended  hylhe  pampe- 
ros, (southwest  storms,)  and  operates  with  unex- 
ampled violence  upon  this  anchorage.  A  cur- 
rent of  the  ocean  presses  round  Cape  St.  Anto- 
nio into  the  basin  of  the  mouth,  which  creates  a 
circular  motion,  (similar  to  the  stream  in  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico,)  whirls  through  this  basin, 
and  finds  its  first  outlet  on  the  opposite  coast, 
near  Monte  Video.     Under  such  circumstaaces, 


28 


DOLORES. 


the  rapidity  of  the  stream,  as  well  upward  as 
downward,  instead  of  three  miles  an  hour,  is 
increased  to  six  or  seven,  so  that  a  ship,  carried 
along  by  the  stream,  would  easily  sail  that  dis- 
tance iu  an  hour.  Ships  which  anchor  in  the 
road,  can  enter  into  communication  with  the 
city  by  means  of  skifi's  and  lighters  ;  boats  which 
set  passengers  on  shore,  are  stopped  by  the  sand, 
and  tlie  passengers  must  mount  a  wagon,  or  a 
cart,  to  arrive  at  a  firm  footing.  The  lading  and 
nnlading  of  ships  is  only  permitted  by  law  at 
one  single  point  of  the  city,  that  it  may  be 
watched  the  more  easily,  and  contraband  tra- 
ding rendered  more  difficult,  so  that  the  cun- 
ning and  hardihood  of  the  smugglers  are  put 
in  requisition,  in  the  endeavor  to  elude  the  vigi- 
lance of  the  guard,  by  landing  several  miles 
abova  or  below  the  required  point. 

1  he  s  tuation  of  the  city,  as  the  capital  of  an 
extensive  country,  has  a  decided  influence  upon 
the  political  circumstances  and  internal  relations 
of  the  same ;  as  an  invasion  or  attack  from  the  sea- 
side would  be  rendered  difficult  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  city,  and  by  a  march  through  the 
interior  of  the  country,  over  the  almost  endless 
plains,  sparsely  cultivated  and  iiihabited,  would 
render  tlie  movements,  or  even  ':lie  existence  of 
an  ai'my,  a  problem  of  the  lust  of  conquest. 

It  remains  besides  to  be  considered,  that  the 
original  inhabitants  (however  small  their  num- 
ber in  proportion  to  the  immense  expanse  of 
surface)  are  by  no  means  insignificent  in  num- 
ber, and  consist  of  robust  and  warlike  tribes, 
distinguished  for  physical  activity  and  strengtli ; 
a  native  cavalry,  grown  up  in  struggles  with 
four  legged  bulls,  and  at  all  events  able  to  de- 
fend themselves  against  a  two  legged  bull — 
whether  he  present  himself  under  this  or  another 
name. 

As  the  landing  of  an  enemy  from  the  seaside, 
opposed  to  a  defence  by  means  of  strong  batte- 
ries and  a  good  sized  tleet,  would  be  extremely 
h^ardous,  if  not  impossible,  under  the  before 
mentioned  circumstances,  so  it  would  be  equally 
uncomfortable  to  maintain  Buenos  Ayres,  as  a 
conquest,  as  certain  Britons  (Sir  Home  Pop- 
ham  and  Lord  Beresford)  relate  at  length,  m 
their  report  of  the  fatal  events  which  befel  them 
there  on  the  12th  of  August,  IsOG. 

The  more  the  Argentine  republic  was  protect- 
ed from  foreign  invasion,  by  its  situation  and  lo- 
cal advantages,  the  more  injuriously  and  tragi- 
cally did  they  operate  at  the  period  of  our  histo- 
ry, (whose  epoch  extends  to  the  present  time,*) 
during  the  supremacy  of  an  individual  raised  up 
as  an  usurper  out  of  anarchy,  who  knew  how 
to  avail  himself  of  all  these  advantageous  cir- 
cumstances, to  hold  the  people  under  the  lash 
through  his  well  known  system  of  terror,  and 
even  to  defy  the  reigning  powers  of  Europe. 

Considered  from  another  side,  the  desjiots  of 
Europe  beheld  in  the  Dictator  of  La  Plata  a 
colleague,^who  looked  forward  to  the  throne  and 
crown,  ana  having  an  understanding  with  them, 
sought  indirectly  to  make  the  republican  princi- 
ple appear  despicable  and  impracticable,  as  we 
have  before  mentioned. 

Notwithstanding  the  prominent  difficulties  of 
the  undertaking,  that  render  the  conquest  of 
Buenos  Ayres  tiy  force  of  arms,  on  the  part  of 

•August,  1844. 


Great  Britain  or  any  other  European  power,  ex- 
tremely doubtful,  that  country,  by  dint  of  the 
perseverance  which  peculiarly  characterizes  it, 
by  no  means  intermits  its  labors  to  cultivate,  in- 
directly, in  every  way,  its  territory  for  the  fu- 
ture, on  the  La  Plata  river,  and  to  manure  it 
with  its  egotism. 

By  a  singular  mistake,  the  British,  since  the 
middle  of  the  last  century,  have  been  represent- 
ed (especially  in  the  popular  novels  and  roman- 
ces of  the  European  continent)  as  a  nation  who 
personify,  in  a  colossal  body,  the  principle  of 
freedom  ;  and  each  Briton  as  a  hero  or  demi-god 
by  whose  very  contact  an  infection  of  liberalism 
is  communicated,  which,  united  with  generosity 
appears  as  consolatory  to  each  slave,  as  dangerous 
to  every  despot.  The  Briton  appears  in  a  nim- 
bus of  freedom  and  independence,  which  other 
nations  denote  by  the  expression,  "  British 
pride,"  and  bow  themselves  the  more  profoundly 
before  this  splendor,  the  more  they  want  the 
feeling  of  nationality  from  which  this  pride 
proceeds. 

The  more  and  nearer,  however,  the  nations  in 
their  struggle  for  freedom  and  independence, 
come  in  contact  with  the  British,  so  much  the 
more  does  the  result  of  experience  tend  to  di- 
minish the  glory  of  Britannia,  without,  at  the 
same  time,  refusing  the  acknowledgement  of  her 
national  honor,  or  denying,  or  contesting,  the 
more  valuable  points  of  national  character  in  in- 
dividuals.* 

It  requires  but  little  sound  common  sense  to 
perceive  that  the  greatness  and  splendor  of 
Great  Britain  is  maintained  at  the  expense  of 
the  liberties  of  other  nations ;  that  the  Briton 
arrogates  to  himself  the  monopoly  of  freedom, 
and  holds  up  to  other  nations  the  prospect  of 
becoming  British  subjects,  as  a  peculiar  honor, 

Perezoso,  the  so  called  private  teacher,  or 
modern  philologist,  acquainted  with  several  liv- 
ing languages,  had  had  occasion,  as  a  teacher 
and  interpreter,  from  his  youth  upward,  to  ob- 
serve, in  commercial  and  consular  business,  the 
peculiarities  of  various  nations,  and,  as  his  conver- 
sation with  Falsodo  manifested,  had,  with  toler- 
able correctness,  seized  upon  and  pointed  out 
the  influence  of  the  British,  upon  the  customs 
and  fashions  of  the  country.  Although  from 
manifold  reasons  it  concerned  him  to  pursue  the 
inquiry  alter  the  author  of  the  condemned  Ele- 
gies, still,  among  the  number  of  families  and  per- 
sons with  whom  lie  was  casually  brought  in  con- 
tact, he  had  almost  forgotten  the  intelligent  and 
intellectual  Dolores,  whose  relation  to  Alphouso 
still  remained  a  secret. 


CHAPTER  X. 

UNEXPECTED    F.*.TE. 

pEREZosoleft  the  Cafi  Boto  in  a  state  of  con- 
usion  and  bewilderment,  so  blinded  by  the  light 


•  The  author  distinguishes  national  rharacler  and  no- 
tional sentiments  from  cabinet  intrii^ue  aad  the  principlet 
of  a  j^oi'trnment.  Sumc,  and  perhaps  not  the  least  into- 
resting  characters  of  this  novel  are  Knglisk ;  they  are  not 
the  M-orst,  and  we  hope  that  they  rather  do  honor  to 
the  nation  than  othenviso,  H, 


DOLORES, 


99 


of  his  suspicions,  that  he  was  neither  ahle  to  dis- 
tinguish the  condition  of  the  present,  nor  the 
Concatinations  of  the  past ;  much  less  Was  he  able 
to  determine  upon  even  a  single  step  which  it 
behooved  him  to  take  under  the  circumstances. 
Uncertain  which  vvay  to  turn  himself  at  that  mo- 
ment, or  whether  to  give  to  any  member  of  the 
government  a  hint  of  which  tiie  consequences 
ttill  remained  so  uncertain,  he  was  apprehen- 
sive that,  by  a  rash  step,  he  might  acquaint 
some  person  With  his  prospect  of  the  gallows 
premium,  v/ho  would  know  how  to  make  use  of 
his  confidence  to  his  disadvantage. 

More  and  more  absorbed  in  such  reflections, 
he  Unconsciously  approached  the  prison  wiiere 
Alphonso  languished.  It  was  past  eleven 
o'clock,  and  Celeste  and  Dolores,  attended  by 
Achilles,  had  just  crossed  the  threshold,  when 
Perezoso  turned  the  corner  of  a  street,  whose 
perspective  presented  in  the  back  ground  the 
architectural  monument  of  the  Jesuits  of  for- 
mer centuries.  He  heard  hasty  steps  behind 
hitn,  and  before  he  had  reached  the  edifice, 
which  he  by  no  means  designed  to  enter,  he 
turned  round,  slowly,  to  retrace  the  path  he  had 
Come,  in  the  hope  to  discover,  by  the  way,  a 
means  of  accomplishing  his  design.  He  was 
not  a  little  astonished  when  he  found  himself 
fuddenly  encountered,  nose  to  nose,  by  Senor 
Falsodo,  who,  after  long  spying  about,  had  re- 
notmced  all  expectation  of  such  a  meeting. 

"  Ah  I  a  very  good  evening  to  you,  Seiior  Pe- 
rezoso  .'"  said  the  spy  to  him  ;  "  have  you  been 
at  the  barracks  there  f" 

"  Ah !  a  very  good  evening  to  you,  Senor 
Falsodo,"  replied  the  private  teacher,  in  the 
same  friendly  manner ;  "  have  you  any  business 
at  the  barracks  there .'" 

"  I  !  Senor  Perezoso — I !  Irfy  way  led  me 
through  this  street.  I  am  taking  a  walk,  and 
feel  my  head  a  little  heavy  after  the  two  glasses 
of  spirits  which  I  drank  at  Bote's." 

"  Then  1  shall  take  the  liberty  to  accompany 
you  a  little  way ;  I  can  as  well  go  home  by  an 
indirect  route." 

"  I  am  much  obliged  to  you,  Senor  Perezoso," 
returned  Falsodo,  who  would  gladly  have  learned 
whether  the  private  teacher  had  paid  any  visits 
since  he  had  been  out  of  his  sight.  Each  had 
Secretly  formed  a  resolution  to  keep  the  other 
company  for  this  evening,  so  long  as  to  leave 
him  no  chance  to  give  his  testimony  to  an  officer 
before  the  morning  came. 

"  Tliat  is  a  solid,  massive  architecture,  the 
old  monastery  there,  the  barracks  there,"  be- 
gan Perezoso,  in  a  tone  of  conversation,  as  they 
approached  the  fatal  door  at  which  the  guard 
Was  discharged,  whose  office  was  at  the  same 
time  that  of  a  patrol.  The  guard  at  the  entrance 
was  doubled ;  the  corporal  m  command  had  re- 
ceived the  strictest  orders  to  take  charge  of  every 
living  being  who  should  show  himself  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  building,  and  place  him  in 
security  for  the  time  being. 

Instead  of  joining  in  the  admiration  of  the  an- 
cient building,  Falsodo  noticed  that  a  patrol 
Was  approaching  them,  and  before  he  could  ut- 
ter a  word,  a  sharp  "  Who's  there  ?"  was  directed 
to  the  two  night  wanderers.  "  Friends  ! 
Friends !"  answered  both,  nearly  at  the  same 
time. 

"  Very  good !  friends  of  the  condemned,  friends 


of  the  traitor  !".  grumbled  the  corporal,  who  at 
last  found  an  opportunity  to  show  his  official 
diligence  by  an  arrest,  and  in  such  a  manner 
hoped  to  commend  himself  to  advancement  as  a 
sergeant. 

'■  Who  are  you  ?  what  do  you  want  here  ?" 
demanded  he  now  of  both,  while  he  suddenly 
surrounded  tliem  witli  soldiers. 

"  We  .'  we  are  peaceable  citizens,  on  our  Way 
home,"  stammered  both,  nearly  shivering  with 
apinehension,  as  it  did  not  particularly  suit 
either  of  them  to  pass  a  night  under  arrest,  and 
neglsct  their  important  business. 

The  corporal  informed  himself  of  their  names 
and  dwelling  places,  and  found  the  latter  in  ex 
actly  an  oppnsitc  direction  to  their  promenade 

"  What  business  had  you  here  at  the  door  of 
the  prison  ?  I  will  give  you  time  to  answer  this 
question  to  the  commissary  of  police,  to-morrow 
noon.  March  !  forward,  march  !  to  the  guard 
house !" 

Neither  Falsodo  nor  Perezoso,  found  it  to  the 
purpose  to  protest  long  against  the  disagreeable 
command  of  the  grumbling  soldier,  whose  strict 
orders  they  were  now  too  well  acquainted  with. 
Both  seemed  of  the  opinion  that  a  long  debate 
with  such  a  subordinate  jurisdiction,  would  be 
utterly  superfluous  and  useless,  especially  as 
the  so  named  "  police  hours  "  were  long  passed, 
and,  under  existing  circumstances,  appearances 
were  against  them. 

The  less  the  police  spy  had  been  able  to  dis- 
cover of  the  plans  of  his  companion,  the  more 
did  he  maliciously  rejoice  to  see  him,  at  least  for 
a  time,  prevented  from  acting,  while  he  relied 
upon  secret  protection,  to  get  himself  released 
from  confinement. 

Perezoso,  who  had  been  long  since  aware  of 
the  position  of  his  companion,  no  sooner  per- 
ceived his  present  situation,  than  he  already  har- 
bored the  worst  apprehensions  at  being  exposed, 
by  such  a  singular  accident,  to  a  false  accusation, 
which  he  now  might  expect. 

Animated  to  an  acceleration  of  their  move- 
ments by  several  ungentle  jogs  from  the  muskets 
of  the  guard,  the  two  poor  sinners  hurried  on 
to  the  Plaza  de  la  Victoria,  and  to  their  iron 
grated  place  of  destination.  The  officer  of  the 
guard  received  the  corporal's  report,  and  sent 
the  two  confederados  to  a  cell,  where  they  found 
a  straw  bed,  and  leisure  to  philosophize  over  the 
origin  of  the  Elegies  and  their  own  bad  luck. 


to^^^^w^w.— 


CHAPTER   XI. 

THE  YOUMO  SOUTH  AMEHICAN. 

A  sTOHM-THREATENiNG  night,  in  the  spring 
month  of  October,  enveloped  the  banks  of  the 
river  La  Plata,  over  which  the  city  of  Buenos 
Ayres  projected,  like  an  indefinite  shadow  in  the 
southwest,  partly  concealed  by  scattered  groups 
of  the  masts  of  ships,  from  diiferent  ports  of  the 
world. 

The  Swedish  brig  "  Nordstjernan,"*  lay  in  the 
outer  road,"  Amarradero,"  prepared  for  sailing, 

»  North  Star, 


so 


DOLORES. 


Rt  a  Dretty  good  distance  fropi  shore.  A  solemn 
BtiUness  reigned  on  board  and  all  around.  The 
two  seaman  of  the  watch  walked  to  and  fro  upon 
the  forward  deck,  directing  a  look  from  time  to 
time,  towards  west  southwest,  whence  they  ex- 
pected the  captain's  gig,  which  was  to  convey 
a  young  ladv,  with  her  servants,  on  board,  whom, 
as  the  captain  had  intimated,  he  was  to  brmg  off 
that  night. 

Two  passengers  were  seen  upon  the  quarter 
deck,  apparently  strangers  to  each  other;  the 
one,  a  youth,  hardly  past  boyhood,  who  stood 
leaning  on  the  bulwark,  gazing  earnestly  in  the 
direction  where  the  boat  should  appear;  his 
pale,  delicate  features,  and  dark  brown  eye- 
brows, surrounded  by  dark  ringlets,  betokened 
his  Spanish  descent,  while  the  countenance  in 
itself,  as  well  as  the  bearing  of  the  slender  form, 
distinguished  by  a  peculiarly  small  hand  and 
liandsome  foot,  indicated  a  certain  natural  no- 
bility, which  is  to  be  found,  here  and  there,  in 
ail  nations.  He  was  dressed  in  dark,  fashiona- 
ble clothing,  w'ithout  the  least  appearance  of 
dandyism.  On  his  white  linen,  partly  con- 
realed  by  the  bow  of  a  dark  silk  cravat,  glittered 
n  diamond  of  great  value,  a  family  heirloom  for 
many  generations,  inherited  by  him  from  his 
father,  a  South  American  patriot,  whose  head 
luid  fallen  under  the  axe  of  the  executioner,  at 
the  command  of  the  liberally-governing  Rosas  ! 

This  was  Horatio  de  P ,  the  nephew  of  the 

noble  Alphonso,  who  was  to  have  shortly  fol- 
lowed that  foregoing  martyr  to  the  freedom  of 
South  America ;  but  by  the  special  mercy  of  the 
tyrant,  had  been  at  last  permitted  to  carry  his 
head  to  the  grave,  unseparated  from  his  body. 
Long  imprisonment  in  a  dungeon,  had  reduced 
the  yet  undeveloped  frame  of  the  youth  to  a  ske- 
leton, for  suspicion  had  fallen  upon  him,  among 
others,  as  being  the  author  of  the  Elegies,  whose 
publication  had  cost  his  uncle  his  life.  Becoming 
less  and  less  suspected,  in  consequence  of  strong 
justification,  and  through  peculiar  circumstances, 
he  was  saved  by  the  urgent  mediation  of  a  power- 
ful eccleaiastic,  whose  influence,  as  a  "  pillar  of 
the  church,"  was  at  least  able  to  effect  so  much 
in  the  cabinet  of  the  tyrant,  that  the  youth,  pro- 
nounced free  trom  suspicion,  was  condemned  to 
perpetual  banishment  from  the  province  of  La 
Plata ;  and  after  the  confiscation  of  half  his  pro- 
perty, while  the  other  half  remained  under 
administration,  he  had  received  permisson  to 
embark. 

The  stamp  of  genius  impressed  on  the  in- 
ward being  of  this  youth,  was  not  to  be  mis- 
taken. As  art  in  general  is  a  unity,  and  the  vari- 
ous branches  of  poetry,  music,  and  the  fine  arts, 
flow  frusD  one  source  of  intellectual  life,  the 
suspWon  above  referred  to  was,  unhappily,  by  no 
means  groundless.  The  youth,  who  manifested 
a  conspicuous  talent  for  painting,  might  very 
naturally  be  accused  of  the  crime  of  national 
poetry,  the  element  of  which  mingles  in  this 
unity. 

Art,  having  been  brought  from  higher 
spheres  down  to  this  gloomy  world,  as  a  ray  of 
the  pure  life  of  the  soul,  exalting  the  spirit  cf 
man  to  the  contemplation  of  the  elevated  and 
the  beautiful,  makes  known  its  existence  as 
"  national  poetry,"  in  the  struggles  for  free- 
dom of  all  the  nations  of  the  earth.  The  fine 
arts,  on  the  contrary,  can  only  exhibit  them- 


selves when  a  nation  has  passed  through  seve« 
ral  stages  of  development,  and  reached  a  certain 
outward  stage,  which  demands  the  employment 
of  those  forms  in  which  painting  and  sculpture 
are  exercised.  Most  powerfully,  however,  does 
art  reveal  itself  as  poetry,  in  the  struggle  of  a 
people  for  their  sacred  rights,  and  only  in  such 
struggles  does  each  national  poetry  display 
itself,  quite  different  from  the  elegant  litera- 
ture, (however  rich,)  of  a  people  who  have  ac- 
quired neither  union  nor  independence,  neither 
a  free  country,  nor  the  sense  of  nationality. 

In  corroboration  of  this,  we  behold,  on  the 
shores  of  the  la  Plata,  a  poetic  constellation  o( 
manifold  brilliancy,  whose  rays,  like  the  aurora 
of  a  futnre  freedom,  breakthrough  the  dungeon- 
night  of  slavery,  and  beam  around  the  scafflods 
of  the  martyrs,  with  whose  blood  the  despairing 
muse  writes  those  pati'iotic  hymns  and  song3> 
the  origin  of  which  is  watched  by  the  execu- 
tioner. In  like  manner  as  moral  freedom  must 
precede  as  the  condition  of  all  intellectual 
development,  of  every  improvement  in  the 
arts,  so  must  a  national  poetry  of  freedom  form 
the  gi-oundwork  of  all  art,  which,  on  the  other 
hand,  belies  its  worth,  and  falls  short  of  its  des- 
tiny as  art,  as  soon  as  it  degrades  itself  to  the 
service  of  absolutism. 

The  young  Horatio,  burning  with  enthusiasm 
for  the  elevated  and  the  beautiful,  and  seeking, 
from  internal  impulse,  after  forms  in  which  to 
clothe  the  spiritual  poetry  of  his  being,  had  al- 
ready become  a  "  thorn  in  the  flesh"  to  the  rul- 
ing gaucho,  who,  conformably  with  his  absolu- 
tism, sought  from  a  distance  to  throw  the  lazo 
over  the  neck  of  the  Pegasus,  and  entrap  him, 
like  a  wild  colt  of  the  pampas,  that  he  might 
harness  him  before  the  triumphal  car  of  his 
renown.  As  intellectual  life  in  itself,  and  every 
species  of  moral  development,  is  an  abomination 
to  absolutism,  so  was  the  discovery  of  the  spark 
of  genius  in  this.youth  sufficient  to  direct  upon 
him  the  scourge  of  the  gaucho,  to  load  him 
with  execrations,  and  to  deprive  him  of  his 
fatherland,  whose  soil  had  drank  the  blood  of 
his  nearest  relatives. 

Horatio  lingered  for  hours,  leaning  upon  the 
bulwark  of  the  **  Nordstjernan,"  and  gazing  out 
into  the  night,  which  offered  to  his  eye  no  con- 
solatory object.  The  rushing  of  the  stream, 
which  hastened  to  the  ocean  with  remarkable 
rapidity  and  stormy  violence,  was  the  predomi- 
nant melody — a  symphony  of  nature  in  her 
magirificence,  and  iu  the  immensity  of  her  move- 
ment. From  time  to  time  the  creaking  of  a 
yard  sounded  above  the  monotonous  rushing 
accompaniment  of  the  night,  until,  at  last,  an- 
other hour  had  sunk  into  the  sea  of  eternity. 
The  watch  bells  of  all  the  ships,  far  and  near, 
tolled  in  mystical,  harmonious  tones,  in  the  vari- 
ous keys  of  the  diflerent  metals  which  chance 
had  brought  together  from  distant  parts  of  the 
world,  to  serve  as  a  floating  bell  concert  on  the 
La  Plata  river. 

Incessantly,  and  with  restless  speed,  did  the 
waves  of  the  Parana,  increased  and  strensthened 
by  the  foaming  mass  of  the  Paraguay,  and  united 
to  the  gigantic  grandeur  of  the  La  Plata,  a  wa- 
ving sea,  rush  past  the  Nordstjernan,  whose 
ponderous  chain  cables  proved  their  iron  solid- 
ity, as,  from  time  to  time,  the  ship  was  shaken  by 
a  heavy  blow,  in   tlie  dangerous  raging  of  the 


DOLORES 


SI 


dement,  against  the  keel  of  this  fabric  of  hu- 
man temerity.  Many  thunder  clouds  threat- 
ened each  other  by  silent  declarations  of  war, 
over  the  extensive  dominion  of  the  Gaucho, 
and  in  the  direction  of  the  Banda  Orientale,  but 
they  delayed  to  send  forth  their  destructive 
lightning,  amidst  the  rattling  thunder,  ever 
changing  the  forms  of  their  cloud  bodies,  wliose 
colossal  domes  and  summits  were  more  gloomily 
prominent,  the  less  tlie  remaining  starry  sky 
was  obscured  by  smaller  clouds. 

The  mind  of  the  youth,  in  whose  agitated 
depths  the  grandeur  of  the  universe  was  reflect- 
ed only  in  broken  images,  seemed  to  present 
similar  contrasts  with  the  firmament  partly  en- 
veloped in  thunder  clouds.  The  thought  of 
the  approaching  death  hour  of  the  martyr  of  his 
people,  whose  fate  he  felt  was  so  intimately  con- 
nected with  his  own,  by  the  ties  of  blood  and  af- 
fection, weighed  down  his  spirit.  In  painful  un- 
certainty, he  awaited  the  deliverance  of  Dolores, 
whose  destiny  was  no  less  painfully  united  to  the 
life  of  the  condemned,  than  to  his  own  fate.  Agi- 
tated and  overpowered  by  a  double  affliction,  he 
forgot  his  own  lot,  and  his  own  sufferings. 

There  are  moments  in  which  the  human  heart, 
too  deeply  wounded  through  the  fate  of  a  be- 
loved being,  turns  to  the  light  of  the  future, 
forgetful  of  its  own  sorrow,  and  finds  the  bur- 
den of  this  earthly  existence  the  heavier,  from 
its  inability  to  save  that  being  by  the  sacrifice 
of  its  own  life.  These  are  the  hours  that  try 
our  confidence  in  divine  Providence ;  the  deci- 
ding hours  of  the  elevation  or  fall  of  inward 
human  dignity. 

The  spirit  deeply  depressed  by  anguish  at  the 
sufferings  of  others,  either  rises  to  the  loftiest 
contemplation  of  this  mortal  life,  through  trust 
in  God,  manifesting  its  nobler  human  nature  by 
submitting  its  fate  to  another's  destiny ;  or  it 
succumbs  in  the  struggle  of  despair,  breaks  the 
band  of  love  and  confidence  in  God,  looks  upon 
life  as  a  caricature  without  support,  without  a 
stay,  without  any  connexion  with  a  higher  idea, 
seeks  deliverance  in  egotism,  and  loses  itself,  and 
the  consciousness  of  the  e.xalted  dignity  of  hu- 
man nature,  in  the  abyss  of  materialism. 

In  Horatio,  the  love  of  fatherland  appeared  to 
be  religion,  while  the  principle  of  universal 
philanthropy  developed  itself  in  him,  as  love  of 
mankind,  (humanity,)  for  which  a  man  should 
sacrifice  his  individuality,  all  personal  conside- 
rations towards  himself,  to  the  sufferings  and  the 
fate  of  his  people,  (as  a  part  of  mankind,)  in  the 
sense  of  nationality. 

Horatio  'beheld,  in  the  thrilling  fate  of  his 
uncle,  and  in  the  impending  danger  of  Dolores, 
the  snlferings  of  beloved  beings;  and  therefore 
more  deeply  did  he  feel  tlie  circumstances  of 
tile  slavery,  andthe  subjugation  of  his  people, 
under  the  executioner's  axe  of  a  barbarian.  In- 
voluntarily, however,  brought  to  higher  views  of 
things,  through  the  influence  of  the  principles 
and  example  of  his  relatives,  he  recognised  in 
that  period  of  terror  in  his  country  the  struggle 
of  life  and  death,  through  which  alone  the 
strength  of  the  nation  could  be  developed,  or 
"  moral  freedom,"  as  tlie  basis  of  all  political 
freedom,  become  established. 

On  the  foundation  of  faith  in  the  providence 
of  God,  there  arose  within  him  the  belief  in 
"humanity."    This  sunbeam  of  futurity,  as  the 


harbinger  cf  a  bright  dawn,  breaking  through 
tlie  night  of  suffering  that  surrounded  him,  lignt- 
encd  his  heart. 

Incapable,  in  his  childlike  purity,  of  compre- 
hending the  reality  of  absolute  wickedness  on 
earth,  his  unbounded  abhorrence  of  oppression 
and  tyranny,  was  more  the  result  of  tlie  suffer- 
ings of  his  countrymen,  than  personal  hatred 
against  the  enemies  of  truth  and  freedom,  whom 
he  considered  as  unfortunate,  blinded  creatures, 
who,  from  despicable  egotism,  and  to  their  own 
degradation,  scofi'ed  at  and  tramplecl  upon  the 
riglits  of  mankind. 

Gazing  to  no  purpose  in  the  direction  whence 
he  expected  the  return  of  the  captain's  boat,  he 
turned,  from  time  to  time,  to  look  on  that  part 
of  the  city  where  the  monastery  wxs  situated, 
which,  used  as  a  prison,  confined  the  martyr 
whose  last  moments  of  life,  like  the  sands  in  an 
hour  glass,  appeared  to  escape  the  faster,  tlie 
nearer  they  approached  the  end  of  their  allotted 
time.  No  human  hand  was  able  to  seize  the 
hour  glass  of  this  mortal's  earthly  existence,  and 
quickly  reverse  it  in  the  moment  when  the  last 
grain  of  sand  was  running  out. 

Penetrated  by  corroding  grief,  a  cold  sweat 
overspread  his  forehead,  his  knees  shook,  and 
he  sought  a  physical  support  by  leaning  more 
firmly  against  the  bulwark,  looking  forward  to 
the  longed  for  coming  of  Dolores,  as  the  last 
consolation  which  the  present  was  able  to  afibrd 
him. 


-  .*^**^#-*s#.  ^ -#s^^*. 


CHAPTER    XII. 


INWARD    LIFE. 


"  The  boat  is  coming  I"  exclaimed  a  .Swedish 
sailor,  in  his  mother  tongue,  his  seaman's  eye, 
practised  in  seeing  at  a  distance,  having  dis- 
cerned the  expected  object,  notwithstanding  the 
darkness  of  the  night,  like  a  black  speck,  afar 
off.  "  There  it  comes !"  he  repeated  in  English, 
supposing  that  the  young  South  American  un- 
derstood English,  or,  at  least,  knew  as  much  of 
it  as  himself. . 

"  Is  the  boat  coming  ?  Is  the  .Seiiora  coming  ? 
are  there  passengers  in  the  boat .'"  hastily  in- 
quired Horatio,  trembling  with  the  eagerness  of 
expectation,  and  following  the  sailor  to  a  place 
where  the  best  view  could  be  obtained. 

The  sailor  understood  by  the  tone,  and  from 
the  words  "  Seriora  and  passengers,"  the  sense  of 
the  question,  and  collected  his  stock  of  English 
in  broken  fragments  to  answer  the  youth,  that 
he  himself  still  wavered  in  uncertainty,  that 
the  boat  was  yet  too  distant,  and  that  he  could 
not  distinguish  the  number  of  persons. 

The  other  passenger,  whose  presence  on  deck 
has  been  before  mentioned,  had  hitherto,  with 
measured  steps,  and  arms  folded  upon  his  breast, 
continued  his  promenade  upon  the  quarter  deck. 
He  cast,  from  time  to  time,  a  sharp  look,  from  his 
deep  set  blue  eyes,  upon  the  youth,  whose  mental 
agitation  could  not  have  escaped  a  less  attentive 
observer.  As  a  wr''  bred  man  of  the  world,  he 
had,  since  he  came  i.-.  '      'd,  observed  that  re- 


32 


DOLORES. 


Eerve  t-wards  his  fe!lc-^  passenger  which  dis- 
cretion and  del'.cacy  required  of  him  ;  althouf;h, 
without  having  in  tnc  least  transgressed  the 
rules  of  politeness  in  their  accidental  enrounter, 
he  had  conducted  himself  towards  Hrraiio  with 
becoming  civility.  He  was  of  slender  form,  of 
middling  size,  and  apparently  about  thirty-live 
years  old — his  deportment  was  characterized  by 
that  youthful  activity,  which  appears^n  a  per- 
son whose  education  has  been  carefully  directed 
towards  bodily,  as  well  as  mental  improvement, 
and  who,  in  the  pursuit  of  military  or  gymnas- 
tic exercises,  has  his  body  at  his  command. 
His  countenance  bore  that  uncertain  national 
character,  found  as  well  in  the  natives  of  the 
PvTPnncan  peninsula  as  in  the  Scandinavian 
countries,  distinguished  by  a  regular  profile, 
a  high  broad  forehead,  dark  brown  hair,  black 
board,  and  a  lighter  colored  beard  on  his 
upper  lip.  Similar  faces  occur  so  frequently 
jfl  those  remote  countries  of  Europe,  that  sin- 
gular mistakes  sometimes  occur  in  confounding 
persons  of  both  countries,  far  distant  from 
each  other.  Such  occurrences  are  interesting  to 
the  inquirer  in  the  department  of  physiognomy, 
as  they  support  the  physiological  anil  historical 
observation,  that  the  primitive  races  of  mankind 
continue  to  exist,  unchanged  and  unchangeable, 
in  spite  of  all  intermixture.  The  unknown 
wore  a  garm.ent  between  a  monkey  jacket  and 
oaletot,  of  dark  grey  cloth,  a  grey  Pyrennean 
Kat,  with  a  wide  brim,  made  of  pliable  goat's 
felt,  which  yielded  to,  and  received  external 
impressions,  as  easily  as  the  susceptil>le  mind 
of  a  sufl'ering  human  being,  l!y  incidental  in- 
fjuiries  respecting  the  number  and  relative  posi- 
tions of  his  fellow  passengers,  who  were  to  share 
the  cabin  with  him,  he  had  before  learned  that 
the  boat  had  gone  ashore,  to  bring  away  the  sis- 
ter of  the  young  Englishman,  who  was  pointed 
out  to  him,  as  the  son  of  one  of  the  house  by  which 
the  ship  was  freighted.  The  mental  agitation  of 
Horatio  revealed  itself  so  unmistakeably,  as  not 
a  little  to  rouse  the  sympathy  of  the  stranger, 
by  means  of  which  his  attention  was  directed 
involuiitruily  towards  him,  without,  however, 
showing  it  by  a  direct  approach.  Suddenly  in- 
terrupted in  his  rapid  promenade  by  the  w'ords 
of  the  sailor,  but  especially  by  their  effect  on  his 
fellow  passenger,  he  placed  himself  near  the 
Watchful  group,  peering  into  the  distance,  from 
time  to  time,  to  lix  his  own  eyes  upon  the  object 
of  incrensini;  attention. 

The  d.U'knes3  of  the  night  was  gradually  giv- 
ing way  to  the  dawn  of  approaching  day.  In 
the  expression  of  his  countenance,  as  in  the 
whole  behavior  of  the  youth,  an  eagerness  of 
expectation  appeared,  which,  proceeding  from 
the  same  source  with  his  previous  agitation, 
seemed  to  have  grown  to  such  violence  from 
the  same  cause.  The  stranger  in  the  paletot 
contented  himself  with  silently  observing  the 
approaching  boat,  which,  com.ing  from  the  shore, 
above  the  city,  was  favored  by  the  current,  and 
soon  approached  so  near  that  single  persons 
could  be  distinguished  iu  it. 

"  There  are  passengers  in  the  boat,"  said  the 
stranger,  breaking  silence,  "  at  least  two  in  the 
etern,  if  not  three." 

"  Then  it  is  she  !  then  it  is  she  !"  exclaimed 
the  youth  involuntarily,  drawing  a  Jong  breath, 
aa  if  his  heaving  breast  was  relieved  from  a  part 


of  the  oppressive  weight  of  anxiety  and  appre- 
hension that  burdened  it. 

Nature  gives  to  men,  as  members  of  the  great 
and  sacred  league  of  tamanity,  a  letter  of  re- 
commendation and  legitimation,  whose  seal  and 
signature,  impressed  upon  the  face,  is  never 
forged,  and  is  more  valid  than  all  the  diplomas 
of  open  or  secret  societies;  a  document  that  sel- 
dom lies,  and  cannot  be  purchased  with  geld,  or 
•inder  the  guarantee  of  a  third  person.  It  id 
ite  intelligent  and  noble  expression  of  the  hu- 
man features,  the  inward  dignity,  beaming  forth 
in  the  open  countenance,  operating  on  congenial 
natures,  through  the  chief  organ  of  the  soul, 
the  magnetic  fluid  of  the  eye.  In  accordance 
with  this,  an  attraction,  and  repulsion  or  indifler- 
ence,  in  meeting  or  social  intercourse,  m.anifcsts 
itself,  which  as  undeniably  draws  a  man  in  con- 
fidence towards  this  or  that  person,  as  in  the 
opposite  case  it  would  operate  repulsively  upon 
him.  Both  emotions,  sympathy  and  antipathy, 
are  founded  in  the  sacred  mystery  of  our  divine 
nature. 

This  repulsion  and  attraction  moves  in  an  in- 
visible element,  (the  magnetic  fluid,)  operating 
like  electric  contact.  The  soul  perceives  the 
beneficial  influence  of  a  congenial  being,  by 
means  of  this  element,  as  clearly  as  it  feels 
itself  disagreeably  excited  and  disturbed  by  the 
approach  of  another,  directly  opposite  indi- 
viduality, of  a  difl'erent  sphere  of  life,  without, 
at  the  moment,  being  able  to  give  any  account 
of  either  one  or  the  other  influence. 

This  attraction  of  sympathy,  and  repiilsion  of 
antipathy,  displays  itself  in  the  intercourse  of 
mankind  with  each  other,  in  proportion  to  the 
development  of  the  spirit  and  the  sentiment. 
The  higher  the  degree  of  development  of  the  in- 
ward life,  the  more  powerful  is  the  sympathy  of 
congenial  or  similar  natures,  and  the  greater  is 
the  antipathy  of  such  persons  against  individu- 
als, in  whom  this  life  is  either  not  all  unfolded, 
or  exists  in  an  inferior  degree. 

Men  whose  intellects  are  developed  at  the 
expense  of  their  hearts,  operate  repulsively  up- 
on men  of  feeling,  whose  intellects  have  been 
cultivated  in  harmony  with  the  purity  and  depth 
of  their  minds,  of 'their  souls.  The  more  a 
man  denies  his  spiritual  life,  and  stretches  his 
conscience  by  the  calculations  of  the  under- 
standing, striving  merely  alter  material  aims, 
the  more  directly  is  he  opjjosed  to  the  spiritual 
man  in  the  higher  stages  of  the  soul's  life  ;  and 
consequently,  the  stronger  also  the  repulsion. 
In  one,  materialism  reveals  itself,  destroying  the 
life  of  the  soul ;  in  the  other,  spiritualism,  puri- 
fying and  elevating  the  soul.  The  greater  these 
extremes,  the  stronger  the  repulsion. 

In  accordance  with  these  observatiions,  we  find, 
in  heartless  men,  absolute  indifl'ercnce  exhibi- 
ted, since  they  are  incapable  ol'  any  sympathy 
for  others,  of  any  love,  (in  the  jiurer  sense  of  the 
word,)  interested  in  nothing  which  does  not  con- 
cern themselves — their  own  personal  existence. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  mention  whether,  and 
how  far  the  youth,  Horatio,  w'as  conscious  of  an 
attraction  towards  the  unknown ;  it  is  certain 
that  he  had  experienced  as  little  repulsion,  as 
had  the  stranger  towards  him,  who  felt  himself 
drawn  towards  the  suflering  youth  by  a  powerful 
attraction. 

There  are  moments  in  which  men.  looldog 


DOLORES. 


ss 


fcrvvard  to  the  fulfilment  of  their  long  wishes, 
are  so  severely  tortured  by  uncertainty,  and  har- 
rassed  by  doubt,  that  they  hastily  consider  their 
approaching  realization  as  an  illusion. 

Horatio  vvas  in  a  similar  state  of  agitation,  on 
hearing  the  assurance  that  there  were  persons 
in  the  boat  wliich  was  to  bring  Dolores. 

"  No  !  No  !  it  is  not  she  !"  cried  he,  suddenly 
seized  with  an  inward  convulsion,  which  seemed 
to  impart  itself  to  his  frame — "  it  is  not  she  !" 
repeated  he,  wringing  his  hands.  He  sank,  half 
unconscious,  on  the  breast  of  the  stranger,  who 
hastily  seized  him  under  the  arms,  as  his  physi- 
cal strength  was  ])rostrated  by  a  fainting  fit. 
The  stranger  felt  the  throbbing  heart  of  the  un- 
happy youtli  on  his  warm,  glowing,  manly 
breast,  unable  to  afford  him  the  slightest  relief, 
in  his  wild  and  bitter  agony,  which  might  be 
perceived  from  such  a  convulsion  of  his  nature. 

The  sympathizing  seamen  of  the  watch,  moved, 
after  their  manner,  by  the  swoon  of  the  youth, 
hurried  to  the  water  butt,  to  procure  the  medium 
of  revival,  which  the  unl<nown  by  no  means  dis- 
allowed, though  it  exercised,  as  he  feared,  but 
little  inlluence. 

The  boat,  impelled  by  wind  and  stream,  had 
gradually  approached  the  ship.  A  death-like  si 
lence  prevailed,  as  before.  "Horatio  !  Horatio !" 
sounded  from  the  boat,  in  a  subdued  tone  of  a 
female  voice.  As  if  struck  with  lightning,  or 
recalled  from  apparent  death  to  life  by  galvanic 
power,  the  youth  aroused,  and  started,  with  a 
strong  gaze,  speechless  and  motionless,  towards 
the  sky,  but  without  seeing  the  stars. 

"  It  is  your  friend,"  said  the  stranger,  in  his 
ear;  but  the  youth  heai-d  not.  The  two  sailors 
hurried  to  the  ladder,  to  hold  a  lantern  to  those 
approaching,  while  Horatio,  conducted  by  his 
unknown  friend,  reached  the  quarter  deck  with 
firm  steps,  without  knowing  tliat  he  had  changed 
his  place. 

With  increasing  expectation  the  man  in  the 
paletot  gazed  at  the  person  who  ascended  from 
the  boat,  and  now  stood  on  the  deck.  It  was 
Dolores,  in  male  attire,  with  a  Biscayan  cap, 
and  enveloped  in  the  national  mantle,  attended 
by  Achilles  and  Corinna. 

"  Where  is  Horatio  .'"  cried  she,  with  a  trem- 
bling voice,  anxiously  gazing  around ;  where- 
upon, the  stranger  led  the  youth,  still  speech- 
less, from  emotion,  to  her  arms. 

Roused  by  the  pressure  of  her  hand,  he  felt 
his  cheek  moistened  by  her  tears.  With  a  cry 
that  resoumlt'd  through  the  grave-like  stillness 
of  the  night,  the  unhappy  youth  sighed  from  the 
depth  of  his  wounded  breast,  and  called,  "  Dolo- 
res !"  and  the  two  breasta  beat  against  each 
other  in  a  silent  embrace,  in  the  bliss  of  reun- 
ion, as  it  were  at  the  foot  of  the  martyr's  scaf- 
fold, whose  fate  and  whose  death  had  confirmed 
in  them  that  bond  of  sympathy  which  is  a  strange 
and  rare  phenomenon  here  on  earth,  and  is  only 
to  be  conceived  and  understood  in  the  depart- 
ment of  the  higher  spiritual  life. 


-.Mf»^»^^^^.»^^^JV^..T— 


CHAPTER   XIII. 


FREE    LODGINGS. 


The  officer  of  the  guard,  in  whose  custody 
the  two  prisoners  had  been  placed,  desired  to 
know  no  more  than  thait  they  were  "  suspicious 
persons,"  who  had  been  found  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  the  before  mentioned  edifice,  in  order  to 
confine  them  with  due  rigor  and  contempt,  to 
await  their  further  fate.  He  did  not  even  con- 
sider it  worth  his  while  to  acquaint  himself  of 
their  names,  but  noted  for  his  report,  where, 
and  how  they  had  been  seized,  and  in  what 
number  of  tlie  prison  they  were  confined. 

The  "  hotel  for  public  security,"  in  the  front 
hall  of  which,  the  military  watchfulness  of  the 
capital  had  established  its  head  quarters,  vvas 
provided,  for  similar  cases  of  noble  minded  hos- 
pitality, with  many  unfurnished  cells.  Many 
of  these  uncomfortable  retirements,  not  origin- 
ally erected  for  numerous  families,  were,  from 
the  want  of  sufficient  rooms  for  the  tempory  sepa- 
ration of  the  sexes,  divided  by  a  wall,  whereby 
the  number  was  increased.  These  "  unfurnished 
rooms  for  single  gentleman,"  had  about  the  com- 
pass of  a  roomy  clothes  press,  whose  walls,  in- 
stead of  oak,  were  made  of  solid  freestone — aa 
iron  door,  and  a  grated  opening,  through  which 
daylight  endeavored  to  intrude  itself  "  around 
the  left  corner,"  by  all  manner  of  windings  and 
turnings,  formed  the  only  furniture.  There  was 
not  even  a  decent  chain,  nor  a  ring  in  the  floor, 
still  less  a  nail  or  hook  in  the  wall,  where  one 
weary  of  life  might  arrange  his  neckcloth  for 
the  last  time.  The  strong  vfalled,  solid  "  clothes 
press,"  into  which  were  now  shoved  the  every- 
day wardrobe  of  two  persons,  stufl'ed  with  the 
owners  thereof,  was  locked  and  bolted  with  due 
carefulness.  Silently,  and  without  regarding 
each  other,  Falsodo  and  Perezoso  had  walked 
together  until  they  came  to  the  door.  If  either 
of  them  had  felt  an  emotion  of  sym|)atliy  prompt- 
ing him  to  exchange  a  look  with  his  companion, 
it  would  have  been  advisable,  to  do  it  before  the 
squeaking  iron  door  sprang  to  its  lock  behind 
them. 

The  keys  and  bolts  rattled,  and  without  a  special 
mandate  from  the  "  future  sovereign  of  La  Plata," 
the  two  prisoners  were  totally  interdicted  from 
looking  at  each  other,  by  the  pitchy  darkness. 
They  absolutely  saw  nothing  at  all.  Without  a 
conception  of  the  narrowness  of  the  space  in 
which  they  were  placed,  they  tried  to  take  a 
step  on  each  side  of  the  entrance,  and  to  venture 
further  into  the  interior  of  the  apartment,to  find 
a  bench,  or  place  of  repose.  A  knock,  and  a 
tingling  and  crackling  in  the  br.iins  of  each 
head,  which  protruded  from  its  well  kept  gar- 
ments, was  the  shocking  consequence  of  such 
unofli^nding,  and  by  no  means  unlawful  "  pro- 
gress." A  long  pause  followed  their  duet  cry, 
which  was  lost  on  the  damp,  mouldering  walls. 

"  It  appeai-3  to  me  that  the  prison  is  in  reality 
no  prison,"  sighed  Perezoso,  at  last. 

"  So  much  the  better,"  growled  Falsodo,  "  if 
we  are  soon  convinced  of  the  truth  of  your  con- 
jecture, and — and" 

"  I  mean  that  it  is  a  sort  of  stone  chest,  90 
contracted  that  we  can  hardly  both  sit  down  in 
it — not  a  real  prison,  I  think." 

"I  wish   that   this   infamous  wall,  against 


u 


DOLORES. 


which  I  just  now  knocked  my  head,  were  like- 
wise no  real  wall,  but  a  mattress,  or  any  thing 
else,  so  it  were  less  massive,"  grumbled  Falsodo. 
Both  now  sought,  with  outjjtretched  arms,  to 
measure  the  cubic  contents  of  the  cell,  which 
they  could  easily  do  without  moving  from  tlieir 
places,  a  proceeding  which  would  have  been 
attended  with  serious  difficulties.  At  last  they 
contrived  to  find  as  much  room  as  was  necessary 
to  seat  themsel  ves  close  to  each  other,  in  such  a 
manner  that  the  feet  of  one  touched  the  hips  of 
the  other.  They  both  placed  their  backs  and 
the  soles  of  their  feet  against  the  opposite  walls, 
a  resting  place,  or  position,  which  had  to  answer 
for  the  occasion,  as  little  choice  of  any  other  re- 
mained open  to  them. 

They  had  hardly  arranged  themselves  in  their 
places,  before  they  sought  a  vent  for  the  ill 
humor  and  spite  which  had  been  gradually  in- 
creasing within  them. 

"  What  put  it  in  your  head,  to  take  a  walk  so 
late  at  night  ?"  grumbled  Perezoso. 

"  And  what  induced  you  to  turn  back  with 
me,  to  accompany  me  ?  I  was  not  going  that 
way,  I  wanted  to  go  on  further  with  you,"  re- 
plied Falsodo,  with  Ihe  same  moroseness. 

"  Why  did  you  not  say  so,  then  .'"  demanded 
Perezoso. 

"  Because  I  did  not  think  it  worth  while ;  and 
in  fact,  I  had  not  remarked  what  street  we  were 
in." 

"  You  know  that  to-night,  or  towards  morn- 
ing, the  execution  in  the  prison  yard  will  take 
place,  and  that  the  building  was,  on  that  account, 
guarded  with  peculiar  strictness !" 

"  That  was  in  the  highest  degree  indifTerent 
to  me,"  returned  Falsodo  ;  "  I  trouble  myself,  for 
the  most  part  little,  if  at  all,  with  politics  and 
political  crimes  and  punishments." 

"  It  is,  indeed,  a  most  thankless  occupation," 
muttered  the  private  teacher  ;  "  I  find,  however, 
that  a  person  may  be  involved  in  political  affairs 
entirely  against  his  will." 

"  I  have  thought  so  this  long  while,  and  un 
happily  feel  it  more  severelj  in  your  valuable  so 
ciety.  We  both  sit  here,  apparently  as  much 
against  our  will,  as  Seiior  Alphoiiso  will  be  shot 
in  the  morning  against  his."  The  spy  sought 
in  this  manner  to  lead  the  conversation,  as  if  ac- 
cidentally, to  the  circumstance  which  had  been 
the  original  cause  of  their  imprisonment.  But 
Perezoso  saw  through  him,  and  forthwith  sat  or 
lay  as  if  overtaken  hy  sleep. 

Falsodo  was  trebly  chagrined,  as  spy,  as  pri- 
soner, and  as  poor  devil ;  especially  by  the  re- 
serve of  liis  companion,  who  appeared  tho- 
roughly disinclined  to  make  confession  to  him. 
It  occurred  to  him  that  several  governments 
made  important  discoveries  by  causing  jirisoners 
to  be  watched  during  their  sjeep,  or  even  in 
fever,  and  overhearing  their  expressions  ;  a 
measure  which  the  secret  police  of  the  Grand 
Duke  Constantine  knew  how  to  make  as  useful  in 
Poland,  as  the  inquisition  of  Don  Carlos  in  Spain. 
Seiior  Perezoso  must  certainly  know  sometliing 
which  had  reference  to  the  discovery  of  the  au- 
thor or  authoress  of  the  Elegies.  This  idea  had 
become  a  certainty  to  Falsodo.  That  the  poems 
vrere  written  by  a  lady,  had  already  become 
not  less  probable  to  him.  But  what  lady  the 
private  teacher  had  in  his  eye,  was  a  question 
which  sorely  puzzled  him. 


In  the  hope  that  his  companion  might  dream 
in  his  sleep,  and  might  talk  in  his  dreams,  hO 
resolved  to  make  the  official  sacrifice  of  watch- 
ing, throughout  the  whole  night,  in  the  aforesaid 
posture,  that  no  confession  of  any  sort  might 
escape  him. 

Perezoso's  purpose  of  deceiving  his  dungeon 
companion  by  a  feigned  sleep,  in  order  to  break 
off  the  discourse  with  him,  was  fully  attained  ; 
finding  himself  in  a  sort  of  moral  and  physical 
depression,  he  soon  sank  into  a  real  sleep ;  in- 
stead, however,  of  talking  in  his  dreams,  he 
discovered  a  peculiar  talent  in  snoring  from  a 
deep  nasal  bass.  The  spy  sought,  by  all  manner 
of  means,  to  ward  off  sleep,  and  soon  became  so 
absorbed,  notwithstanding  his  chagrin,  that  at 
length  he  was  extremely  obliged  to  his  com- 
panion for  keeping  him  awake  by  means  of  his 
music,  even  though  he  did  not  give  him  the  de- 
sired confession. 

Several  hours  passed  by.  The  private  teacher 
snored  on,  and  the  police  spy  listened  to  the  va- 
riations of  the  nasal  bass  with  strict  conscien- 
tiousness. The  stillness  of  death  prevailed 
around  their  cell,  which  lay  half  under  ground, 
in  a  corner  of  the  court,  separated  from  the  cor- 
ridor of  the  fagade.  Neither  the  clang  of 
weapons  nor  the  order  for  dismissal,  pei:etrated 
into  this  solitude.  Suddenly,  however,  footsteps 
were  heard,  not  far  from  the  iron  door  near 
which  Falsodo  watched,  and  the  jingling  sound 
of  weapons  apptf"oached.  A  tremendous  yawn 
from  some  sleepy  head,  %vho  let  a  bunch  of  keys 
fall,  and  thus  indirectly  announced  himself  as 
the  jailer,  sounded  through  the  midnight  silence. 
"  Hei-e  is  number  five,"  he  growled — "  you 
want  the  two  in  number  fi*'e .'" 

"To  be  sure!"  exclaimed  a  sergeant,  whose 
color  and  bni/d  betrayed  a  mi.vture  of  African 
and  Patagonian  blood  ;  "  quick,  now  !  we  are  in 
a  hurry  !  we  must  be  at  the  shore  before  the  boat 
goes.     Come,  out  with  them  both  !" ' 

The  jailer  yawned  again,  set  a  dark  lantern 
with  a  half  extinguished  light  on  the  ground, 
opened  the  iron  door  which  he  had  pointed  out, 
and  called  out  at  the  threshold,  "  March  !  out 
with  you  !  out  with  you  both  1" 

"We?  both  of  us?  out.'"  asked  Falsodo,  as 
much  astonished  as  alarmed ;  "  we  ?" 

"  Yes  !  who  the  devil  besides  ?  there  are  only 
you  two  in  this  lodge.  That  fellow  there  is 
asleep  yet,"  said  the  lock-up  man,  in  still  surlier 
tones,  uttering  a  tremendous  oath. 

"  Now,  come !  how  long  must  this  last .'" 
grumbled  the  sergeant ;  "  can't  the  sleepy  block- 
head there  get  on  his  legs  ?  must  I  help  the  fel- 
low a  little  .'" 

Falsodo,  beside  himself  with  alarm,  strove  to 
stammer  out  a  question — why,  and  wherefore, 
and  whither,  they  were  taking  them.  To  all 
this  the  sergeant  replied,  with  a  contemptuous 
smile,  that  he  himself  knew  as  little  about  it  as 
he  was  interested  in  it. 

Perezoso  had  neither  time  for  question  nor 
alarm,  for  before  he  was  fairly  awake,  the  escort, 
in  whose  midst  he  found  himself,  was  already  in 
the  street,  and  in  rapid  motion. 

Awaking  thus,  he  considered  the  whole  event 
as  the  continuation  of  a  dream,  and  marched  on 
mechanically,  until  the  escort  reached  the  banks 
of  the  river,  where  they  were  thrust,  with  more 
prisoners,  on  board  a  boat,  which,  according  to 


DOLORES. 


35 


appearances,  belonged  to  the  navy  of  the  sole 
ruler  of  the  Argentine  quasi  republic. 


CHAPTER  XIV 


OFFICIAI.     DUTY. 


It  was  an  hour  before  sunrise,  when  the  sen- 
tries at  the  gate  of  the  prison  were  doubled,  and 
B  subaltern  officer  passing  through  the  middle  of 
the  street  with  about  fifty  men,  defiled  them  in 
parallel  columns,  thus  closing  the  approach  to 
the  principal  entrance.  The  officer  was  a  young 
man,  whose  countenance  bore  very  little  expres- 
sion of  either  the  jailer  or  the  executioner;  he 
dropped  the  point  of  his  sword,  and  wtdked 
slowly  back  and  fortli,  with  arms  crossed  upon 
his  breast,  and  downcast  looks,  gazing  vacantly 
before  him. 

The  grates  and  blinds  of  the  balconies,  and 
windows  of  the  nearer  and  more  distant  houses, 
remained  fastened,  notwithstanding  the  military 
tumult,  which  was  not  unusual  in  this  neighbor'- 
hood.  Here  and  there,  a  human  figure  moved 
behind  the  laths  of  the  aforesaid  wooden  gra- 
tings, which  characterize  the  architecture  of 
South  American  houses.  Some  of  tliese  were 
painted  red,  thus  manifesting,  by  this  favorite 
color  of  Rosas,  tlie  loyal  confederado  senti- 
ments of  their  owner.  No  one  dared  to  open 
a  grated  door,  or  a  blind,  for  fear  of  betray- 
ing in  his  features  an  emotion  of  pain  or  com- 
passion, which  might  compromise  him  to  the 
Argus  eyes  of  despotism,  as  sympathizing  with 
the  cause  of  the  people.  The  silence  of  death 
prevailed  around.  The  steps  of  the  young  man 
in  uniform  kept  pace  with  those  of  the  sentries, 
while  their  eai-nest  gaze  was  averted  from  each 
other,  and  they  dared  not  exchange  a  word  by 
which  to  shorten  the  tedium  of  their  mutual 
post. 

The  harbingers  of  dawn,  the  first  beams  of  the 
expected  sun,  appeared  to  linger.  Time  itself 
seemed  to  pause,  before  admitting  through  its 
miglity  floodgates,  the  passage  of  a  moment 
which  should  add  anotlier  blood  spot  to  the 
soiled  book  of  the  people's  history,  to  increase 
the  debt  of  guilt  of  tyranny,  the  settlement  of 
which  will  belong  to  the  nations,  when  they 
shall  awake  to  the  consciousness  of  their  dig- 
nity and  their  power. 

The  bells  of  the  neighboring  monasteries, 
sounded  for  early  mass,  and  the  dying  reverbe- 
rations of  their  tones,  produced  a  plaintive  mel- 
ody, which  lost  itself  in  the  returning  death- 
like silence  of  the  dawn.  The  young  man  in 
uniform  suddenly  stood  still,  putting  his  left 
hand  into  his  breast  pocket,  to  draw  forth  his 
watch,  when  a  report  of  musketry,  from  the  in- 
terior of  the  barrack  yard,  apparently  caused 
him  to  quiver,  and  the  color  of  his  manly  coun- 
tenance chafiged  to  a  deathlike  jjaleness. 

"  it  is  fulfilled,"  said  he,  half  aloud,  and  at 
the  same  instant  he  sudilenly  straightened  him- 
self into  a  military  attitude,  and  thundered  out  a 
command,  which  had  as  much  of  curse  as 
blessing  in  its  sound.  The  two  columns  formed 
themselves   into   one   opposite   the  gate,   from 


which,  after  a  few  minutes,  an  ordinance  ofBcer 
came  forth,  and  whispered  an  order  in  the  ear 
of  the  young  man  in  unitbrm  ;  whereupon  the 
latter,  with  his  corps,  re-entered  the  barrack.  A 
Franciscan  monk  appeared  at  the  gate  before  it 
was  again  closed.  It  was  Padre  Fernando,  who, 
in  the  name  of  his  saint,  desired  to  speak  to  the 
superintendent,  Seiior  Domingo,  or  to  some  other 
officer  of  the  prison.  The  ordinance  officer 
measured  the  figure  of  the  monk  with  a  search- 
ing look,  from  crown  to  sandal,  as  if  examining 
into  the  identity  of  the  monastic  appearance,  and 
then  sufl'ered  him  to  pass,  while  at  the  same 
time  he  gave  the  mulatto,  Narcissus,  a  command 
to  conduct  him  to  the  apartment  of  the  superin- 
tendent of  the  prison.  The  gate  was  then  locked 
and  bolted  again,  as  hastily  as  it  had  been  opened. 
Old  Domingo  had  been  so  sorely  burdened  by 
visits  and  disturbances  of  all  sorts,  in  relation  to 
the  traitor  Alphonso,  that  at  last  it  seemed 
enough,  and  he  desired  rest,  as  a  kind  of  right, 
even  though  his  mind,  hardened  and  blunted  by 
similar  occasions  and  long  habit,  required  it  less 
than  his  aged  body 

Weary  and  dispirited  with  the  fulfilment  of 
his  official  duty,  m  which  we  have  partly  fol- 
lowed him,  Seiior  Domingo  sat  on  a  bench,  near 
the  door  of  his  private  apartment,  in  a  sort  of 
front  hall,  which  was  bounded  by  a  grating  be- 
tween the  inner  court  and  the  principal  entrance. 
His  seat  allowed  him  the  prospect  of  both  courts, 
which  were  separated  from  each  other  by  rows 
of  willows,  forming  a  perspective,  animated  by  a 
crowd  of  soldiers,  officers,  and  functionaries  of 
vai'ious  ranks,  among  whom  the  grave-digger  oc- 
cupied, for  the  moment,  the  most  conspicuous 
position ;  he  had  just  dug  a  grave  in  a  corner  of 
the  inner  court,  which  was  close  by  the  chapel 
and  a  portion  of  the  old  prison,  and  in  some 
respects,  a  kind  of  consecrated  ground.  Fer- 
nando approached  his  old  acquaintance  with 
the  customary  ecclesiastical  greeting,  and  the 
formula  of  inquiry  after  his  health,  which  the 
old  man  answered  by  a  murmur  of  thanks,  and 
the  mechanical  profier  of  his  snufl'  box.  The 
monk  had  not  come  for  the  pinch  of  snuff,  so 
much  as  for  the  most  circumstantial  information 
respecting  the  last  moments  of  the  so  called  trai- 
tor, whom  he  was  known  to  have  attended  in  his 
last  days.  He  seemed  to  act  upon  the  principle, 
that  whoever  seeks  a  favor  from  a  parent  must 
speak  well  of  his  child,  or  from  a  snuffer,  must 
praise  his  snuff.  In  this  case,  it  was  desirable 
to  put  the  old  man  in  a  talkative  humor,  and 
Padre  Fernando  hit  upon  the  method,  by  finding 
the  snufl'  excjuisite ;  whereupon,  each"  took  an 
enormous  pinch.  The  monk  cast  a  searching 
look  through  the  iron  grating  in  the  back  ground, 
where  a  blood  red  pall  (the  color  of  Rosas,  and 
of  the  throne  mantles  of  all  tyrants)  covered  an 
object  that  looked  like  a  corpse. 

"  He  is  dead,  then  .'  executed !  shot !" — in- 
quired the  Padre,  with  a  movement  of  the  head 
in  that  direction. 

"  Seven  and  twenty  balls  aimed  at  the  breast," 
replied  old  Domingo,  slowly,  and  with  emphasis, 
"  seven  and  twenty — but  not  blindfolded — that 
he  would  not  consent  to ;  he  protested  against 
it,  and  the  officers  granted  him  the  favor  and. 
mercy  of  looking  death  boldly  in  the  face — out 
of  humanity,  out  of  pure  humanity." 
"  But  kneeling.'"  interrogated  the  mor»k 


se 


DOLORES. 


"  Kneeling !  certainly,"  continued  the  other, 
"but  only  upon  one  knee,  and  he  held  his  hands 
on  his  back." 

"  What  do  you  say  .' — on  one  knee,  and  with  his 
eyes  open  !"  again  interposed  the  monk  ;  "  met 
death  face  to  face  ?  but  he  confessed  beforehand  ? 
and  the  Benedictine,  Brother  Celeste — or  what- 
ever he  is  called — who  must  step  into  my  place 
— when  did  he  go  away  !  if  I  may  inquire." 

"  Brother  Celeste  remained  in  the  dungeon 
with  the  criminal  until  his  last  hour,  at  your  ser- 
vice. Padre  Fernando,"  replied  the  old  man; "  and 

when  they  had  taken  leave  of  each  other" 

"  Taken  leave .'"  once  more  interrupted  the 
monk,  "  taken  leave .'  then  they  spoke  to  each 
other,  even  at  the  place  of  execution  i'  Did 
you  not  hear  what  they  said,  Seiior  Domingo.' 
May  I  ask  you  for  another  pinch  ?  your  snuti'  is 
alwaysso  excellent — excelientissimo." 

Senor  Domingo  yawned  in  the  face  of  the  in- 
quisitive priest,  while  he  mechanically  placed 
the  snuff  box  at  his  disposal,  without  replying 
to  the  question. 

"  Then  you  did  not  hear  what  they  said  to 
each  other  .'   Pardon  me  the  question,  if  proceeds 

from  pure  Christian  interest  in" 

"  In  the  person  executed,  to  whom  neither 
your  sympathy  nor  mine  can  now  be  of  the  least 
service,"  added  the  old  man,  unconsciously,  lay- 
ing his  hands  upon  each  other,  as  if  he  would 
fold  them  in  prayer.  "  You  see.  Padre  Fer- 
nando," he  continued,  "  when  I  have  living  cri 
minals  and  condemned  persons,  in  chains  and 
bonds,  in  my  custody,  on  my  responsibility,  then 
I  am  hard,  firm,  relentless,  inexorable  in  every 
respect,  because  that  concerns  the  fulfilment  of 
my  duty  to  my  office,  my  bread,  my  existence ; 
and  besides,  the  security  of  the  state  depends  upon 
it — that  is  plain  enough.  But  when  the  hour  is 
over,  when  the  head  of  my  prisoner  rolls  from  un- 
der the  axe,  in  the  sand — or  when  the  shots  rat- 
tle and  the  corpse  lies  there,  then  all  my  crimi- 
nals appear  to  me  in  an  entirely  ditlererit  light. 
They  are  judged,  and  the  thought  very  often  oc- 
curs to  me,  that  they  go  to  appear  as  accusers, 
before  a  judge  on  high  ;  as  accusers  !  Padre  Fer- 
nando! before  a  judge  who  vrill  one  day  pass 
sentence  upon  the  judges — upon  the  judges,  I 
mean,  who  here  sign  sentences  of  death. 

"  Hem  !  to  be  sure  '."  replied  the  Franciscan, 
"  but  judgement  must  be  exercised  on  earth, 
and  goveniment  is  God's  handmaid."  May  I  ask 
you,  Seiior  Domingo,  where  the  reverend 
Brother  Celeste  is  to  be  found  ?  I  am  under  the 
necessity  of  speaking  to  him." 
"  So  far  as  I  know,  he  is  still  in  our  chapel." 
"  Ah  !  in  the  chapel,  there  ;  may  I  request 
you  to  open  this  grated  door  for  me  .'" 

"I  resjret  extremely,  Padre  Fernando,that  I  can- 
not oblige  you;  it  is  not  permitted,"  replied  the 
superintendent,  drily  and  readily,  "  as  you  know 
yourself,  it  is  not  permitted  without  a  written 
order  from  the  authorities.  Yesterday  is  not 
to-day ;  you  appeared  yesterday  as  the  father 
confessor,  who  was  to  prepare  the  condemned 
for  death — you  found  admittance  ;  the  criminal  is 
no  more,  and  that  order  is  no  more  in  force.  I 
regret  it  extremely,  Padi'e  Fernando.  Will  you 
take  another  pinch  ?" 

The  snuff  was,  at  tliis  moment,  far  from  be- 
ing as  excellent  as  before ;  the  monk  had  hoped 
in  all  haste  to  encounter  the  colleague,  who  had 


taken  his  place,  and  perhaps  fo  learn  sofnefTii'ng 
more  about  the  condemned,  that  might  at  least 
gratify  his  curiosity.  The  firm  precision  of  the 
superintendent  had  drawn  a  dash  through  his 
reckoning.  He  propounded  the  question,  how- 
ever, whether  a  lay  brother,  or  novice,  had  not 
accompanied  Brother  Celeste,  the  preceding 
night,  as  wa.s  customary  .'  The  wearied  old 
man  nodded  an  affirmative,  and  added,  that  he 
was  indeed  accompanied  by  a  brother  of  his 
own  order,  and  a  negro,  one  of  those  blacks  in 
the  sen'ice  of  the  monastery." 

"So!  so!"  cried  the  monk,  "then  a  second 
brother  of  his  order  was  with  him !  Did  you 
not  learn  his  name  ?" 

"  I  cannot  inform  yon,  I  do  not  know  it," 
murmured  old  Domingo,  a  little  gruffly,  annoyed 
with  so  many  qnestions,  whose  object  did  not 
appear  to  him  particularly  important ;  and  too 
weary  and  sleepy,  besides,  to  desire  continuance 
of  this  useless  interview.  Just  then  the  porter 
opened  the  grated  door,  to  allow  a  number  ol 
functionaries,  who  had  been  present  as  witnes- 
ses of  the  execution,  to  depart. 

Sei5or  Domingo,  cast  a  mute  look  upon  his 
uninvited  guest,  in  the  uniform  of  the  holy 
Francis,  which  sufficiently  intimated  that  the 
latter  had  better  take  this  remarkably  good  op- 
portunity of  passing  over  the  threshold  of  the 
prison. 

"  There  were  seven  and  twenty  balls  then  .'" 
inquired  the  monk,  who  understood  the  hint, 
and  had  approached  the  door — "  and  all  pierced 
the  breast !" 

"  iS'ine  the  breast,  three  the  heart,  four  the 
right  shoulder,  and  three  the  left — six  entered 
the  head,  and  two  missed,  making  seven  and 
tiventy,"  grumbled  the  old  man,  very  hastily. 
"  Your  servant — farewell.  Padre  Fernando  !" 

The  monk  had  scarcely  time  to  send  his  cor- 
dial thanks  for  this  ba//  report  through  the  clo- 
sing narrow  door,  which  was  opened  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  great  gate  for  similar  small  visits ;  be- 
fore he  could  collect  himself,  it  was  locked  be- 
hind him.  He  remained  a  moment  standing,  in 
counsel  with  himself,  and  then  hastened  in 
the  direction  of  the  monastery  of  St.  Bcnto, 
either  to  await  there  the  return  of  his  colleague. 
Celeste,  or,  if  possible,  to  meet  with  one  of  the 
attendants  who  had  entered  the  prison  the  past 
night,  and  perhaps  had  learned  something  of 
importance. 


».*^w^^««- 


CHAPTER    XV. 

THE   MERCENABY    AND   THE    BEPUBLICAW. 

OvEH  against  the  Mole,  which  is  built  out 
into  the  stream  from  about  the  centre  of  the  city, 
the  brig  of  war  La  Caza'  lay  at  anchor  in  the 

Amarradero"  the  outer  road,  near  the  sand 
bank  which  divides  it  from  the  inner  road,  the 
Balizas.  La  Caza  carried  twelve  guns,  and 
was  commanded  by  Mr.  Tumble,  an  English- 
man in  the  service  of  Rosas,  who  found  such  a 
position  lucrative,  after  having  received  an  ue- 


» "  The  chase"—"  pursuit.' 


DOLORES. 


37 


sought  for  dismissal  as  midshipman  under  the 
British  flag.  He  was  one  of  those  so  called 
"  able  seamen,"  who  understand  how  to  com- 
mand a  crew  and  to  empty  a  glass  of  grog,  but 
from  a  defect  in  their  mental  education,  do  not 
know  how  to  sustain  a  proper  balance  of  charac- 
ter, nor  even  to  live  in  harmony  with  their  sujie- 
riors.  Sucli  Icind  of  *'  useful  subjects"  pass  for 
"  good  captains,"  when  a  ship  is  accidentally 
entrusted  to  them,  although  the  verdict  of  their 
subordinates  does  not  harmonize  with  their  repu- 
tation on  shore. 

"Five  bells"  of  the  morning  watch  had  just 
sounded.  Seitor  Enero,  the  second  in  command, 
a  young  man  from  tlie  banks  of  the  La  Plata, 
walked  to  and  fro  upon  tlie  quarter  deck,  con- 
versing with  Seiior  Codo,  anothoi-  officer,  an 
European  Spaniard.  From  time  to  time  Enero 
looked  towards  the  city,  whose  white  spires, 
domes,  and  cupolas,  becoming  gradually  lighted 
by  the  rosy  beams  of  dawn,  stood  forth,  by  de- 
grees, on  the  back  ground  of  a  cloudy  horizon, 
while  the  body  of  the  city  below  them  lay  like  a 
dark  shadow. 

"  There  will  be  another  elegant  crew,"  said 
Enero,  after  a  pause  in  the  desultory  conversa- 
tion, accompanying  his  words  by  an  ironical 
emile;  "  we  have  but  twenty  men  on  board,  at 
most,  and  require  fifty,  and  among  all  we  are 
able  to  procure,  there  are  few  experienced  sailors 
to  be  expected." 

"  It  is  the  same  here,  under  our  Rosas,  as  it  is 
in  Constantinople,  where  1  have  often  superin- 
tended such  a  press  gang,"  remarked  Seiior 
Codo.  "  When  a  Turkish  ship  is  about  to  sail, 
a  bridge  is  laid  from  the  shore  to  the  ship  ;  then 
the  drums  and  fifes  play,  and  all  the  needy  raga- 
muffins in  the  neighborliood,  who  are  prompted 
by  hunger  and  despair,  run  onboard  and  become 
the  crew.  If  a  proportionate  number  of  Greeks 
were  not  always  impressed,  wlio  command  re- 
spect as  sailors,  it  would  have  I'ai-ed  worse  with 
the  Turkish  fleet  than  has  been  the  case." 

"  1  have  heard  of  those  Turkish  press  gangs," 
replied  Seuor  Enero,  "  which  are  similarly 
managed  in  Brazil,  and  especially  in  Rio  de 
Janeiro,  as  well  lor  the  marine  as  for  the  com- 
pletion of  tlie  military  battalions.  Whoever 
goes  out  in  the  evening  must  be  supplied  with  a 
ticket  of  residence,  a  document  with  which  the 
police  provides  the  stranger  on  his  arrival,  upon 
the  delivery  of  his  passport.  If  the  patrol  find 
any  one  whatever  without  such  a  document,  they 
immediately  seize  him,  carry  him  temporarily 
to  the  guard  house,  and  then  send  him,  without 
ceremony,  to  the  militia,  often  directly  against  the 
rebels  in  the  interior,  or  to  Rio  Grande,  and 
then  it  will  be  very  hard  fur  the  unlucky  '  per- 
manento'  *  to  get  out  of  his  uniform  jacket 
again." 

"  Perhaps  the  transport  cutter  may  bring  us, 
this  morning,  the  same  description  of  forced  re- 
cruits for  the  crew  of  our  Caza,"  remarked 
Seiior  Codo, "  and  many  whom  we  shall  now  re- 
ceive, dreamed  not  last  night  of  their  future 
fate  before  the  mast,  or  behind  the  guns  on 
board  of  a  war  brig." 

"  Rightly  observed,"  rejoined  the  second  in 
command ;  "  this  mode  of  making  up  the  number 
of  men,  whether  it  be  on  land  or  water,  does 


*  Hegular  soiilier. 


not  particularly  please  me ;  and  when  we  close- 
ly investigate  the  power  of  the  Orientates,* 
displayed  in  their  persevering  obstinacy,  in  the 
contest  against  us,  we  are  constrained  to  ac- 
knowledge a  certain  moral  force,  founded  espe- 
cially on  the  circumstance" — the  young  man 
hesitated  to  utter  a  truth  redounding  to  the 
disgrace  of  his  country — "  on  the  circumstance," 
continued  he,  "  that  there  a  man  fights  for  a 
principle,  and  here,  with  us,  by  command  of 
our  Dictator,  for  a  few  dollars." 

"  To  be  sure,"  murmured  the  other,  "  I  know 
what  you  would  say ;  the  Orientals  bear  upon 
their  banners,  or  at  least,  as  the  motto  of  their 
newspapers,  words  that  point  at  a  notion,  which 
they  may  call  a  principle.  They  talk  much  about 
'Igualdad,  Liberdad,  Humanidad, '(equality,  free- 
dom, and  humanity) — words  which,  like  so  many 
other  fashions,  have  come  to  our  shores  from 
Europe  ;  but,  according  to  my  judgement,  they 
are  merely  words — each  word  stands  for  noth- 
ing more  than  a  word,  with  which  no  idea  is 
connected." 

"1  know  your  principles,"  said  Enero ;  "  in 
Spain  you  were  a  Carlist,  and  fought  after  your 
manner,  for  Don  Carlos  and  the  Inquisition. 
Our  commander, Senor  Tumble — with  all  respect 
to  his  character  as  a  marine  officer — our  com- 
mander is  likewise  a  royalist,  like  all  Britons, 
and  we  are  here  united  under  the  Argentine 
flag — and  the  device  of  our  government  is  also 
a  word,  and  that  word  is  '  Rosas  !'  and  the  idea 
that  we  should  combine  with  it,  is,  the  subjuga- 
tion of  the  provinces  of  La  Plata  under  the  exe- 
cutioner, Rosas !" 

"  Executioner,  Rosas  .'"  cried  Codo,  suddenly 
standng  still,  and  gazing  on  his  comrade. 

"  Certainly,"  replied  the  other,  "  and  I  repeat 
the  word,  although  so  many  a  patriot  is  quietly 
shot,  instead  of  being  beheaded.  Taken  figu- 
ratively, the  sceptre  of  Rosas  is  the  axe,  the  exe- 
cutioner's axe." 

"  And  do  you  not  fear  the  axe,  if  it  should  be- 
conre  known  that  you  uphold  such  sentiments," 
whispered  the  Spaniard,  with  a  sinister  smile. 

"  No  one  overhears  us,"  answered  the  South 
American,  briefly  and  earnestly — "  1  know  to 
whonr  I  am  speaking — I  know  your  royalist 
principles — 1  know  you,  also,  as  a  seaman,  and 
that  is  enough.  I  know  that  no  man  of  war 
bears  our  flag,  in  which  Rosas  has  not  spies  in 
pay,  directly  and  indirectly,  and,  for  the  most 
part,  foreigners.  I  know,  also,  that  many  of  our 
comrades  owe  their  advancement  to  denun- 
ciation—to espionage.  But  the  element  of  the 
ocean  endm-es  no  treachery  !  Wo  to  him  who 
should  be  discovered  as  a  spy  on  board  the 
Caza.  With  regard  to  the  Orientals,"  con- 
tinued he,  after  a  long  pause, "  we  must  respect 
them  as  enemies ;  the  honor,  which  worthy  op- 
ponents bring  against  us,  reflects  upon  ourselves ! 
The  Orientals  fight  from  conviction,  and  with 
enthusiasm,  because  they  know  wherefore  they 
fight.  Our  people  fight  for  their  pay,  at  the 
command  of  Rosas.  That  is  the  difference.  The 
Orientals  combat  for  the  principle  of  freedom, 
of  a  republic,  against  the  principle  of  absolutism 
represented  by  Rosas.  The  Banda  Oriental  doea 
nut  renounce  the  idea  of  the  union  of  the  pro- 


•  Orientals— the  people  of  the  Banda  On'enlai— Mon;s 
Video. 


33 


DOLORES. 


vinces  of  La  Plata,  but  only  the  sovereignty  of 
Kosas,  whose  person  stands  in  the  way  of  their 
union,  while  he  either  will  not,  or  is  unable  to, 
comprehend  the  idea  which  unfolds  itself  in 
South  America." 

"  It  is  very  true  that  Rosas  does  not  concern 
himself  much  with  ideas,"  replied  Codo,  "  and 
there  he  is  in  the  ri^ht;  but  he  remains,  not- 
withstanding, one  of  the  gi'eatest  men  of  our  age 
— ay,  or  any  age,  and  yields  not  to  Napoleon 
in  any  respect." 

"  May  historians,  after  the  death  of  Rosas, 
place  him  where  he  belongs,"  answered  Enero. 
"  His  name  belongs  to  history,  the  histor)'  of 
South  America,  and  he  himself  has  written  it, 
with  blood,  upon  the  annals  of  the  present ;  may 
he  answer  for  it.  He  may  pei-secute  the  Unita- 
rians— he  will  not  eradicate  the  spirit  of  freedom, 
nor  extirpate  the  idea  that  lies  at  the  bottom  of 
the  struggle,  the  idea  of  the  foundation  of  the 
United  States  of  South  America." 

"  A  fantastic  idea,"  said  Codo,  smiling  ironi- 
cally, "  which  will  hardly  ever  be  realized  !" 

"  Just  so  would  a  royalist  thirty  years  ago 
have  said,  in  reference  to  the  independence  of 
our  provinces  of  the  Spanish  crown,"  rejoined 
Enero ;  "  and  whoever  had  dreamed,  eighty  years 
ago,  of  a  coUossal  republic  of  the  United  States 
of  North  America,  which,  before  the  end  of  the 
first  century,  should  compete  with  all  the  mo- 
narchies of  the  earth,  in  bloom  and  fruit,  in 
dignity  and  strength,  w-ould  have  been  pro- 
claimed a  madman.  No  mortal — no  Rosas,  can 
restrain  the  development  and  accomplishment 
of  an  idea,  when  once  its  rays  have  entered 
the  heai-ts  of  the  people.  Our  Argentine  re- 
public exists  as  a  republic;  and  as  to  myself, 
I  shall  still  fight  for  principle,  because  I 
would  rather  see  Monte  Viedo  united  to  us, 
than  that  she  should  fall  into  the  hands  of  the 
British,  who  reckon  upon  it.  But  the  system  of 
our  government,  the  system  of  terror,  cannot 
last.  Rosas  is  mortal.  Even  the  worst  republic, 
is  better  than  the  most  tolerable  monarchy  ;  for 
the  fate  of  the  people  does  not  hang  upon  the 
first  born  of  a  single  family,  the  nation  has  its 
sacred  rights,  and  only  as  a  republic  can  it  assert 
them.  Did  we  not  breals  loose  from  the  yoke  of 
the  Spanish  monarchy,  in  a  struggle  of  life 
and  death  !  Is  it  not  to  be  ascribed  to  the  want 
of  enlightenment,  to  the  influence  of  the  priests, 
and  the  speculations  of  usurers,  that  we  are 
once  more  ruled  by  despotism  ?" 

"  What  you  call  despotism,  appears  to  me  ab- 
solutely necessary  for  the  maintenance  of  public 
order,"  said  .Senor  Codo. 

"  So  the  royalists  justify  eveiy  arbitrary  act, 
every  execution  of  a  patriot,  who,  from  love  of 
fatherland,  embraces  the  cause  of  the  people. 
The  population  of  Monte  Video  consists  of  no 
other  elements  than  ours,  here,  in  Buenos 
Ayres." 

"  The  liberal  ideas  of  Europe  find  more  free 
entrance  there,"  returned  Codo. 

"  Good  !  you  contradict  yourself,  Seiior  Codo 
— can  public  order,  and  security  of  person  and 
property,  exist  in  the  Oriental  republic  by  the 
dissemination  of  the  so  called  liberal  ideas  of 
Europe  ?  Why  then  does  the  axe  of  despotism 
become  an  absolute  necessity  here,  among  us  ? 
We  know  the  customary  phrase  of  the  royalists, 
that  a  nation  is  not  ripe  fur  freedom ;  but  we  find 


no  example  in  history,  where  despotism  ba< 
prepared  a  nation  for  freedom,  while  it  robs  peo- 
ple of  their  sacred  rights,  and,  by  gradually  in- 
creasing oppression,  drives  them  to  despair, 
until  the  chain  is  broken,  and  they  seek  deli- 
verance." 

"  Your  principles,  Senor  Enero,  are  entirely 
those  of  a  republican." 

"  Other  principles  would  not  be  to  my  honor ; 
my  country  is  a  republic,  and  only  as  such  has 
it  a  future,  as  a  free  state  of  South   America." 

The  first  lieutenant  turned  away  at  these  words, 
looked  at  his  watch,  and  ordered  the  officer  to 
call  him,  when  the  cutter,  which  he  expected 
from  the  city,  approached. 

The  Spanish  royalist  who,  like  so  many 
others,  had  entered  the  service  of  Rosas  as  an 
adventurer,  looked  after  the  South  American 
with  a  thoughtful  mein,  and  then,  resuming  his 
measured  step,  walked  to  and  fro  upon  the 
planks  of  the  quarter  deck.  La  Caza  swayed 
slowly  with  the  movement  of  the  stream,  the 
yards  creaked  in  measured  time,  the  morning 
"dawn  brightened  into  daylight,  over  a  sea-piece 
with  a  city  in  the  distance,  whose  moveable 
figures  balanced  more  and  more  in  the  fore- 
ground. Beheld  from  another  point  of  view, 
the  sea-piece  appeared  stiU  more  dreary  and 
uniform,  wliile  the  opposite  shore  of  the  La 
Plata,  covered  with  clouds,  was  hardly  visible. 
In  the  centre  of  the  picture,  among  the  separate 
groups  of  ships  from  various  parts  of  the  world, 
appeared  the  Swedish  brig  "  Nordstjernan,"  by 
whose  sails  and  rigging  it  was  evident  that  she 
was  preparing  to  heave  anchor. 


B.#S#^*^N^«— 


CHAPTER    XVI. 


THE   MONKS. 


The  early  mass  was  over ;  the  monks  of  the 
Monastery  of  St.  Bento  endeavored  to  pass  the 
interval  until  the  general  assembling  to  break- 
fast in  the  large  refectory,  each  after  his  own 
manner.  The  father  guardian  walked  up  and 
down  in  the  shady  paths  of  tlie  spacious  garden, 
deeply  engaged  in  conversation  with  lather  Am- 
brose," a  monk  of  the  same  order,  from  Barce- 
lona, who,  a  month  before,  had  found  an  asylum 
in  Buenos  Ayres.  Father  Ambrose  had  touched 
upon  a  bloody  and  eventful  chapter  in  his  life, 
in  seeking  to  answer  the  inquiries  of  the  father 
guardian,  who  had  embraced  this  opportunity  to 
inform  himself  of  the  political  relations  of  Spain, 
which,  as  in  so  many  other  countries  of  our  time, 
manifestly  stood  in  close  connexion  with  the 
church. 

"  Believe  me,  father  g:uardian,"  continued 
Ambrose,  in  his  communication,  "  believe  me, 
it  goes  ill  with  the  church  in  Spain,  especially 
with  our  order,  which  is  in  a  bad  way  as  long  as 
Don  Carlos  is  not  victorious.  A  shudder  seizes 
me  when  I  recur  to  that  time — to  those  scenes 
of  blood,  from  which  I  escaped  with  difficulty." 

"  Will  the  Christines,  then — or  however  the 
rebel  party  may  clioose  to  call  themselves — will 
they  acknowledge  no  church,  no  religion  .'" 

""  Religion !  church !"   muttered   father   Am- 


DOLORES. 


39 


brose ;  "  there  is  only  one  church — o>ir  own  ; 
aiid  I  ciiniiot  conceive  what  the  Christines  call 
churcli,  when  tliey  demolish  monasteries,  dis- 
solve uur  order,  and  compel  us  either  to  follow  a 
trade,  or  to  carry  arms,  or  they  make  shorter 
work  with  us — they  hang  us  up  !" 

"  Hang  us  up  !"  exclaimed  the  father  guar- 
dian, while  he  involuntarily  grasped  his  neck 
and  felt  the  collar  of  his  cowl,  as  if  he  \Tould 
convince  himself  that  no  cord  was  yet  attached 
to  it. 

"  Yes,  I  assure  you,  the  rebels  made  short 
work;  and  there  are  yet  particular  parties  of  the 
insurgents — the  republicans,  for  example,  who, 
if  not  numerous,  are  still  dangerous — wlio  are  as 
severely  persecuted  by  the  provisional  govern- 
ment of  Christina,  as  they  both  persecute  us,  the 
followers  of  Don  Carlos.  This  republican  party 
first  broke  out  in  France,  as  you  may  have  heard. 
France,  you  know,  is  a  country  which  is  sepa- 
rated from  Spain  by  the  Pyrenees.  That  is  a 
rebellious  nation,  the  French  I — a  bloodthirsty 
people,  the  French — a  savage" — — 

"  A  savage  r"  interrupted  the  fathjer  guardian 
— **  cannibals,  like  the  Botacudoes  in  Brazil,  or 
savages,  lilie  our  Unitarians  ?" 

**  Not  precisely  cannibals,  but  savages,  exactly 
like  these  Unitarians,  only  it  makes  very  little 
diiierence  whether  men  eat  us  or  bury  us  when 
we  are  dead ;  we  have  no  more  feeling  then  ; 
and  it  is  loathsome  enough,  besides,  to  think  that 
we  shall  be  eaten  by  worms,  that  are  not  even 
men." 

"  Then  the  French  are  a  wild,  horrible  people  ? 
savages,  like  the  Unitarians,  and  live  in  Europe .'" 

"  In  Europe,"  continued  father  Ambrose, 
"  to  the  north  and  east  of  the  Pyrenees ;  their 
capital  is  called  Paris— as,  perhaps,  you  have 
heai'd — the  centre  of  all  rebellion." 

"  Paris  !  it  seems  to  me  that  I  have  heard  of 
it,"  returned  the  other,  slowly  and  meditatively. 

"  Among  the  French,"  continued  father  Am- 
brose, "  there  were  philosophers  in  the  last  cen- 
tur) ,  who  misled  the  people  to  think,  and  to 
inhdelity  and  heresy." 

"  Philosopliers  .'"  inquired  the  father  guar- 
dian, "  what  sort  of  people  are  they  .'" 

"  Heretics,"  replied  the  enlightened  Spanish 
monk  ;  "  heretics,  wlio  can  read  and  write,  and 
pxiblish  books  against  the  Pope." 

"  Books  against  the  Pope  ?"  exclaimed  the 
other ;  "  and  the  government  permits  this  ?  1  can- 
not conceive  that." 

"  Has  not  a  rebel  lately  published  here,  poe- 
try against  Rosas,  our  lord  and  protector  ?" 
inquired  Ambrose,  smiling,  coming  to  the  assis- 
tance of  his  brother's  contracted  comprehension 
with  an  example. 

"  I  have  heard  of  that,"  answered  the  guar- 
dian, hastily;  "  and  the  criminal  has  just  been 
shot.  Urother  Celeste  has  rendered  him  the 
last  services.  I  know  it ;  but  he  had  the  poetry 
printed  in  Monte  Video,  not  here,  in  Buenos 
Ayres." 

"  It  may  be,"  said  Father  Ambrose,  with  a 
smile;  "the  first  works  of  the  French  philoso- 
phers of  the  last  century  were,  also,  printed  at 
Amsterdam,  a  city  in  the  Netherlands,  governed 
by  heretics.  To  be  sure,  as  soon  as  these  books 
were  discovered  in  Paris,  they  were  publicly 
burnt  by  the  executioner." 

"  Bravo !"  cried  the  guardian,  "  I  approve  of 


that !  and  the  heretics  who  wrote  the  books- 
were  they  also  burnt .'" 

"  Alas !  they  were  not ;  some  %vere  put  in 
prison — others  escaped,  and  were  looked  upon,  in 
the  neighboring  countries,  as  great  men — and 
from  their  philosophy,  the  idea  of  freedom  was 
developed  in  the  French  people,  and  revolution 
broke  out.  Paris  lay  as  full  of  men's  heads,  as 
Buenos  Ayres  is  of  bullocks'  heads. 

"  Shocking!  shocking  !"  exclaimed  the  horri- 
fied monk,  "the  French  are  real  savages  !" 

"  Yes  !  but  much  remains  to  be  told,"  contin- 
ued fatlier  Ambrose.  "  There  was  then  a  repub- 
lic in  France,  and  a  little  artillery  lieutenant 
made  a  comi)act  with  the  devil,  and  pel'ormed 
miracles  of  bravery  through  witchcraft,  and  was 
advanced  to  be  general,  and  took  the  Pope  pri- 
soner, and  beat  the  armies  of  all  the  princes,  who 
wished  to  restore  the  sovereignty  of  the  Pope, 
and  the  kingdom  in  France,  and  became  Em- 
peror of  the  French,  and  married  the  daughter 
of  an  emperor — the  Emperor  of  Austria,  an 
empire  witliout  freedom,  and  composed  of  many 
nations — and  named  his  son  '  King  of  Rome,' 
and  made  his  brother  king  of  Spain.  And  los 
Salvages  Franceses,  the  French,  came  to  us  in 
Spain,  and  then  our  monasteries  would  have 
been  abolished,  if  the  British  had  not  come  to 
our  assistance,  and  re-established  the  holy  Inqui- 
sition among  us." 

"  Oh  the  British  !  los  Itiglises,"  cried  the  fa- 
ther guardian  ;  "  I  know  thern ;  they  are  the 
friends  of  our  Rosas ;  they  call  themselves  gen- 
tlemen, and  wear  patent  gloves.  They  are  here- 
tics, though,  as  I  hear,  who  do  not  bow  before 
our  crucifix,  nor  take  oflT  their  hats  when  they 
pass    by  a  church." 

"  There  are,  it  is  true.  Christians  in  England, 
Catholics,"  remarked  father  Ambrose  ;  "  one  en- 
tire British  race  is  Catholic,  and  lives  on  an 
island,  and  is  used  when  England  is  at  war,  for 
they  are  brave  soldiers ;  but  in  peace  they  are 
hated  and  persecuted,  even  to  blood,  and  only 
exist  through  sufferance — and  are  merely  per- 
mitted, as  a  favor,  to  pay  taxes,  and  tithes,  and 
be  honored  by  the  acceptance  of  their  money." 

"  What  then  is  properly  the  religion  of  the 
British,  or  English?"  asked  the  guardian. 

"  The  religion  of  the  British  is  Politics,  and 
their  church  is  the  Exchange,"  replied  the  other, 
with  peculiar  earnestness  ;  "  and  these  same 
British,  who  once  reinstated  the  Inquisition 
amongst  us,  now  support  our  Christi?ios,  our 
rebels,  because  their  '  religion'  makes  it  appear 
advantageous  to  them.  It  is  to  be  hoped,  how- 
ever, that  Don  Carlos  will  succeed,  and  restore 
our  monasteries,  and  then  the  English  will  again 
stand  up  for  the  Inquisition." 

"  A  very  convenient  religion,  is  the  British,  I 
must  acknowledge,"  remarked  the  father  guar- 
dian, after  a  pause, ;  "  but  tell  me  now,  honestly, 
father  Ambrose,  is  that  all  true,  which  you  have 
related  to  me  concerning  the  little  lieutenant  ?  is 
that  a  true  legend  .'  Did  the  little  lieutenant 
really  live  ?  and  did  he  take  the  Pope  prisoner — 
our  holy  father  ?" 

"  All  that  I  have  related  to  you,  is  positively 
true,"  affirmed  the  Spaniard. 

"  And  what  became  of  the  imprisoned  Pope  * 
how  was  he  again  set  at  liberty  ?" 

"  When  the  '  little  corporal,'  as  his  soldiers 
called  him,  wished  to  become  emperor,"  con- 


DOLORES. 


40 

tinued  the  monk,  lie  became  reconciled  with 
the  church,  and  with  the  Pope,  and  with  the 
nobility,  and  restored  all  that  the  republic  had 
overtlirown,  and  had  himself  crowned  and  an- 
ointed emperor  bv  the  Pope." 

"  How  so  ?  the  same  little  corporal,  who  once 
took  the  Pope  prisoner,  allowed  himself  to  be 
crowned  and  anoipted  by  the  Pope  .'" 
"  As  I  tell  you." 
"  I  cannot  understand  it." 
"  Nor  1." 

"  And   what  became  of   the  little  corporal, 
who  made  himself  emperor  .'" 

Ambrose   delayed  his  answer,  and  at  length 
said,  "It  is  a  long  story,  and  there  are  books- 
profane  books,  to  be  sure— which  treat  at  large  of 
the  history   of  tlie   little  corporal ;  I   have  not 
read  any  of  them,  but  1  have  heard  about  them. 
All  the  kings  and  princes  of  Europe  combined 
togetlier  to  destroy  the  little  emperor,  and  they 
succeeded,  after  much  slaughter  and  bloodshed  ; 
and  when  the  little  emperor  found  himself  for- 
saken and  disarmed,  he  fled  on  board  an  English 
man  of  war,  as  a  passenger,  and  sought  an  asy- 
lum with  his  bitterest  enemies  ;  and  the  English 
betrayed  liim,  and  carried  him  prisoner  to  alonely, 
rocky  island,  wliicli  bears  the  name  of  a  female 
eaist,  between  South  America  and  Africa.     And 
he,  who  would  once  conquer  the  whole  world, 
was,  as  a  man,  content  with  overcoming  himself. 
He  who  had  once  formed  alliances  with  empe- 
rors and  kings,  was  content  with  the  alliance  of 
a  friend,  who   remained  faithful   to  him  in  his 
misfortunes.     And  so  he  died— without  church 
penanf-e— and   lies    buried     in     unconsecrated 
ground— upon  that  rock  there,  in  the  ocean,  that 
bears  the  name  of  a  female  saint.     It  is  a  pity 
that  he  did  not  become  a  monk  in  his  youth  ;  he 
would  have  been   able   to  effect   more   for  the 
church   than  the  saint  of  all  saints,   our  Igna- 
tius Loyola,  ever  did." 

A  long  pause  ensued.  The  father  guardian  ap- 
peared absorbed  in  reflections,  whose  nature  he 
indicated  by  the  question,  "  Do  you  believe  tliat 
our  Rosas  has  ever  heard  of  the  history  of  the 
little  corporal  >"  ,       . 

The  Spanish  monk  could  hardly  restrain  his 
laughter,  and  assented  to  the  probability  of  this 
supposition. 

"  The  little  corporal  was  lieutenant,  you  say  .' 
"  And  became  emperor,"  said  the  other,  in  a 
very  low  and  expressive  tone. 

"  Our  Regent,  Rosas,  was  a  Gaucho,*  and  also 
became  general,  and  is  equal  to  an  emperor  at 
present.  Do  you  not  believe  that  the  Pope 
would  acknowledge  him  as  emperor,  or  as  pro- 
visional king,  our  Rosas,  and  crown  him  .'" 

"  I  do  not  know  that  he  would  crown  hun 
personally,  since  the  distance  is  so  great,  but 
that  he  will  acknowledge  him  as  sovereign,  will 
certainly  come  to  pass,  and  the  coronation  can 
also  take  place,  through  our  bishop.  It  will  only 
be  necessary  that  Rosas  should  constantly  follow 
the  example  of  the  little  emperor,  and  cause 
every  one  to  be  shot  who  publishes  a  book 
against  him,  as  the  little  emperor  also  did— at 
'     least  he  did  so  in  Germany,!  and  people  affirm 


•  Gauchos.  the  inliabitants  of  the  pampas  (plains)  of 
South  America,  near  the  Plata  River— descendants  ol 
Spanish  emigrants. 

\  Falm,  a  publisher  at  Nuremberg. 


that  this  proceeding  contributed  greatly  towar<^^ 
showing  him  worthy  of  the  favor  of  the  church.' 
The  guardian  sank  into  profound  reflection, 
and  then  again  took  up  the  word.  "  Do  you 
think  that  our  Rosas  has  heard  of  the  treachery 
of  the  British  to  the  emperor  of  the  French  ?  He 
ou^ht  to  be  warned  of  it,  for  the  British  ambas- 
sador is  so  friendly  with  him.  If  Rosas  trusts 
himself  to  the  British,  it  may  happen  to  liim  as 
it  did   to  the  French  emperor— what  was  his 

name?" 

Ambrose  was  just  about  to  answer,  as  a  !■  ran- 
ciscan  monk  approached,  with  tolerably  hasty 
steps,  and  offered  his  ecclesiastical  greeting  from 
a  distance.  It  was  Father  Fernando.  The  guai-- 
dian  looked  at  him  inquiringly,  informing  him- 
self in  anticipation,  at  a  glance,  of  what  had 
brought  the  reverend  pupil  of  the  holy  Francis 
there  so  early.  .    . 

After  some  humble  preliminary  remarks,  he 
brought  forth  his  inquiries  respectmg  brother 
CdcstG 

The  father  guardian  deliberately  declared  that, 
so  far  as  he  knew,  the  reverend  brother  Celeste 
had  passed  the  night  in  the  prison,  with  the  con- 
demned "  enemy  of  Rosas,"  but  without  either 
attendant  or  ciborium,  since  the  criminal,  in  his 
sinful  obduracy,  had  refused  to  receive  the  sac- 
rament, and  that  he  had  not  yet  returned. 

The  Franciscan  gazed  silently  before  him— 
doubts  arose  in  his  mind,  as  the  receipt  of  the 
mass-money  came  in  question,  which  had  been 
outrageously  diverted  from  his  monastery  by  the 
stubbornness  of  the  criminal,  who  had  sent  him 
away,  and  chosen  a  monk  from  another  monas- 
tery. He  was  unable  to  suppress  within  himself 
the  injured  feeling  for  his  order,  which  appeared 
more  in  his  tone  than  in  his  words,  wliile  he 
stood  in  dutiful  humility,  as  a  subordinate 
brother,  before  the  superior  of  a  very  rich 
monastery,  whose  rank  and  corpulence  claimed 
all  respect.  He  suddenly  found  himself  m  a 
most  singular-  position.  If  he  acknowledged  the 
probability  that  the  condemned  had  received  the 
sacrament,  he  thereby  clearly  recognised  the 
ri.'ht  of  the  monastery  to  the  collection  of  the 
mass-money.  If  he  yielded  to  the  assertion  of 
the  father  guardian,  that  no  ciborium  had  been 
taken  from  the  monastery,  and  that  the  sacrament 
had  not  been  performed,  then  the  right  of  col- 
lection remained  a  doubtful  matter,  as  the 
church  did  not  allow  any  one  to  read  a  death- 
mass  for  a  sinner  who  had  refused  the  sacrament. 
He  repeated  the  assertion  that  three  persons  from 
the  monastery  were  seen  in  the  prison  at  mid- 

T'he  father  guardian  considered  this  charge 
a  renew^ed  insult  to  his  order,  and  declared  it 
to  be  a  fabrication  which  brouglit  reproach  ujion 
his  monastery,  as  if  they  would  meanly  enrich 
themselves  by  urging  a  sacrament,  and  by  a  col- 
lection, as  its  consequence.  ,_,.„. 

The  three  brethren  of  the  cloister  had  strolled 
through  one  of  the  alleys  of  the  garden,  and 
through  the  cross-walk  of  the  monastery,  to  the 
front  bnilding,  where  the  father  guardian  caused 
tlie  lav  brother  to  be  summoned  who  bore  the 
ofhce  of  porter,  and  asked  him,  in  a  loud  voice, 
if  brother  Celeste  had  left  the  monastery  on  the 
preceding  night,  alone  or  in  company,  with  or 
without  ciborium  ?  The  answer  tended  to  the 
most  profound  huiniliatiou  of  the  Franciscan, 


DOLORES. 


41 


35  a  contradiction  of  his  assertion,  and  the  father 
guardian  measured  him  from  his  forehead  to  his 
sandals,  with  an  expression  almost  of  contempt. 
"  Strange  !"  remarked  brother  Ambrose,  the 
Catalonian  monk,  while  a  suspicious  smile  flitted 
over  his  thin  lips.  "  Strange  I  And  so  they 
asserted  in  the  prison  that  three  persons  from 
our  monastery  were  there  last  night  ?" 

"  Three  persons,"  repeated  the  poor  Francis- 
can, re-assured  for  ^the  moment  by  this  special 
inquiry  of  the  foreign  brother,  which,  at  least, 
showed  a  certain  faith  in  the  validity  of  his  asser- 
tion. "  Besides  the  reverend  brother  Celeste, 
there  was  a  younger  brother,  in  the  habit  of  the 
order,  and  one  of  the  watchmen  of  the  monas- 
tery, a  negro,  or  mulatto — I  cannot  be  certain 
which.  Nevertheless,  Seiior  Domingo,  the  war- 
den of  the  prison,  saw  all  three  persons  bodily. 
I  make  no  false  assertion,  and  our  monastery  will 
wiUingly  renounce  the  collection  of  the  mass- 
money,"  added  the  wounded  Franciscan. 

"  That  is  incomprehensible,"  began  the  Cata- 
lonian, after  a  pause. 

"  Incomprehensible,  certainly,  but  not  un- 
heard of  in  the  chronicles  of  the  cloister,"  affirmed 
the  father  guardian.  Are  there  not  examples  of 
wonderful  apparitions  in  the  history  of  the  mo- 
nastic world  ?  and  especially  at  midnight,  and 
particularly  in  the  case  of  persons  condemned  to 
death  ?  examples  of  revenants,  and  of  multipli- 
cation of  individuals  in  chapels,  or  even  in  the 
open  street .'  confirmed  by  the  assertions  of  many 
witnesses,  as  our  archives  relate,  which  record 
wonderful  facts  and  circumstances  to  the  glory 
and  sancdficatiou  of  our  order,  to  which  has 
been  given  the  power  to  work  miracles,  since 
the  martyrdom  of  our  sainted  founder."  He  sud- 
denly made  the  sign  of  the  cross,  and  the  other 
monks  and  the  lay  brother  devoutly  did  the 
same. 

"  In  what  light  stands  brother  Celeste  in  the 
Refectory  ?"  inquired  the  Spanish  monk,  after  a 
pause,  who,  as  the  guest  of  the  monastery,  did 
not  seem  as  yet  duly  acquainted  with  the  char- 
acters of  the  individual  brethren. 

"  In  the  odor  of  sanctity,"  returned  the  father 
guardian,  hastily  and  with  pride ;  "  he  is  libra- 
rian of  our  monastery,  and  aspirant  to  the  priory, 
in  spite  of  his  youth ;  he  takes  upon  himself, 
with  Christian  humility,  the  subordinate  duties 
of  the  monastery— visits  the  sick  in  the  meanest 
hovels,  and  is  untiring  in  his  zeal  for  the  exten- 
sion of  the  only  saving  church,  in  his  intercourse 
with  heretics  and  infidels  of  all  sorts  and  classes. 
He  increases  the  number  of  Christians,  through 
proselytes  from  the  upper  ranks,  and  the  reve- 
nues of  the  monastery,  by  his  personal  exertions." 
Father  Ambrose  listened  with  marked  atten- 
tion to  this  eulogiura  of  the  young  monk,  as  he 
liad  done  to  all  that  proceeded  it,  while  he 
seemed  to  pursue  a  train  of  ideas,  whose  contra- 
dictory ellect  expressed  itself  more  and  more 
in  his  countenance,  notwithstanding  his  eflbrts  to 
conceal  his  inward  emotions.  Father  Fernando 
received,  with  no  less  indifference,  the  inspired 
words  of  the  corpulent  father  guardian,  in  which 
he  saw  but  little  prospect  of  gaining  the  proposed 
object  of  his  personal  curiosity. 

The  Catalonian  was  just  about  to  utter  a  query 
in  relation  to  the  young  monk's  reputation  for 
sanctity,  when  there  was  a  ring  at  the  outer 
gate,  and  the  brother  porter,  who  had,  until  now, 

G 


listened  with  open  mouth,  hastened  to  fulfil  the 
duty  of  his  office.  Celeste  stepped  over  the 
threshold,  greeted  those  present,  and  walked 
slowly  past,  apparently  so  deeply  absorbed,  that 
he  did  not  recognise  the  individuals  of  the 
group,  while  each  of  them  separately  considered 
him  from  his  own  peculiar  point  of  inward  con- 
templation. All  eyes  accompanied  the  gmve 
steps  of  the  learned  librarian,  until  he  disap- 
peared behind  the  distant  pillars.  The  three 
monks  then  silently  looked  at  each  other. 

"  Will  you  accompany  me  to  the  prison,  reve- 
rend brother  .'"  said  father  Ambrose,  at  length, 
to  the  Franciscan,  "  I  should  like  to  speak  to 
the  overseer  of  the  prison  1" 

"  In  the  name  of  all  the  saints,  whose  exam- 
ple unites  us  in  monastic  harmony,  I  shall  con- 
sider it  a  personal  honor  to  conduct  you  wher- 
ever your  duty  calls  you." 

At  these  words,  confirmed  by  humble  obei- 
sance, father  Fernando  passed  to  the  side  of  the 
Spanish  monk  ;  and  both  stepped  over  the 
threshold. 


— '^^^Vsr*^  ^  .^*^^^««  - 


CHAPTER     XVII. 

MR.    JOHN    WALKER  AND  CAPT.    FINNGREEN. 

Mr.  John  Walker  sat  early  in  the  morning  in 
his  private  cabinet,  near  his  office.  It  was  a 
small  room,  well  furnished  with  maps  and  charts, 
books  and  statistical  tables,  whose  veritable  Eng- 
lish origin  was  recognised  at  the  first  glance. 
He  was  a  tall,  well  built  man,  with  broad  shoul- 
ders. His  head,  from  long  habit,  was  a  little  in- 
clined to  the  right  shoulder ;  from  "  long  habit," 
likewise,  he  generally  kept  the  right  one  of  his 
clear  gray  eyes  almost  shut,  when  he  conversed 
with  any  one,  whom  he  always  observed  the 
more  closely  with  the  left,  at  the  same  time  turn- 
ing with  his  right  hand  his  watch  key,  which 
dangled  from  a  gold  chain.  His  dark  hair,  from 
the  efiect  of  years,  and  of  various  climates,  was 
here  and  there  sprinkled  with  gray,  while  his 
whole  appearance  indicated  vital  force  and  ful- 
ness. He  appeared  unusually  busy,  and  his  as- 
pect was  peculiarly  cheerful,  for  he  had  secrets 
upon  secrets  to  keep,  and  to  expedite,  and  the 
brilliant  prospect  of  not  being  able,  for  months 
to  come,  to  retire  to  rest  before  two  or  three  ' 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  from  the  unavoidable 
pressure  of  business,  m  regard  to  secrets. 

"  Captain  Finngreen !"  called  a  clerk,  through 
the  half  opened  door. 

"  Let  him  come  in  here,"  returned  Mr. 
Walker,  continuing  the  writing  with  which  he 
was  so  busily  occupied.  The  clerk  admitted  the 
person  announced,  and  went  out,  shutting  the 
door. 

"  Good  morning,  captain ;  how  are  you .' 
Take  a  seat,  captain,"  said  Mr.  Walker,  in  a 
friendly  manner,  but  without  interrupting  his 
employment. 

The  captain  was  a  well  built,  middle  sized 
man,  as  elegantly  dressed  as  the  steam  progress, 
ing  civilization  of  England  requires  of  men  in  all 
parts  of  the  world,  in  order  to  appear  as  gentle- 
men. 


42 


DOLORES, 


Even  a  layman  in  the  province  of  pliysiofrnomy 
could  not  avoid  remarliiiig  that  he  was  a  son  of 
the  ocean,  a  ship  captain,  while  the  acute  ob- 
server, cng^iged  in  the  study  of  the  difl'erent  races 
of  men,  wonldhavo  recognised  his  Scandinavian 
oiigin  in  the  peculiar  traits  of  his  regular 
Icatures. 

Captain  Finngreen  delayed,  for  a  monaeut,  to 
take  the  seat  pointed  out  to  him  ;  he  wallved  up 
to  a  chat  of  tlie  coast  of  Africa,  and  endeavored 
to  study  it,  while,  in  spirit,  he  was  busied  on 
board  of  his  "  Nordstjeriian,"  and,  in  fact,  gave 
little  heed  to  the  object  which  covered  a  portion 
of  the  wall. 

At  Icnglh  Mr.  Walker  sealed  the  letter  which 
had,  until  then,  claimed  his  attention,  wrote  the 
address,  laid  the  steel  pen  in  its  usual  place, 
with  tile  point  towards  him,  turned  tlie  upper 
part  of  his  office  chair  and  himself  round 
towards  the  ca])tain,  and  pointed  out  to  him  the 
chair  near  himself,  which  waited  to  receive  him. 
"  All  on  board,  captain  !"  inquired  Mr.  John 
Walker,  with  a  friendly  countenance,  after  hav- 
ing again  informed  himself  of  tlie  health  of  his 
visiter;  "  all  the  passengers  on  board  ■" 

"  \\' hen  I  lelt  the  brig,  yesterday,  there  were 
only  two  passengers  on  board,  besides  your 
clerk,"  replied  the  captain,  deliberately  seating 
himself  "  The  young  Spaniard,  or  South  Ameri- 
can, arrived  there  the  day  before  yesterday,  and 
the  foreigner,  about  whom  I  cannot  make  up  my 
mind,  came  yesterday.  The  young  lady  who 
has  the  honor  to  pass  for  your  daughter,  or,  at 
least,  for  the  sister  of  Mr.  Robert  Walker,  was  to 
be  taken  on  board  tliis  morning,  in  my  own  boat ; 
I  have  given  up  my  cabin  to  her,  according  to 
agreement,  and  will  do  my  best  to  make  the 
voyage  as  comfortable  as  possible  to  her.  I  wish 
we  could  only  once  get  safely  out  of  the  river 
again,  without  being  visited." 

"  There  is  no  danger  of  visits,"  said  Mr. 
Walker,  smiling — "none  at  all;  the  officers 
visit  no  ship  here  when  she  is  once  cleared.  It 
is  not  here  as  in  Rio  de  Janeiro.  To  be  sure, 
war  often  makes  exceptions  to  the  rule ;  some- 
times a  cutter  comes  up  with  an  outward  bound 
ship — othcers  go  on  board,  examine  the  pass- 
ports, and  seek  for  some  patriot  who  may  have 
fled ;  nevertheless,  if  even  that  should  take 
place,  the  secret  on  board  the  Nordstjernan 
would  remain  undiscovered." 

"  God  grant  it !"  returned  Captain  Finngreen, 
with  a  deep  sigh,  drawing  his  stool  nearer  to 
Mr.  Walker.  "  Pardon  me,  Mr.  Walker,  there 
are  some  things  on  board  which  are  not  stated  in 
the  manil'est.     Pcrliaps  these  were  forgotten." 

"  How  so,  captain  .'  how  so .'  forgotten  .'  I  do 
not  know  what  they  can  be,"  replied  the  Briton. 
"  You  know,  Mr.  Walker,  there  are  two  snvall 
boxes  of  miiier;ds  on  the  manifest,"  continued 
the  captain,  "the  only  ones  that  I  have  taken 
for  any  house  here.  I  protested  against  it  a  long 
time,  and  would  not  take  the  boxes  on  board. 
There  is  war  between  Buenos  Ayres  and  Monte 
Video,  and  I  must  be  prepared  for  jirivateers 
and  cruisers  under  all  sorts  of  Hags.  11"  a  priva- 
teer, or  man  of  war  from  Monte  Video  should 
board  me,  and  examine  my  manifest,  and  find 
goods  from  Buenos  Ayres,  no  matter  what,  they 
would  think  that  tho  boxes  contained  gold  or 
diamonds,  or  some  such  valuables  ;  they  will  ex- 
amine them,  detain  me,  and  confiscate  my  vessel 


in  the  bargain.  There  was  a  Danish  brig  lately 
brought  into  Buenos  Ayres  as  a  prize,  which 
had  weapons  and  ammunition  on  board  for 
Monte  Video  ;  it  was  English  property  under  a 
false  firm,  but  the  bark  was  confiscated.  If  I 
were  to  inform  my  owners  that  my  Nordstjernan 
had  been  confiscated  on  account  of  two  boxes  of 
pebbles,  or  whatever  else  they  may  contain,  they 
would  liardly  conceive  how  I  would  resolve  to 
take  them  on  boaril ;  nevertheless,  I  have  dis- 
cussed that  matter  long  enough  with  your  son, 
who  insisted  on  taking  the  boxes  with  him.  I 
made  the  condition,  that  I  should  see  the  ten- 
ants, and  assured  myself  that  they  were, in  reality, 
worthless  stones;  minerals  for  a  museum,  of  no 
especial  value.  I  am  glad  to  do  you  a  favor, 
and  would  not  refuse  your  son's  request,  but  now 
comes  the  point.  Instead  of  two  boxes,  there 
are,  all  at  once,  four  boxes  on  board  I  God  knows 
how  the  last  two  got  there.  My  two  mates  pre- 
tended not  to  know  who  brought  them,  and  the 
matter  is  unexplainable,  for  the  two  extra  boxes 
are  marked  just  like  the  others.  The  thing  does 
not  please  me — I  am  captain  of  my  brig,  and  am 
answerable  for  brig  and  lading.  I  have  asserted 
my  right  on  board,  as  captain — I  have  caused  the 
chests  to  be  opened  and  searched,  in  the  pres- 
ence of  your  clerk,  and  have  carefully  closed  and 
sealed  them  again  ;  they  are  precious  stones — 
rubies  and  emeralds,  Mr.  Walker !  precious 
stones,  Mr.  Walker — and  I  take  it  very  ill  of 
you,  that  you  thus  put  my  brig  and  cargo  in  dan- 
ger by  contraband  goods.  The  name  of  your 
house  is  too  respectable  for  me  to  have  appre- 
hended it !"  He  spared  the  head  of  the  respecta- 
ble house  an  humiliation,  and  confined — "  the 
thing  does  not  suit  me  at  all,  Mr.  Walker,  and 
I  must  insist  that  the  two  boxes  be  immediately 
removed  from  on  board,  or  if  not,  then  I  will 
throw  them  overboard  myself;  so  you  may  take 
your  own  course,  and  do  as  you  like." 

Mr.  Walker  had  listened  to  the  Swedish  cap- 
tain of  the  Nordstjernan,  with  the  same  friendly 
smile,  leaning  his  head  on  one  side,  as  before, 
and  turning  and  re-turning  the  watch  key,  ac- 
cording to  his  old  custom,  without  in  the  least 
losing  his  selfpossession,  or  giving  a  sign  of  any 
other  mental  emotion,  than  approbation  and  de- 
light. 

"  All  right  !  all  right  captain,"  he  repeated 
with  peculiar  satisfaction,  "  all  right  captain;  I 
perfectly  understand  you  ;  I  am  entirely  of  your 
opinion  !  With  regard  to  the  two  boxes,  I  must 
inform  you  tliat  they  are  no  concern  of  mine ; 
this  affair  has  nothing  at  all  to  do  with  the 
respectiibility  of  my  house.  The  two  boxes  of 
mini-rals  are  shipped  by  a  house  here — a  house 
little  known,  it  is  true — an  entirely  unknown 
house;  but  my  son,  Mr.  Robert  Walker,  knows 
the  circumstances,  and  is  answerable  for  thera. 
I  will  speak  to  him  about  them.  He  will  soon  be 
here,  to  take  leave,  before  going  on  boai-d.  1  will 
mention  the  matter  to  him,  you  may  rely  upon 
it.  I  agree  with  you  entirely  in  respect  to  the 
danger  of  your  being  overhauled  by  a  cruiser  or 
|irivateer  from  Montevideo,  on  the  lookout  for 
goods  from  Buenos  Ayres.  It  is,  in  fact,  an  in- 
teresting risk  !  it  is  a  secret  of  solid  value  !  an  in- 
teresting secret  I  You  have  one  privateer  to  fear, 
tlie  'Mazzini;'  she  is  a  famous  corsair  ! — com- 
manded by  a  Genoese,  Seiior  Barigaldi,  under  the 
Oriental  Hag,  with  the  flag  of  '  Young  Italy'  on 


DOLORES. 


43 


the  foremast.  This  is  a  famous  craft !  a  misera- 
ble little  schooner  !  I  would  not  bid  a  thousand 
dollars  for  her,  if  she  were  put  up  at  auction, 
she  is  such  a  walnut  shell,  with  six  cannons, 
and  five  and  twenty  men,  all  Italians,  all  Geno- 
ese. He  is  a  bold  fellow,  that  Baris;aldi !  Con- 
demned to  deatli  in  Italy  as  a  patriot,  he  accom- 
panied the  famous  expedition  of  Savoy  in  1S3I, 
of  which  you  may  have  heard  !  He  is  an  amazing 
fellow !  a  dangerous  fellow !  a  furiniis  cor- 
sair !  rash  enough  to  attack  an  Argentine  cor- 
vette, to  say  nothing  of  a  Swedish  brig  !  He 
cruises  there,  between  Cape  St.  Antonio  and  the 
Rio  Grande,  and  watches  the  mouth  of  the  La 
Plata,  as  a  hawk  does  a  dovecot.  You  will  be 
very  likely  to  get  a  sight  of  the  nutshell,  with 
the  Italian  flag  at  the  foremast." 

Captain  Finngreen  appeared  by  no  means  edi- 
fied by  this  imposing  representation  of  the  dan- 
ger to  which  he  exposed  himself,  by  having  the 
least  portion  of  Argentine  goods  among  his  la- 
ding, not  to  mention  the  secret  of  a  considerable 
amount  of  contraband  on  board  his  brig.  Ob- 
scure as  the  affair  had  been  to  him  from  the 
first,  it  became  more  incomprehensible  from 
the  singular  composure  and  satisfaction  with 
which  Mr.  Walker  described  the  danger.  It 
very  naturally  did  not  occur  to  him,  that  this 
very  case  resulted  from  a  "  passion  for  secrets  ;" 
which  found  in  the  subject  of  discussion  an  ex- 
haustless  source  of  disquiet  and  anxiety,  and  as 
it  were,  delighted  itself  v^ith  the  anticipation  of 
the  sleepless  nights  which  this  shipment  must 
inevitably  cause. 

The  captain,  at  last,  interrupted  the  pause 
that  followed,  by  saying,  "'Pardon  me,  Mr. 
Walker  ;  I  desire  that  you  will  immediately  give 
orders  to  have  both  the  extra  boxes  sent  on 
shore,  since  you  so  clearly  perceive  the  danger 
to  which  I  expose  myself.  I  cannot  conceive 
why  you  did  not  before  explain  to  me  the  diffi- 
culties which  awaited  me;  for  then  I  would  not 
have  received  on  board  the  first  two  boxes  of 
paltry  minerals — at  least,  not  as  Argentine  pro- 
perty. Mr.  Walker,"  added  he,  "  I  have  no 
more  time  to  lose ;  either  you  must  send  some 
one  on  board  to  receive  the  boxes,  or — or  I 
shall  do  as  I  have  said — I  shall  relieve  myself 
fi-om  all  accountability,  and  make  short  work." 

**  I  will  speak  to  my  son  about  it,"  rejjlied  the 
other,  "  you  may  rely  upon  it ;  you  may  entirely 
compose  yourself  with  regard  to  the  respectability 
of  my  house ;  it  has  never  yet  been  compro- 
mised, and  would  not  have  been  in  this  case.  I 
regret  that  the  matter  does  not  concern  me  at 
all ;  it  is  the  affair  of  a  young  man,  an  acquain- 
tance of  my  son,  who  has,  as  I  suppose,  begged 
this  favor  of  him." 

"1,  as  a  ship  captain,  am  also  obliging," 
returned  captain  Finngreen,  "  and  have  made 
many  sacrifices  to  oblige  persons,  which  liave 
been  poorly  requited;  but  every  thing  has  its 
bounds,  and  if  my  brig  should  be  confiscated  in 
Brazil,  or  here  in  the  road,  then  your  son  would 
refer  me  to  the  Spaniard,  whose  name,  to  be 
sure,  is  on  the  manliest,  but  will  hardly  be  tbund 
in  any  baptismal  certificate — at  least,  my  ac- 
quaintances here  know  nothing  of  such  a  firm." 

Mr.  Walker  pulled  the  bell-rope  ;  a  negro  en- 
tered, whom  he  ordered  to  bring  a  bottle  of 
champagne  and  some  glasses, 

"  I   hope   that  the  young  lady  got  safely  on 


board,"  began  Mr.  Walker,  throwing  his  left 
leg  over  the  right  knee,  and  playing  con-amore 
with  his  watch  key. 

"  My  people  waited  until  half-past  one,  at 
your  country  house,  and  I  was  very  fearful  that 
she  would  not  come  ;  but  then  she  came,  thank 
God  !  I  say  thank  God,  although  I  do  not  know 
her  situation.  I  know  from  you  that  it  is  very 
necessary  she  should  go  hence,  and  that  she  is  a 
very  honorable  young  lady,  belonging  to  a  family 
of  high  standing.  Whatever  I  may  risk  by 
having  her  on  board,  is  of  no  import;  if  she  is 
in  danger,  and  perhaps  in  danger  of  her  life,  I 
am  not  the  first  ship  captain  that  has  saved  a 
human  life — a  head  on  which  a  price  was  set, 
whether  by  the  Emperor  of  Russia,  the  Pope,  or 
Rosas,  who,  as  it  seems,  is  both  Emperor  and 
Pope  here  ;  but  I  will  have  nothing  to  do  with 
smuggling,  Mr.  Walker  !" 

The  negro  came  with  the  wine  and  glasses, 
drew  the  cork,  poured  out  the  wine,  and  left  the 
cabinet.  "  Here's  to  the  health  of  your  passen- 
gers," said  Mr.  Walker,  handing  a  glass  to  the 
captain  ;  "  the  interesting  young  lady,  and  her 
cousin,  the  young  painter.  A  lucky  voyage  to 
the  Nordstjernan  !  That  Horatio  is  a  charming 
young  man,  but  very  bashful  and  modest.  He 
might  pass  for  a  girl.  He  had  two  uncles  here, 
brothers  of  his  father ;  they  were  both  staunch 
republicans,  opponents  of  Rosas  ;  one  was  be- 
headed two  years  ago,  and  the  other "     He 

interrupted  himself,  and  hastily  replenished  the 
glasses.  "  It  is  a  very  odd  tiling,  this  suff^ering 
one's  self  to  be  beheaded  or  shot  for  patriotism, 
for  freedom,  and  fatherland — it  is  a  very  ticklish 
thing,  is  it  not,  captain  ?  It  is  not  every  one 
who  would  have  done  it,  or  allowed  it  to  be 
done,  when  the  alternative  was  placed  before 
him,  of  retaining  his  property,  and  living  very 
comfortably  at  a  distance,  on  condition  that  he 
would  wear  the  red  riband  of  Rosas  before  his 
departure  from  Buenos  Ayres,  and — and  mention 
a  name — and" 

"  And  let  another  be  shot  in  his  stead,  you 
would  say,  Mr.  Walker ;  I  understand  it ;  I  can 
imagine  such  things,  and  for  the  present,  desire 
to  know  no  more !  but  I  assure  you,  that  if  the 
young  lady  or  her  cousin  were  in  danger  of  be- 
ing beheaded  or  shot  here,  by  order  of  Rosas, 
and  it  depended  upon  me  to  save  them — I  would 
risk  my  life  to  do  it,  although  1  have  a  wife  and 
children  at  home — it  is  my  natural  feeling." 

"  Bravo  !  excellent  !"  hastily  replied  Mr. 
Walker,  "  noble  principles,  captain  !  it  is  a  pity 
you  are  not  an  Englishman — those  are  real  Brit- 
ish sentiments ;  you  ought  at  least  to  sail  under 
the  British  flag — to  command  an  English  ship." 

"  Thank  you  for  your  compliment,  iVIr. 
Walker,"  rejoined  the  Scandinavian ;  tliank  you 
for  your  confidence.  As  regards  the  British 
flag,  I  should  hardly  have  had  the  honor  to  be 
freighted  by  you,  as  the  captain  of  an  English 
ship." 

"  Certainly — certainly — that  is  quite  another 
point,"  said  Mr.  Walker,  laughing;  "  it  might 
have  been  the  case,  notwithstanding.  You 
Swedes,  to  be  sure,  sail  for  very  reasonable 
freight ;  but  ships  of  other  nations  are  obliged 
to  follow  your  example  from  time  to  time."  Mr. 
Walker  appeared  to  desire,  as  the  freighter  of  a 
snip,  to  avoid  the  near  contact  with  this  pai-tic- 
ular  point  in  the  shipping  trade.     It  must  very 


44 


DOLORES. 


naturally  have  suited  him,  that  Swedish  vessels 
reduced  the  freight,  from  time  to  time,  in  all 
parts  of  the  world,  from  the  fact  that  they  stood 
upon  a  proiiortionably  cheaper  footing  than 
many  others.  The  excess  of  wood  and  iron  in 
Sweden,  the  low  wages  for  labor,  the  low  price 
for  liviiig,  the  low  monthly  wages  at  sea,  the  ex- 
cess of  seamen  from  the  position  of  the  countries 
of  the  north,  and  the  inclination  of  all  coast 
dwellers,  to  a  seaf.iring  life — all  these  circum- 
stances combined  to  efl'ect  the  depreciation  of 
freight,  by  the  Swedish  captains. 

**  Besides,"  observed  Captain  Finngreen,  **  it  is 
probably  universally  known  that  your  English 
captains  are  not  particularly  careful  with  respect 
to  their  rigging.  An  English  captain  keeps  his 
deck  in  perfect  order,  but  his  care  does  not  ex- 
tend beyond  tlie  deck  ;  he  concernshimself  little 
about  the  cargo,  when  he  has  once  taken  it  in,  and 
still  less  with  what  is  above  his  head.  An  English 
captain  uses  up  and  ruins  more  rigging  and  sails 
in  one  year,  than  one  of  us  in  five.  The  owners 
must  renew  what  is  worn  out,  the  sail  makers  in 
England  must  live,  and  the  sovereigns  must  cir- 
culate ;  John  Bull  is  fat,  and  must  haveexercise." 

As  much  as  an  Englishman  prefers  his  own 
country  to  all  others,  just  as  little  does  an  Eng- 
lish merchant  hesitate  to  employ  foreigners,  in 
preference  to  his  own  countrymen  and  seaman, 
when  it  is  his  interest  to  do  so,  and  agreeable  to 
the  dictates  of  hisjudgement.  Seldom  as  an  Eng- 
lishmen enters  on  board  a  foreign  vessel  a^  pas- 
senger, young  Mr.  Walker  had  merely  resolved, 
under  the  peculiar  circumstances,  to  go  as  passen- 
ger to  Rio  de  Janeiro,  with  Captain  Finngreen. 

A  young  dandy,  whose  countenance  resembled 
an  unfilled  bill  of  exchange,  entered  the  cabinet 
of  his  principal,  with  the  announcement  that 
the  captain's  jjapers  were  in  order,  whereupon 
both  left  their  seats,  and  emptied  a  farewell  glass 
to  a  sale  arrival  at  the  destined  port,  "  And  to 
better  freight,"  added  the  captain — the  well 
known  appendix  of  a  ship  captain  to  the  Lord's 
prayer,  of  whatever  nation  he  may  be. 

"  I  shall  not  lose  another  word  about  the  two 
boxes,"  said  captain  Finngreen,  in  a  low  voice, 
to  Mr.  Walker,  as  they  left  the  cabinet.  "  I 
have  told  you  my  views  and  intentions  about 
them,  and  release  myself  from  all  responsibility. 
I  shall  know,  at  all  events,  how  to  maintain  my 
position  on  board  as  captain." 

"All  right,  all  right,"  replied  Mr.  Walker, 
smiling,  and  clasping  the  Swede  on  the  shoul- 
der, while  lie  courteously  allowed  him  to  go  be- 
fore, and  pushed  him  through  the  door  of  the 
cabinet  into  the  office,  where  a  half  dozen  young 
gentlemen  were  occupied  in  the  consumption  of 
English  ink,  and  English  paper,  and  English 
steel  pens. 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 

smuggler's  fancies. 

Captain  Finngreen  was  by  no  means  satis- 
fied with  the  "  all  right"  of  Mr.  Walker.  He 
signed  the  last  document,  added  to  the  last  sig- 
nature his  usual  flourishes  and  dots  of  embel- 


lishment, laid  the  pen  deliberately  aside,  sti^ck 
the  papers  in  a  colossal  pocketbook  which 
could  hardly  find  a  place  in  the  inside  pocket  of 
his  visiting  coat,  and  looked  inquiringly  at  the 
old  Englishman. 

"  Now  Mr.  Walker  the  shallop  whicli  I  have 
bespoken  lies  there  ready,"  said  he,  breaking 
silence,  during  which  the  latter  regarded  the 
seaman  with  his  left  eye,  his  head  being  inclined 
over  his  right  shoulder.  "  I  shall  expect  my 
passenger,  Mr.  Robert  Walker,  on  the  Mole  in 
an  hour,  with  bag  and  baggage,  with  all  that 
is  yet  to  go  on  board ;  and  a  man  from  your 
house  who  will  take  the  two  boxes  in  charge." 

The  old  chief  smuggler  betrayed  a  little  em- 
barrassment at  this  announcement  of  the  cap- 
tain in  the  presence  of  the  persons  in  the  office. 
The  look  and  emphasis,  however,  with  which  it 
was  made,  convinced  him  at  once  that  he  had  a 
man  before  him,  who  understood  no  jesting  in 
serious  matters.  He  led  the  captain  into  his 
private  room  again,  raised  his  head  a  little 
higher,  into  nearly  a  perpendicular  position,  left 
his  watch  key  at  rest  for  the  moment,  and  began, 
in  a  low  in  voice — 

"  But,  captain,  how  the  devil  do  you  expect 
me  to  get  the  boxes  on  shore  again  .'  Was  not 
that  a  master  stroke  to  bring  the  two  boxes  of 
Chili  stones  so  far  without  duty  ?  To  bring 
them  safely  from  Chili  over  the  boundary  with- 
out duty  ?  And  safely  from  here  on  board 
without  duty  ?  I  will  bet  you  captain,  that  the 
boxes  shall  reach  St.  Petersburgh  free  of  duty ; 
be  safely  disembarked  at  St.  Petersburgh  with- 
out duty !" 

It  is  all  one  to '  me,"  grumbled  captain  Finn- 
green, "  but  not  in  my  brig,  from  here  to  Rio." 

"  But  just  think,  captain,  it  is  not  so  much  on 
account  of  the  paltry  duty,  it  is  not  to  save  a  few 
hundred  dollars  at  each  frontier — who  thinks  ot 
that .'  it  is  for  the  sake  of  the  afiair ;  for  the 
sake  of  the  secret !  It  is  only  on  account  of 
the  anxiety  and  disquiet  which  await  me  until 
the  boxes  are  safely  in  St.  Petersburgh  ;  and 
calculate  yourself  how  long  it  must  be  until  I 
can  receive  the  advices  !" 

The  seaman  appeared  to  wish  to  lose  no  time, 
by  being  drawn  into  the  passion  of  the  old  mo- 
nopolist of  secrets. 

He  took  out  his  watch,  cast  a  hasty  glance  at 
the  hands,  put  it  up  as  hastily,  and  made  a  move- 
ment for  an  immediate  departure.  Mr.  Walker 
seized  him  by  the  arm,  and  repeated  what  he 
had  before  said,  but  the  captain  remained  un- 
shaken in  liis  resolution,  and  declaimed  once 
more — 

"  Well  Mr.  Walker,  I  have  not  another  min- 
ute to  lose,  I  must  yet  go  to  the  ship  chandler's ; 
if  none  of  your  people  accompany  me  on  board, 
who  can  take  charge  of  the  boxes,  I  shall  throw 
them  overboard ;  you  can  then  complain  of  me  to 
my  consul,  or  wherever  you  will.  My  name  is 
Finngreen ;  my  vessel  is  called  "  Nordstjernan." 

"  iVow,  then,  cajjtain,  do  you  know  what .'" 
whispered  Mr.  Walker,  in  the  greatest  haste; 
"  you  can  deliver  the  boxes  to  my  clerk,  Mr. 
Daily." 

"  For  my  part,  it  is  all  the  same  to  me,  which 
of  your  people  you  send  on  board  with  me." 

"  He  IS  now  on  board." 

"  How  so  ;  have  you  sent  some  one  on  board 
already .'" 


DOLORES, 


"  CeHainly — Mr.  Daily,  who  sails  with  you  ; 
he  is  the  most  adroit  clerk  I  have  ever  known  in 
my  business. 

"  He  remains  here,  then  ?  and  you  say  that  he 
sails  with  me  !     How  am  I  to  understand  that  ?" 

The  old  man  drew  near  the  captain,  laid  botli 
hands  on  his  shoulders,  and  whispered,  "Captain, 
captain,  only  understand  me  ri^jhtly  ;  you  de- 
liver the  two  boxes  to  my  clerk,  Mr.  Daily,  who 
is  on  board,  and  imagine  that  Mr.  Daily  has  gone 
ashore  in  the  shallop,with  the  boxes,  and  imagine 
that  Mr.  Daily  and  the  boxes  are  no  longer 
on  board  when  the  shallop  leaves  you.  Call 
Mr.  Daily,  Mr.  JVig/itli/,  if  you  choose,  as  long 
as  he  is  on  board ;  persuade  yourself  that  he  is 
not  Mr.  Daily,  that  ne  is  quite  another  clerk— 
and  a  prosperous  voyage  to  you.  Rely  upon  Mr, 
Daily — I  can  plaoe  full  confidence  in  him;  that 
is  my  man  !  he's  a  genius  !  I  tell  you,  captain, 
he  is  able  to  make  the  two  boxes  vanish  from  on 
board,  and  neither  you,  nor  I,  nor  any  one  else, 
shall  know  where  they  are." 

"  You  are  in  good  humor,  Mr.  Walker ;  spare 
your  jests  for  your  dinner.     Farewell." 

He  pushed  the  old  humorisfs  hands  rather 
roughly  from  his  slioulders,  repeated  his  fare- 
well with  dignity  and  politeness,  and  departed, 
before  Mr.  Walker  could  collect  himself  to  lay 
hands  on  him  again. 


■^y.MN^^^-^^'^^Ar'^— 


CHAPTKR   XIX. 

PRIVATE    INSTEUCTIONS. 

•'  Obstinate  fellow !"  grumbled  old  Mr. 
Walker  to  himself,  evidently  not  a  little  per- 
plexed by  the  resolute  demeanor  of  the  sea- 
man. He  reflected  for  a  moment,  and  rang  the 
bell. 

"  Tell  McGaul  to  come  in  here,"  said  he,  to 
the  clerk  who  now  entered. 

McGaul  appeared ;  a  systematic  man  of  busi- 
ness, and  besides,  a  so  called  "  clever  fellow," 
who  knew  how  to  take  his  way  "  round  the  cor- 
ner" in  order  to  attain  an  object  under  peculiar 
circumstances.  Mr.  Walker  now  whispered 
eoftly  in  his  ear,  what  would  here  interest  us 
less  than  it  did  him. 

"  I  understand,  I  understand,"  interrupted 
McGaul,  from  time  to  time,  during  the  commu- 
nication of  liis  principal,  "  I  will  do  my  best — 
you  may  rely  upon  me,"  and  at  length  left  the 
cabinet  as  hastily  as  he  had  entered  it.  Hardly 
had  Mr.  Walker  taken  his  place  at  the  desk, 
when  a  young  man,  in  a  travelling  dress,  entered 
in  "  flying  haste,"  stepped  up  to  him  with  the  an- 
nouncement, '*  Now,  father,  I  am  ready,"  threw 
himself  on  a  stool,  and  his  legs  one  over  the  other. 

This  was  Mr.  Robert  Walker,  the  hopeful  son 
of  the  house,  usually  called  by  his  father,  wlien 
speaking  to  him,  "  Bob,  my  boy."  Bob  was  one 
of  those  youthful  figures  which  occasionally 
proceed  from  the  great  workslxop  of  nature,  to 
serve,  as  it  were,  for  models  of  fine  forms.  Bob 
was  universally  acknowledged  a  handsome 
youth,  and  through  a  certain  natural  unreserve 
of  manner,  was  justly  beloved  in  the  circle  of  his 
acquaintance.     He  was  about  twenty-three  years 


old,  and  already  a  perfect  man  of  business, 
as  is  general  in  England,  or  among  Englishmen, 
where  there  are  only  boys  and  men.  Without 
the  transition  period  of  youth,  (which,  among 
other  nations,  is  the  most  delightful  in  life,)  the 
English  boy  suddenly  enters  upon  the  business 
path  of  his  earthly  calling,  at  least  into  a  prac- 
tical life,  which  he,  for  the  time,  considers  his 
calling.  Mr.  Robert,  when  a  boy,  had  come 
with  his  father  from  England,  from  the  British 
atmosphere,  in  a  British  ship,  with  a  transplan- 
tation of  British  comforts  for  South  American 
ground.  He  had,  of  course,  never  left  his  British 
element,  while  he  grew  up  a  real  Briton. 

Mr.  Walker  arranged  a  packet  of  letters  and 
papers,  which  he  had  laid  aside  for  the  impor- 
tant expedition  of  his  son,  while  the  young  man 
took  up  an  English  penknife,  and  corrected  the 
rounding  of  the  nail  on  the  little  finger  of  the 
left  hand,  in  order  to  leave  something  on  shore 
which  would  be  superfluous  on  board. 

"  In  a  moment.  Bob,  my  boy,"  cried  Mr. 
Walker,  with  a  hasty  nod  of  the  head,  and  re- 
peated, "  in  a  moment."  He  then  arranged  some 
other  packets,  letters  and  papers,  subscribed 
some  more  documents,  laid  them  with  the  others, 
and  at  last  turned  around  in  his  chair,  towards 
the  youth,  who,  with  admirable  coolness,  in  this 
important  moment  of  departure  from  his  father's 
house,  was  using  his  penknife,  as  if  nothuig  re- 
quired his  attention  so  much  as  the  trimming  ot 
his  finger  nails.  Mr.  Walker  placed  himself  in 
position,  threw  the  right  leg  over  the  left  knee, 
dropped  his  head  sideways,  drew  down  his  right 
eyelid,  began  his  favourite  amusement  with  his 
hand  on  his  watch  key,  and  spoke,  saying — 
"  Bob,  my  boy,  you  have  just  come  in  time  to 
hear  my  instructions  and  admonitions,  many  of 
which,  to  be  sure,  I  have  written  out  sy.stemati. 
cally  on  some  of  these  sheets,  that  you  may  read 
them  on  board.  Here  Bob,  my  boy, '  Private  In- 
structions !'  here  is  the  document,  the  most  im- 
portant (excepting  the  general  letter  of  credit 
in  your  name)  which  the  packet  contains.  I 
shall  previously  detail  to  you  some  points  and 
rules  by  word  and  mouth  ;  and  what  1  say  to  you 
to-day,  in  taking  leave,  will  sei-ve  you  as  an  Eng- 
lish appendix  to  the  proverbs  of  Solomon,  as  a 
fragment  of  an  English  Jesus,  the  son  of  Sirach. 
"  Mark  my  words.  Bob,  my  boy,  I  have  not  lived 
in  vain  for  fifty  years,  and  gathered  wisdom, 
that  is  to  say,  money.  Bob,  my  boy,  mark  this, 
first  of  all,  wisdom  is  money,  for  without  money, 
wisdom  is  nonsense.  You  go  out  into  the  world, 
as  the  son  of  John  Walker  &  Co.,  as  the  son 
son  of  Mr.  John  Walker,  1  would  say,  and  as  the 
representative  of  our  house,  John  Walker  & 
Co. ;  mark  that,  my  boy !  know  your  worth, 
inasmuch,  as  you  represent  the  name  of  our 
house,  and  the  worth  of  your  father  is  valued  in 
you.  You  know  what  I  am  worth  ;  it  is  known 
on  '  'change  ;'  all  Buenos  Ayres  knows  it;  all 
England  knows  it ;  all  the  world  knows  it !  I 
mean  the  business  world,  for  there  is  no  other 
world  of  any  consequence. 

" '  What  is  he  worth  .''  men  will  ask,  when 
they  speak  of  you  ;  and  you  may  well  feel  your 
worth.  '  Feel'  is  a  poor  word ,  we  do  not  require 
feelings.  You  may  reckon  your  worth,  I  will 
say  ;  in  short,  you  know  your  worth.  '  Faith 
works  salvation,  and  credit  brings  business  ;'  I 
hold  on  to  the '  credit,'  which  I  make  over  to  you. 


46 


DOLORES. 


"  Consider  three  things,  Bob,  my  boy,  and  these 
three  things  are  one,  they  are  the  British  trinity. 
Consider  first,  that  you  ai'e  an  Englishman' — sec- 
ondly, that  you  are  Bob  Wallver — and  thirdly, 
that  you  are  a  gentleman  ;  and  each  of  these, 
singly,  embraces  the  whole  in  itself.  Remember 
tliat  all  mankind  are  arranged  in  two  classes, 
Englisiimen  and  foreigners ;  the  foreigners  are, 
to  be  sure,  separated  into  various  classes,  as,  for 
instance,  Dutchmen,  Frenchmen,  Indians,  Irish- 
men, Gipsies,  Scotchmen,  Hottentots,  Negroes, 
Americans,  Cannibals,  and  so  forth,  but  they 
are  all  foreigners.  Always  consider  that  you 
are  a  Briton,  and  that  Britain  is  where  you  are. 
As  a  Briton,  you  are  the  centre  on  which 
the  world  turns.  The  destiny  of  man  upon 
earth  is  *  to  make  money  ;'  and  the  means  to  this 
end  are  business,  business !  Bob,  my  boy,  re- 
member that. 

"  There  have  been  different  periods  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  world,  in  which  an  idea  prevailed. 
An  idea !  what  is  an  idea  ?  Just  the  reverse  of 
reality.  Will  a  pawnbroker  lend  you  sixpence 
upon  an  idea  ?  What  is  reality  .'  This — this  is 
reality !"  Mr.  John  Walker  drew  a  sovereign 
from  his  vest  pocket,  held  it  bet^veen  the  thumb 
and  forefinger  of  his  right  hand,  towards  his 
hopeful  son,  and  repeated,  "  this,  here  !  this  is 
reality.  Bob,  my  boy  ! 

"  There  was  an  epoch,  in  which  men  suffered 
death  for  the  sake  of  an  idea — they  called  it 
'faith,'  '  religion  ;  the  Catholics  did  so  in  their 
wars  for  the  Holy  Sepulchre  ;  nonsense  !  There 
was  another  epoch,  when  men  attached  value  to 
art,  and  poetry,  and  philosophy ;  nonsense  !  ar- 
rant nonsense !  There  was  also  an  epoch  when 
men  named  this  fixed  idea, '  honor;'  and  even  now 
there  are  foreigners  who  allow  themselves  to  be 
killed  for  the  idea  honor.  What  is  honor  witli- 
out  money  r  nonsense.  Bob,  mr  boy  !  nonsense  ! 
Can  you  express  honor  in  round  numbers  .'  The 
world  has  grown  older  and  wiser  ;  mankind  have 
descended  from  the  ideal  world  to  reality.  Men 
know  the  worth  of  money,  and  tlieir  own  worth 
in  money.  That  is  the  quintessence  of  all  the 
practical  philosophy  of  our  century  ;  mark  that. 
Bob,  my  boy  !  Maintain  tliis  position  firmly, 
and  never  forget  your  wortli ;  tliat  is  to  say,  your 
father's  worth,  which  passes  over  to  yon,  and 
which  will  be  increased  when  the  great  cash 
book  of  my  life  shall  be  closed,  vi'hen  1  shall 
make  over  my  whole  worth  to  you,  and  with  m} 
bills  of  exchange,  drawn  on  eternity,  shall  be 
thrown  upon  the  mercy  of  God."  He  sighed  at 
these  words,  looked  upwards,  and  continued, 
"  In  our  times  nothing  is  easier  than  to  know  the 
worth  of  a  man,  or  to  obtain  an  answer  to  the 
question  in  respect  to  a  man,  'What  is  he  worth  ?' 
CiU'ry  your  worth,  tlion,  steadily  before  your 
jjes  and  in  your  head,  and  take  care  that  you  do 
not  compromise  yourself — that  you  do  nothing 
inconsistent  with  your  I'espectability.  Never 
forget  that  you  are  an  Englishman,  and  manifest 
your  nationality  in  opposition  to  all  foreigners. 
But  keep  at  a  distance  from  all  Englishmen  in 
foreign  countries,  so  long  as  you  do  not  know 
their  worth  ;  you  know  what  tliat  means.  Never 
compromise  yourself  by  associating  with  any 
person  wiiatever,  whose  worth  is  doubtful,  or 
lor  wliose  respectability  you  have  no  references. 

"  Love  Britannia,  our  Uld  England,  and  all  that 
It  contains  and  produces  ;  but  be  iudititjrent  to 


all  Britons,  when  they  do  not  enter  into  business 
with  you.  Wear  nothing  which  is  not  English, 
and  of  English  fashion  ;  go  bareheaded  rather 
than  wear  a  hat  which  is  not  of  English  manu- 
facture. Wear  no  coat  whi("h  is  not  made  of 
English  cloth,  by  an  English  tailor,  or,  at  least, 
by  a  tailor  in  London.  Write  not  a  line  except 
with  English  steel  pens,  or  with  goosequilla 
prepared  in  England,  lor  all  that  you  use  of 
British  manufacture  promotes  British  industry. 
Remember  that,  Bob,  my  boy  !  Be  a  commercial 
man,  not  only  because  you  are  Robert  Walker, 
but  be  a  commercial  man  as  a  Briton.  Consider 
all  commerce,  from  your  position  as  a  Briton, 
who  has  the  whole  world  at  command,  as  an 
article  of  commerce.  Hate  foreigners,  but  love 
foreign  countries,  for  they  serve  as  a  market  for 
the  exportation  of  our  manufactures,  and  employ 
our  custom  houses  in  the  transmission  of  them. 
"  The  basis  of  all  speculation  is  Politics.  Poli- 
tics are  a  fine  business.  By  politics  I  do  not 
understand  the  chase  after  a  seat  in  parliament ; 
that  belongs  to  ambition  I  Ambition  and  busi- 
ness are  of  different  natures,  and  one  often  ruina 
the  other.  Politics,  Bob,  my  boy,  are  the  great 
world  trafSc,  a  sort  of  privileged  slave  trade, 
the  traffic  with  men ;  with  nations  black  or 
white,  all  the  same  !  This  great  world  traffic  is 
carried  on  with  state  papers,  and  embraces  the 
money  market.  Understand  me  right.  Bob,  my 
boy.  As  all  human  worth  is  reduced  to  money,  so, 
very  naturally,  the  gold  trade  and  the  man  trade 
are  all  one.  Thus,  if  you  are  ruined  in  fortune, 
you  are  also  ruined  as  a  man,  since  you  have 
lost  your  worth.  Games  of  hazard  witli  cards 
aj-e  prohibited,  but  the  great  game  of  hazard 
with  state  papers  is  not  only  allowed,  but  pro- 
moted by  all  governments,  and  those  who  gov- 
ern often  play  the  higliest.  This  game  of  haz- 
ard, is  the  highest  attainment  of  human  eHbrt  in 
our  times ;  it  is  played  for  the  ai-ticle  man,  as 
for  sixpences  and  shillings ;  whole  nations  are 
pledged,  as  they  pledge  a  watch  at  the  pawn- 
broker's, but  with  the  difference,  that  the  nations 
must  redeem  themselves,  and  must  pay  tlie  in- 
terest besides,  while  the  gi'eat  pawnbrokers' 
tickets  (state  papers,  or  stocks)  pass  from  hand 
to  hand,  and  many,  alas !  become  in  reality 
worthless,  like  pawnbrokers'  tickets  after  the 
expiration  of  tlie  time;  as,  for  instance,  when 
the  nation  gets  certain  ideas  in  its  head,  and 
will  not  redeem  them,  will  not  pay  the  interest 
Such  cases  are  critical  events  in  trade  they  usu- 
ally show  themselves  as  revolution,  rebellion, 
and  the  fatal,  fixed  idea,  in  tlie  people,  which 
brings  on  such  a  crisis,  is  most  generally  the  idea 
of  freedom.  Mark  that.  Bob,  my  boy,  and  main- 
tain your  conservative  principles — I  mean  mine, 
wliich  I  have  infused  into  you.  Conservative 
principles  stand  opposed  to  liberalism.  Both  may 
be  simply  explained.  Conserve  what  you  pos- 
sess, seek  to  increase  your  possessions,  and  avoid 
liheralism,  that  is  to  say,  liberality,  generosity, 
whether  it  be  in  sentiment  or  in  material  sacri- 
fices ;  both  contradict  the  conservative  principle, 
as  well  as  the  mercantile  principle,  and  evidently 
lead  to  ruin.  But  if  generosity  must  be  practised, 
be  rather  generous  in  feeling  than  in  expenses. 
In  a  political  crisis  there  is  always  a  wide  field  for 
speculation.  Rebellion  and  revolution,  in  tliem- 
selves,  likewise  offer  <  good  business — an  ex- 
cellent business,  espei  ially   for   us  Britons,   of 


DOLORES, 


47 


whom  alone  we  are  speaking.  Every  rebellion 
requires  weapons,  and  our  Britannia  requires 
consumption,  exportation,  for  such  articles. 
Have  we  not  done  a  splendid  business  here  in 
South  America;  a  brilliant  business  !  with  both 
parties,  as  well  with  the  Unitarios  as  with  the 
Conl'ederackis .'  Have  we  not  made  a  portion  of 
our  property  by  the  delivery  of  weapons  to  both 
parties .'  and  with  the  traffic  in  the  papers  of 
pledged  nations,  which  we  threw  off  at  tlie  right 
time,  before  this  or  that  nation  threw  off  the 
chains  of  this  or  tliat  despotism.  What  pro- 
tects the  liouse  of  Walker  &  Co.,  from  danger 
and  from  loss  .'  thoroughgoing  routine  in  busi- 
ness. Politics  !  politics !  Bob,  my  boy,  are  an 
excellent  business  !  but  they  must  be  studied  ! 
mark  that,  and  follow  the  e.vample  of  your 
father.  Trade  is  calculation;  politics,  as  busi- 
ness, are  the  higher  mathematics  of  commerce — 
mark  that.  Bob,  my  boy!  We  English  are  a 
merchant  people,  a  commercial  nation,  and  as 
such,  tlie  first  nation  in  the  world.  As  a  com- 
mercial nation,  we  must  be  conservative  ;  a  lib- 
eral trading  people  would  be  a  contradiction  in 
itself.  We  are  free,  and  we  are  religious;  very 
free  and  very  religious.  Bob,  my  boy.  But  we  do 
not  speak  here  of  freedom  and  religion  as  prin- 
ciples, but  as  articles ;  as  articles  of  tralBc  in 
circulation  among  us  Britons,  but  only  among 
Britons.  Britannia's  freedom  is  a  gift  of  Provi- 
dence to  the  chosen  British  nation,  an  inheri- 
tance that  must  remain  in  the  family.  It  is  an 
original  painting  which  we  must  preserve,  and 
of  whicli  we  must  only  sell  copies  to  other  na- 
tions. Mark  that.  Bob,  my  boy  !  Britannia  is 
he  mistress  of  tlie  world  !  '  Rule  Britannia  ! 
Britannia  forever  !'  As  the  sovereign  power  of  the 
world,  we  bestow  the  title  of  freedom  upon 
other  nations,  black  or  white,  whenever  we  find 
it  our  interest  to  do  so.  We  give  to  foreign 
slaves  the  title  of  British  subjects,  without  fun- 
damentally altering  their  position.  We  help 
kings  and  princes  to  crowns  and  thrones,  and 
stamp  them  as  sovereigns,  because  we  icnow  the 
worth  of  a  '  sovereign  ;'  and  foreign  princes  are 
British  subjects,  without  even  making  a  claim  to 
the  title.  If  we  regard  freedom  as  a  principle, 
and  not  as  an  article,  not  as  our  family  inheri- 
tance, we  must  grant  it  to  all  nations,  and  see  a 
rival  power  to  our  rule  over  the  world  start 
up  in  every  free  nation.  We  would  thereby 
s-ign  our  act  of  abdication  of  our  sovereignty 
over  the  world.  '  All  Europe  may  be  reduced 
to  slavery,  as  long  as  Britannia's  freedom  only 
shines,  and  our  world  wide  traffic  extends  itself,' 
said  Mr.  Roebuck,  one  of  our  members  of  Parlia- 
ment, a  short  time  since  ;  and  he  struck  the  nail 
on  the  head."  We  have  lost  many  of  our  colo- 
nic sin  North  America,  and,  at  the  present  time,* 
they  spealv  with  evil  forebodings  of  Canada. 
It  is  the  fixed  idea  of  freedom,  which  tlic  people 
Have  taken  into  their  heads,  and  thus  despise  all 

•  The  year  1S38. 


the  endeavors  of  our  missionaries,  who  preach 
resignation  and  submission  to  the  sceptre  of  Old 
England  !  Bob,  my  boy,  beware  of  republican 
ideas,  of  democratic  principles,  for  they  stand  in 
direct  op]>osition  to  our  position  and  our  busi- 
ness as  Britons.  Britannia  is  only  Britannia  as 
a  monarchy ;  and  I  repeat,  that  in  the  acknowl- 
edgement of  the  principle  of  national  freedom 
lies  her  sentence  of  death."  Mr.  Walker  took 
hold  of  his  watch  chain,  and  then  felt  in  his  vest 
pocket  and  pulled  out  his  gold  watch,  looked  at 
the  minute  and  second  hands,  and  continued  : 
"  Mark  my  words.  Boh,  my  boy,  be  always,  and 
everywhere,  an  Englishman,  a  merchant,  and  a 
gentleman,  and  hold  fast  to  English  fashions,  as 
to  English  principles,  and  English  articles.  As 
to  our  fashions,  1  have  nothing  further  to  say 
to  you,  except  this,  remain  as  you  are,  and 
what  you  are.  As  you  have  learned  to  eat  and 
to  ride  after  the  English  fashion,  observe  Eng- 
lish fashions,  henceforth,  forever  and  every- 
where. Do  not  lose  yourself  in  intercourse  with 
foreigners,  and  do  not  allow  yourself  to  be  led  to 
adopt  foreign  customs.  Ride  no  foreign  horse — 
never  mount  any  other  than  an  English  race 
horse  ;  and  above  all,  do  not  allow  yourself  to 
be  smitten  with  foreign  beauty — the  worst  snare 
in  which  you  could  ever  fall. 

"  Remember  constantly.  Bob,  my  boy,  that  an 
Englishman  who  marries  a  foreigner,  or  uses 
any  other  article  of  foreign  industry,  is  outlawed, 
and  rightly  so,  since  he  commits  high  treason 
against  his  nationality,  and  against  his  national 
industry.  Let  his  wife  be  who  she  may,  or  what 
she  may,  she  is,  and  ever  remains,  a  foreigner, 
and  that  is  enough,  her  ofl'spring  will  be  half- 
breed.  Never  leave  a  room  without  gloves,  but 
wear  no  gloves  that  were  not  made  in  England. 
At  table,  especially,  forget  not  to  let  people 
know  that  you  are  an  Englishman  before  you 
have  finished  the  first  course.  Never  put  the 
point  of  a  spoon  nor  a  knife  to  your  mouth, 
never  !  never  !  Never  take  a  fork  in  your  right 
hand,  except  when  you  eat  apple  pie  or  plum 
pudding.  Never  be  persuaded  to  wear  a  mous- 
tache, or  to  allow  your  beard  to  grow, '  a  la  jeune 
France  !'  never  !  it  is  shocking  !  shocking  ! 
Shave  yourself.  Bob,  my  boy — shave  yourself 
twice  a  day,  and  never  let  your  beard  stand  over, 
miless  in  one  case,  namely — if  you  should  hap- 
pen to  lose  your  English  shaving  apparatus,  and 
would  be  obliged  to  use  a  foreign  razor ;  in  that 
case  only,  let  your  beard  grow  for  the  time. 

"  And  now.  Bob,  my  boy,  farewell,  and  write  to 
me  soon,  on  English  paper,  with  English  pens." 

Mr.  John  Walker  rang,  and  a  servant  entered — 
while  Mr.  Robert  Walker  rose,  and  stuck  the  pa- 
pers into  his  pocket.  Notwithstanding  the  ap- 
parent indillerence  with  which  he  hud  at  first 
listened  to  this  lecture  of  private  instructions, 
many  words  appeared  to  have  made  a  deep  im- 
pression upon  him.  Seriously  and  in  silence  he 
shook  hands  with  his  father,  and  hastily  left  the 
cabinet  to  make  his  final  arrangements 


DOLORES, 


BOOK   II, 


CHAPTER  I. 


THE    DANGER. 


The  Swedish  brig, "  Nordstjernati,"  displayed, 
on  the  morning  of  the  opening  day,  her  yellow 
and  blue  flag,  as  the  signal  of  her  approaching 
departure.  The  crew  was  busied  in  that "  regular 
confusion"  which  always  characterizes  the  deck 
of  a  merchant  ship,  when  about  to  sail.  Here 
and  there  sounded  the  "  yo  heave  ho,"  of  some 
of  the  sailors,  who,  with  one  accord,  hung  the 
whole  weight  of  their  bodies  upon  a  rope,  to 
bring  the  tackle  into  the  right  position  and  or- 
der, the  deficiencies  of  which  would  only  strike 
the  practised  eye  ot  a  seaman. 

Soren,  the  cook,  a  robust  Jutlander,  from  the 
Cymbrian  peninsula,  was  scolding  in  his  syllable 
swallowing  provincial  Danish  dialect,  at  Ottar, 
the  cabin  boy,  a  lank  young  F'inn,  from  Abo, 
whose  father  wore  Russian  irons  in  Kamtschatka, 
because  he,  as  ship  captain,  had  once  conveyed 
a  Pole  from  Riga  to  England,  who  was  destined 
for  Siberia.  Soren  insisted  that  the  long  Ottar 
had  intentionally  thrown  a  herring  into  the 
coflee,  which  he  had  cai'efully  set  aside  for  him- 
self, from  the  mate's  breakfast.  Ottai-,  to  main- 
tain his  innocence,  in  his  increasing  animation, 
made  use  of  so  many  Finnish  words,  with  his  bro- 
ken Swedish,  that  Soren  became  more  excited, 
because  he  could  hai'dly  understand  him,  and  at 
last  threw  the  subject  of  dispute  at  his  head  ; 
but,  missing  his  aim,  the  cofi'ee  soaked  herring 
flew  past  Ottar,  upon  the  quarter  deck. 

"  Halloo !"  cried  Lars,  the  saiimaker,  at  work 
lear  the  mainmast, '"  there  comes  a  flying  fish — 
ut  it  flies  out  of  a  pot  instead  of  into  one,  as  is 
he  case  sometimes." 

"  Ottar  !  Ottar  '.  rejoice  that  Soren  is  not  the 
Emperor  of  Russia,  he  would  send  you,  on  the 
spot,  to  your  father  in  Kamtschatka."  A  com- 
mand of  the  first  mate  sent  the  saiimaker  out 
on  the  bowsprit. 

Ottar's  lean  visage  was  almost  brought  to  tears 
at  the  injustice  of  the  cook,  while  Soren  availed 
himself  of  the  Swedish  language,  in  order  to 
curse  right  heartily,  and  sent  a  "  hundred  thou 
sand  barrels  of  devils,"  after  the  poor  youth,  as 
tlie  latter  hurried  to  his  business  in  the  caljin. 
Swend  Roluffs,  a  young  sailor  and  a  wag,  by 
nature,  who  had  played  this  trick  on  the  cook, 
laughed  aloud  at  the  wry  face  with  which  he 

7 


drank  the  salted  coffee,  "  that  it  should  not  be 
wasted." 

Corinna,  one  of  those  slender  figures  of  Ethi- 
opian beauty,  whose  narrow  waist  and  swelling 
roundness  many  Europeans  might  envy,  softly 
left  the  apartment  of  her  mistress,  and  appeared 
in  the  cabin,  busied  in  overhauling  the  baggage, 
assisted  by  Achilles,  whose  eyes,  red  with  weep- 
ing, could  scarcely  distinguish  the  objects  before 
him.  She  wore,  over  her  light  modern  cloth- 
ing, a  piece  of  black  shawl-cloth,  about  two 
yards  wide  and  six  long,  which  tlie  negresses  of 
South  America  know  how  to  throw  around  them 
with  peculiar  taste,  after  the  Ethiopian  fashion, 
like  the  drapery  on  antique  statues — in  such  a 
manner,  that  it  covers  the  upper  part  of  the 
body,  with  one  end  passing  over  the  left  shoul- 
der, and  hanging  down  the  back  in  wide  folds. 
A  cloth  of  dazzhng  whiteness  covered  her  head, 
and  was  tightly  drawn  down  to  her  eyebrows, 
forming  a  turban  of  cylindrical  shape,  intention- 
ally contrasting  with  tlie  dark  brown  color  of 
her  face,  of  which  the  serious  expressive  Minas 
features  displayed  pain,  grief,  and  sympathy, 
for  the  afflictions  of  her  mistress.  A  string  of 
pearls  of  some  value,  with  a  plain  gold  cross, 
adorned  her  neck  and  breast,  as  a  memorial  of 
the  mother  of  Dolores — whose  unhappy  destiny 
now  removed  her  from  the  paradise  of  her  child- 
hood, on  the  banks  of  the  La  Plata. 

Her  father,  Achilles,  remained  sunk  upon  his 
knees  before  an  open  trunk,  unable  to  select  the 
objects  which  Corinna  was  to  take  to  their 
jdaces  in  the  inner  apartment  for  the  comfort  of 
the  voyage.  Without  knowing  what  his  hands 
took  hold  of,  he  stared  at  his  daughter,  whils 
the  big  tears  that  rolled  down  his  furrowed 
cheeks,  gave  a  vent  to  his  feelings.  "  Father  ! 
father '."  said  Corinna,  in  her  Ethiopian  tongue, 
wiping  away  his  tears,  *'  compose  yourself, 
father.  Father,  do  not  weep ;  for  the  white 
slaves  of  Rosas  may  yet  come  on  board,  and  see 
us  ;  and  if  they  observe  that  we  are  melancholy 
and  disconsolate,  they  will  suspect,  and  the 
Senora's  life  be  in  danger.  Father,  think  of 
Seiiora  Dolores,  and  do  not  weep." 

"  0,  Corinna !"  sobbed  the  old  man,  "  I  do 
think  of  the  Seiiora,  and  it  is,  therefore,  I  weep 
0  Dolores  !  Dolores  !"  he  sobbed,  and  folded  hii 
hands,  and  stretched  them  out  before  him. 

"  Compose  yourself,  father !"  cried  Corinna, 
louder,  with  an  almost  threatening  voice ;  "  the 


50 


DOLORES. 


Senora  is  in  danser  through  our  tears."  Slie 
dried  tlie  old  man's  tears  with  iier  sliawl,  and 
after  a  pause,  said,  witli  forced  composure, 
"  Give  me  the  box  with  the  little  vials  of  medi- 
cine, father;"  and  both  endeavored  to  assume 
the  indifference  of  deportment  which  the  occa- 
sion required,  as  much  as  their  troijjieki  state  of 
mind  opposed  their  efforts. 

Horatio,  who,  until  then,  had  sat  m  a  comer 
of  the  cabin,  sunk  in  reflection,  and  appeared 
like  one  petrified,  approached  old  Achilles,  laid 
his  hand  on  his  shoulder,  and  whi.ipered  in  his 
ear,  "  Compose  yourself,  Achilles ;  we  shall  soon 
go  to  sea,  and  the  murderers  of  my  relatives  will 
no  more  overtake  ug." 

How  far  the  youth  believed  in  a  happy  and 
undisturbed  departure,  is  uncertain  ;  he  sought, 
at  least,  to  infuse  that  momentary  confidence 
into  his  weaker  minded  companions,  which  the 
circumstances  of  the  case  required. 

"  Be  calm  !  be  calm  !"  sighed  Achilles,  softly, 
to  himself;  "  yes,  be  cold  and  calm  ;  yes,  cold 
and  calm  as_the  grave  of  your  uncle,  and  as  the 
grave  of  Senor  Sebastian,  your  father!  I  will 
be  quiet  and  dumb,  for  Rosas  reigns !  Rosas, 
who,  for  his  first  murder,  caused  his  teacher  to 
be  killed,  when  he  entered  upon  his  government 
the  second  time,  caused  him  to  be  killed  in  his 
presence !  Rosas  !  Roses  !  a  million  curses  on 
his  guilt-laden  head !"  said  he,  gnashing  his 
teeth,  and  staring  before  him.  The  intensity 
of  these  curses,  as  they  flowed  from  his  livid  lips, 
formed  a  singular  contrast  with  the  benignant 
expression  of  the  gentle  youth,  who,  as  Mr. 
Walker  had  before  observed,  was  like  a  woman, 
but  who,  notwithstanding,  betrayed  neither  de- 
ficiency of  character,  nor  irresolute  weakness. 

In  Horatio  a  childish,  inoffensive  disposition 
appeared,  which  sought,  with  conciliating  love, 
to  embrace  life  and  the  world,  like  the  bud  of  a 
flower,  bursting  open  before  it  was  moistened  by 
the  poison  dew  of  worldly  corruption. 

As  deeply  wounded  in  his  inmost  soul,  as  a 
mortal  can  be,  by  the  murder  upon  murder  of 
his  relatives,  and  broken  hearted  by  their  fate, 
which  he  regarded  as  a  consequence  of  the  sub- 
jugation of  his  people,  he  yet  maintained  his 
confidence  in  the  human  heart,  his  faith  in  man- 
kind, and  from  these  drew  his  hope  for  the  future 
in  relation  to  the  freedom  of  his  fatherland. 

Notwithstanding  this  gentleness,  which  proba- 
bly descended  to  him  as  a  costly  inheritance  on 
the  part  of  his  mother,  his  inward  nature  was  by 
no  means  deficient  in  that  moral  strength,  which 
is  developed  andsustained  in  the  human  breast  bv 
an  early  and  severe  conflict  %vith  misfortune  and 
suffering,  and  which  rises,  proportionably,  the 
more  we  are  burdened  with  sorrows  and  grief 

Achilles  handed  to  his  daughter  the  little 
box  of  medicine  which  she  sought,  whereupon 
she  again  returned  to  the  apartment  of  her  mis- 
tress, while  the  old  man  mechanically  removed 
the  different  articles  of  baggage  that  were  before 
him. 

Horatio  added  a  few  more  words  of  encour- 
agement, ag;iin  clapped  tlie  old  man  cordially 
on  the  shoulder,  and  then  betook  himself  to  his 
former  place,  on  a  sofa,  in  a  corner  of  the 
cabin. 

The  stranger,  about  whom  Captain  Finngreen 
had  not  yet  "  made  up  his  mind,"  (as  he  had 
declared  to  Mr.  Walker,)  was  also  busily  occu- 


pied, during  the  passage  of  (his  scene  in  the 
cabin,  in  repacking  some  trunks,  and  in  making 
himself  as  comfortable  as  possible.  Among  his 
unpacked  effects,  were  to  be  seen  seamen's  cloth- 
ing for  various  climates,  also  a  sextant,  some 
charts,  a  marine  sword,  which  was  not  too  long 
to  pass  for  a  dagger,  and  lastly,  a  bundle  of 
flags  of  a  singular  construction.  They  were 
strips  of  the  usual  bunting,  about  a  yard  wide, 
and  some  tivo  and  a  half  yards  long,  of  various 
colors,  and  some  with  pai-ticular  marks.  These 
single  strips  were  set  lengthwise,  with  eyelet 
holes  about  hvo  inches  apart.  On  the  flagstaff 
side  was  a  piece  of  sail  yarn,  somewhat  longer 
than  the  stuff,  with  metal  points,  so  that  two  or 
three  of  these  strips  could  be  fastened  together 
in  a  few  minutes,  which  then  formed  a  con- 
venient signal  flag. 

If  Horatio  had  been  in  a  state  of  mind  to  direct 
his  observations  towards  the  stranger,  it  would 
not  have  escaped  him,  that  he  sought  out  the 
separate  flag  strips  from  different  pockets  of  his 
garments,  and  from  various  bundles,  and  brought 
them  into  a  certain  systematic  arrangement.  Why 
this  system  of  concealment  hud  been  adopted, 
whether  the  voyager  found  these  portions  of  an 
"  airy  symbolism"  useful  to  ward  off,  or,  at  least, 
render  difficult  the  visitation  of  watchful  authori- 
ties, is  undetermined. 

In  contrast  with  such  ocean  gear,  the  voyager 
carried  horse  pistols,  a  bridle,  spurs,  horse  trap- 
pings, a  cavalry  sabre,  a  Russian  kantschu,  and 
a  blunderbuss,  (musketoon,)  which,  accordin" 
to  the  muzzle,  might  convenicntlv  serve  as  a 
piece  of  artillery  on  board  of  a  corsair.  No 
inference  could  be  drawn  with  regard  to  the  social 
position  of  the  voyager  from  the  titles  of  the 
books,  in  various  languages,  which  lay  round 
about  him. 

Notwithstanding  the  interconrse  which  had 
casually  taken  place  behveen  Horatio  and  him- 
self, on  the  previous  night,  the  stranger  con- 
tinued to  maintain  the  distance  which  tact  made 
necessary,  and  which  harmonized  with  his  na- 
ture. But  this  tact,  which  proceeds  from  inter- 
nal development,  and  is  distinct  from  stiff 
resene,  by  no  means  interdicted  him  from  a 
lively  interest  in  the  scene,  of  which  he  once 
more  became  a  witness. 

Difficult  aa  it  had  been  for  him  on  the  last 
night  to  clothe  his  sympathy  in  expressions,  it 
became  harder  still  for  him  now  to  assume  a 
tone  of  intercourse,  for  the  purpose  of  entering 
into  conversation.  He  was,  for  the  present,  to 
regard  the  events  of  the  past  night  as  a  dream, 
smce  he  must  know  nothing  of  the  appearance 
of  the  young  lady,  whose  incognita  indicated  the 
danger  to  which  she  was  exposed. 

The  stranger,  who  appeared  on  the  captain's 
passenger  list  by  the  name  of '0.  O.  Hinango,'  had, 
since  that  meeting  scene,  felt  himself  involun- 
tarily dra%vn  towards  the  youth,  by  the  myste- 
rious bond  of  the  attraction  of  the  soul,  while  his 
position  required,  for  the  present,  apparent 
distance.  He  sank  into  reflections  upon  the 
situation  of  man  towards  man,  in  consequence  of 
the  civilization  of  our  century,  and  while  thus 
busied  in  thought,  he  arrived'  at  the  following 
conclusions : 

The  more  egotism  and  treachery  become  dan- 
gerous to  the  cause  of  the  freedom  of  all  nations, 
and  but  too  frequently  undermine  it,  the  mora 


DOLORES. 


51 


personal  and  material  interest  guides  the  acts 
and  endeavors  of  men,  the  more  does  the  man 
who  is  penetrated  by  a  higher  idea  and  nobler 
sentiments,  appear  to  the  world,  in  our  era, 
either  suspicious  or  ridiculous,  a  designing  rogue, 
or  a  visiqnary  madman,  an  "  enthusiast." 

The  more  seldom  true  patriotism,  enthusiasm  for 
truth  and  freedom,  self  sacrifice  from  conviction, 
manifest  themselves,  the  more  frequently  does 
the  world  consider  the  higher  endeavors  of  men 
«ither  as  the  absurd  consequence  of  a  so  called 
"  fixed  idea,"  of  a  "  boundless  vanity,"  or  as  the 
thoroughgoing,  sly  calculation  of  a  common 
speculator,  who  seeks  to  carry  out,  under  such  a 
mask,  a  concealed  plan  of  selfishness  at  the  ex- 
pense of  others. 

Tlie  rarer  the  appearance  of  a  man  of  noble 
nature,  capable,  from  conviction,  of  any  sac- 
rifice, the  greater  danger  does  he  incur  when 
he  desires  to  act,  of  being  misconceived  in  his 
higher  endeavors,  of  being  considered  and  treated 
by  egotists  as  one  of  themselves.  Instead  of  love 
to  man,  which,  as  a  religious  duty,  should  lie  at 
the  foundation  of  all  the  intercourse  of  man  with 
his  fellow  men,  mistrust  has  become  the  first 
condition  of  judgement  in  the  so  called  daily 
intercourse  of  the  world. 

The  more  faith  in  the  human  heart  becomes 
■endangered  by  treachery  and  deceit,  the  more 
does  suspicion  become  the  duty  of  the  unfortunate, 
who  is  exposed  to  treachery.  The  idea  attached 
to  the  word  "  man,"  loses  its  value  after  the  bond 
of  humanity  becomes  decayed,  after  faith  as  a 
religious  principle  sinks  into  a  low  materialism, 
which  even  seeks  to  make  a  business  of  "  reli- 
gion." 

The  so  called  "  reasonable  man"  of  our  time, 
does  not  even  believe  in  the  heart  of  man,  when 
it  bleeds  in  the  struggle  for  the  cause  of  hu- 
manity. Egotism  judges  all  the  appearances 
around  it,  alter  itself;  it  mistakes  and  despises 
exalted  ideas  and  noble  sentiments,  because  it 
cannot  comprehend  the  former,  and  is  unable 
to  entertain  the  latter.  Our  age  is  the  epoch 
of  infidelity  and  indifference — and  mankind 
"would  sink  into  materialismT  if,  from  the  seed- 
cup  of  the  hearts  of  some  individual  men,  there 
tlid  not,  as  it  were,  pass  over  to  a  future  gene- 
ration the  seed-pollen  of  the  conception  ot  a 
higher  idea. 

Hinango  continued  to  pack  and  arrange  his 
effects,  and  uttered,  from  time  to  time,  an  indif- 
ferent remark  about  wind  and  weather,  and  cabin 
and  ship,  as  if  he  had  not  even  seen  the  youth 
the  night  before,  and  did  not  know  who  occu- 
pied the  captain's  state  room,  through  the  door 
of  which  the  negress  went  in  and  out.  The 
youth  replied  to  these  detached  remarks  in  the 
same  tone  of  conventional  courtesy,  without  be- 
ing drawn  from  the  chaos  of  his  reflections  and 
feelings. 

"  Probably  you  know  this  book  !"  inquired 
Hinango,  after  a  long  pause,  handing  him  a  duo- 
decimo volume.  "  De  Lamenais — Paroles  d'un 
Croyant,"  read  Horatio,  while  he  took  the  book 
with  a  friendly  nod ;  "  1  have  read  it  in  Spanish ; 
I  hear  it  is  translated  into  many  European  lan- 
guages." 

"  No  book  of  our  time  has  reached  the  hearts 
ol  the  nations  of  Europe  with  such  a  ray  of  elec- 
tric light,"  replied  Hinango ;  "  but  in  England 
it  found  no  public." 


"  Why  not  ?"  inquired  the  youth ;  "  how  do 
you  explain  that .'" 

"  Because  faith  in  mankind,  in  the  resurection 
and  deliverance  of  the  nations,  upon  the  basis  of 
nationality,  and  in  the  spirit  of  humanity,  re- 
mains foreign  to  them. 

"  The  90  called  higher  classes  in  England, 
would  take  the  less  interest  iu  such  a  book,  be- 
cause it  defends  the  cause  of  mankind — it  treats 
of  the  sufferings  and  the  misery  of  the  peo})le, 
to  which  the  proud  Briton  is  indifl^erent.  The 
Englishman  is  an  egotist ;  he  feels  no  interest  in 
any  thing  that  does  not  concern  his  own  per- 
sonal affairs  and  business,  and  therefore  takes  the 
less  interest  in  the  miseries  of  others.  England 
is  divided  into  Sects,  and  every  sect  is  a  quaran- 
tine bar  against  humanity.  The  more  man  sur- 
rounds himself  with  the  forms  of  a  particular 
sect,  the  more  his  spirit  becomes  enchained — his 
heart  shrinks  within  himself,  repelling  the  feel- 
ings of  humanity,  which  regards  every  people 
as  a  family  of  mankind,  and  each  individual  as 
a  man.  In  England,  the  man  without  money  is 
a  non-entity — the  People,  '  canaille,'  and  man- 
kind, a  phantom.  Even  glorious  philanthropy 
has  become  the  Phariseeism  of  the  privileged 
classes,  ostentatiously  distributing  alms  before 
the  public,  to  keep  the  misery  of  the  people  at 
a  distance  from  them. 

"  England  regai'ds  freedom  as  a  monopoly ,while 
the  British  nation  itself  lies  yet  more  deeply 
sunk  in  misery,  under  the  yoke  of  the  aristoc- 
racy and  of  the  manufacturers,  than  many  others, 
and  cannot  even  now  comprehend  the  spirit  of 
love  which  breathes  through  this  little  book." 

"  You  are  undoubtedly  in  the  right,"  rejoined 
Horatio.  Even  here,  in  South  America,  we  have 
no  great  confidence  in  the  freedom  we  should 
obtain  through  British  protection.  For  myself, 
1  regard  the  book  as  the  gospel  of  the  future,  as 
a  prophetic  appearance  in  the  history  of  man- 
kind." 

"  As  such,  it  has  also  become  known,"  in- 
terrupted Hinango,  "in  spite  of  all  the  material- 
ism which  despises  this  word  of  faith." 

The  youth  took  up  the  book,  and  read,  partly 
aloud,  the  beginning  of  a  chapter  which  acci- 
dentally came  to  his  eye : 

"  When  you  see  a  man  led  to  prison,  or  to 
the  scaffold,  be  not  in  haste  to  say, '  That  is  a 
wicked  man,  who  has  committed  a  crime  against 
mankind ;'  for  perhaps  he  is  a  righteous  man,  who 
would  have  rendered  a  service  to  his  fellow  men, 
and  who  is  therefore  punished  by  their  oppres- 
sors. 

"  When  you  see  a  people  lying  in  chains,  and  is 
given  up  to  the  executioner,  be  not  in  haste  to 
say, '  That  is  a  violent  people,  that  would  disturb 
the  peace  of  the  earth  ;'  for  perhaps  it  is  a  mar- 
tyr people,  that  suffers  for  the  welfare  of  man- 
kind ! 

"  It  is  now  eighteen  centuries  since  the  high 
priests  and  kings  of  that  time,  in  a  city  of  the 
East,  scourged  with  rods,  and  then  nailed  to  the 
cross,  a  rebel,  a  blasphemer,  as  they  called  him." 

Horatio,  penetrated  by  the  light  of  the  godlike 
idea  that  lies  at  the  foundation  of  humanity, 
gazed  fixedly  before  him,  then  rousing  himself 
from  his  revery,  he  turned  over  the  leaves  of  the 
little  book,  and  read  silently  to  himself: 

"  And  I  saw  the  evils  that  have  come  upon 
the    earth ;    I   saw   tlie   weak   oppressed ;   the 


52 


DOLORES. 


righteous  begg:ing  his  bread  ;  the  wicked  raised 
to  honor  and  abounding  in  riches ;  the  innocent 
condemned  by  unjust  judges,  and  his  children 
wandering  about  on  the  face  of  the  earth.  And 
my  soul  was  sad,  and  hope  poured  out  of  it  on 
all  sides,  as  from  a  broken  vessel. 

"  And  God  sent  me  a  deep  sleep.  And  I 
saw,  in  my  sleep,  a  form  of  light,  standing  near 
me,  a  spirit  whose  soft  and  piercing  look  pene- 
trated into  the  depths  of  my  most  secret 
thoughts. 

"  And  I  shuddered,  not  from  fear,  nor  from 
joy,  but  from  a  sensation  as  of  an  indescribable 
mixture  of  both.  And  the  spirit  said  to  me, 
'  Wherefore  art  thou  sad  .'' 

"  And  1  answered,  weeping,  •  Alas  !  behold  the 
sufferings  that  are  upon  the  earth  !' 

"  And  the  heavenly  form  began  to  smile  with 
an  ineftable  smile,  and  the  following  words 
reached  my  ear  :  '  Thy  eye  sees  only  through 
the  delusive  mirror  that  men  call  time.  Time 
is  only  for  thee ;  for  God  there  is  no  time.'  And 
I  held  my  peace,  for  1  understood  not.  Sud- 
denly the  spirit  said, '  Behold  !'  and  while  there 
existed  for  me,  from  that  time,  neither  '  Before' 
nor  '  Afterwards,'  1  saw  in  the  same  moment,  and 
at  once,  what  men,  in  their  feeble  and  imperfect 
language,  call '  past,  present,  and  future ;'  and  all 
that  was  only  one ;  but  in  order  to  tell  what  I 
saw,  I  must  descend  again  into  the  lap  of  time, 
I  must  use  the  imperfect  and  feeble  language  of 
man. 

"  And  the  whole  human  race  appeared  to  me 
as  a  single  man. 

"  And  this  man  had  done  much  evil,  little 
good;  he  had  experienced  many  sorrows,  and 
few  joys.  And  there  he  lay,  in  his  wretched- 
ness, upon  earth,  now  frozen  with  cold,  now 
burning  with  heat ;  there  he  lay,  pining,  starv- 
ing, suffering,  oppressed  with  a  faintness  min- 
gled with  convulsions,  bound  down  with  chains 
that  were  forged  in  hell ;  his  right  hand  bur- 
dened his  left,  and  his  left  the  right ;  and,  tossed 
about  by  his  evil  dreams,  he  had  so  rolled  him- 
self up  in  his  chains,  that  his  whole  body  was 
covered  with  them,  and  locked  together. 

"  And  that  was  man  ;  1  recognised  him.  And 
behold,  a  ray  of  light  went  out  from  the  east,  a 
ray  of  love  from  the  south,  a  ray  of  strength  from 
the  north ;  and  these  three  rays  united  in  the 
heart  of  this  man. 

"  And  as  the  ray  of  light  went  forth,  a  Toice 
said,  '  Son  of  God,  brother  of  Christ,  know  what 
thou  should'st  knov?  !' 

"  And  as  the  ray  of  love  went  forth,  a  voice 
said,  '  S6n  of  God,  brother  of  Christ,  love  Whom 
thou  should'st  love  I' 

"  And  as  the  ray  of  strength  went  forth,  a 
voice  said,  '  Son  of  God,  brother  of  Christ,  do 
what  should  be  done  !' 

"  And  wlien  these  three  rays  had  united,  the 
three  voices  united,  also,  and  they  formed  one, 
which  said,  '  Son  of  God,  brother  of  Christ, 
serve  God,  and  serve  him  alone !' 

"  And  what  had  seemed  to  me  as  one  man, 
now  appeared  to  me  as  a  multitude  of  people 
and  nations.  And  my  first  look  had  not  deceived 
me,  and  my  second  also  deceived  me  not. 

"  And  these  people  and  these  nations,  avraking 
upon  their  beds  of  anguish,  began  to  say,  among 
themselves,  '  Whence  come  our  sufferings  and 
our  feebleness;  and  the  hunger  and  the  thirst 


that  torment  us ;  and  the  chains  that  bend  US 
down  to  the  earth,  and  press  into  our  flesh  .'' 

"  And  their  understandings  were  opened,  and 
they  comprehended  that  the  sons  of  God,  the 
brethren  of  Christ,  had  not  been  condemned  to 
slavery  by  their  father,  and  that  slavery  was  the 
source  of  all  their  evils.  Each  one  of  these 
sought  to  brealt  his  chains,  but  no  one  suc- 
ceeded. 

"  And  they  considered  each  other  with  great 
sympathy,  and  love  was  manifest  in  them,  and 
they  said  among  themselves,  '  We  have  all  the 
same  thoughts,  why  should  we  not  have  the 
same  heart .'  Are  we  not  all  the  sons  of  the  same 
God, "and  the  brothers  of  the  same  Christ .'  We 
will,  then,  be  saved  together,  or  die  together.' 

"  And  as  they  said  this,  they  felt  in  them- 
selves a  divine  strength,  and  I  heard  the  fetters 
break,  and  they  fought " 


^tr**f4't'^^^rrftii 


CHAPTER    II. 


PASSENGERS. 


Horatio  read  the  last  words  half  alond,  more 
and  more  slowly,  and  with  a  subdued  voice;  he 
let  his  hand,  which  held  the  little  book,  fall 
upon  his  knee,  as  if  wearied,  and  gazed  upon  the 
stranger  with  an  expression  of  bitter  grief,  while 
a  sad  smile  flitted  over  his  lips. 

Hinango  returned  the  glance  of  the  sufferer 
with  the  ray  of  sympathy,  which  shines  forth 
from  the  most  secret  depths  of  the  soul,  and  re- 
veals, more  eloquently  than  words,  each  emotion 
and  ebullition  of  the  feelings.  He  divined  the 
youth's  grief,  who  experienced  the  consola- 
tion of  sympathy,  for  its  own  sake,  while  the 
position  and  relations  of  the  stranger  remained 
to  him  an  impenetrable  riddle,  whose  solution 
led  him  into  a  labyrinth  of  conjecture,  which 
became  more  obscure,  the  more  deeply  he  lost 
himself  in  it. 

The  first  mate  opened  the  cabin  door,  conduct- 
ing in  a  passenger  who  had  just  come  on  board, 
and  was,  in  external  appearance,  "  the  most  per- 
fect gentleman"  that  ever  trod  a  cabin  floor  as 
passenger.  He  was  a  slender,  youthful  figure, 
with  a  strikingly  regular  face,  whose  peculiar 
form  reminded  one  of  antique  beauty,  vrhile  it 
wanted  the  intellectual  expression  which  eno- 
bles  many  less  handsome  countenances. 

This  was  one  of  those  stereotyiie  figures  of 
the  civilization  of  our  century,  elegantly  dressed 
from  head  to  foot  in  the  last  fashion — a  walking 
clothes  stretcher,  which  might  have  found  a 
situation  before  the  shop  of  any  merchant  tailor, 
to  exhibit  the  latest  fashion  to  the  passers  by. 

The  young  man  looked  round  him  witli  all 
the  self  consciousness  of  respectability,  while 
the  mate  went  on  with  the  sentence  which  he 
had  begim  on  entering  the  cabin,  to  point  out  to 
the  passenger  his  berth. 

Two  sailors  followed  with  his  baggage,  which 
was,  like  his  dress,  of  English  manufacture 
throughout :  trunk,  carpet  bag,  writing  desk, 
dressing  box,  etc.,  of  the  well  known  "  stereotype 
edition,"  as  we  find  them  on  board  of  steam  and 
packet  ships,  set  in  motion  by  means  of  Briti»h 


DOLORES. 


53 


machines,  which,  under  the  British  or  any  other 
flag,  cruise  the  waters  of  all  parts  of  the  world 
—a  reprinted  edition,  as  it  were,  of  the  British 
fashions. 

Mr.  AVilhelm  Rossbriick  representative  and 
son  of  the  far  famed  house  of  H.  W.  C,  and 
M.  R.  B.  Rossbriiclv  and  Co.,  of  one  of  the  for- 
mer "  Hanso  Towns,"  would  rather,  in  a  case  of 
decided  necessity,  have  travelled  without  any 
baggage,  than  to  have  carried  even  one  trunlc, 
whose  British  origin  was  not  to  be  known  at  the 
first  glance. 

There  was,  as  a  matter  of  course,  upon  each 
trunk  or  box,  a  brass  plate,  with  the  name  of 
"  William  Rossbriick,  Esq.,"  in  real  English 
round  letters. 

The  name  of  Rossbruck  in  itself,  caused  the 
young  gentleman  or  '*  Esquire"  continual  unea- 
siness, real  sorrow  of  soul. 

Mr.  Rossbriick  had  long  desired  nothing  more 
earnestly  than  to  get  rid  of  this  unfortunate 
German  stamp,  to  translate  it  literally,  as 
"  Horsebridge," — in  order  that  he  might  proudly 
step  forth,  in  English  travelling  costume,  as 
William  Horsebridge,  Esquire. 

But,  alas  !  this,  just  and  reasonable  desire  of  a 
young  man,  who  acknowledged  the  imperative 
necessity  of  the  "  only  respectable  making"  Eng- 
lish fashion,  could  not  be  so  easily  fulfilled,  for 
manifold  reasons.  By  such  a  translation,  for 
instance,  he  would  lose  his  connexion  with  the 
firm,  which  was,  in  a  degree,  in  the  circle  of  his 
acquaintance,  the  basis  of  his  personal  respecta- 
bility. 

Mr.  Rossbriick's  features  manifested,  from  time 
to  time,  an  expression  of  melancholy  and  de- 
pression, which  many  ladies  considered  as  sym- 
toms  of  an  '•  unfortunate  love."  This  expression 
of  melancholy,  which  soon  disappeared  when 
the  locomotive  of  his  business  calculations  was 
set  in  motion,  proceeded  from  one  single  source 

his  name. 

The  fatal  German  name  imposed  a  rigid  bound 
to  all  the  efforts  and  sacrifices  of  his  Anglo-ma- 
nia, which  he,  in  his  best  will,  could  not  once 
overstep. 

Mr.  Rossbriick  cast  a  glance  at  the  two  pas- 
sengers whom  we  have  particularly  described 
above,  and  said  what  he  had  occasion  to  say  to 
the  mate  in  English,  to  which  the  latter  replied 
in  German. 

The  "would  be  English  gentlemen"  drew  on 
his  black  patent  gloves,  from  time  to  time  pressed 
them  down  between  the  fingers — and  inquired, 
among  other  things,  after  a  box  of  wine,  which 
had  been  sent  on  board  the  day  before.  The 
second  mate  was  called  to  give  an  account  of  it. 
It  appeared  that  the  said  box  had  been  put  tem- 
porarily in  a  cabin  between  decks.  Mr.  Wil- 
liam Rossbriick  wished  to  satisfy  himself  of  the 
vicinity  of  his  spiritual  travelling  companion, 
and  was  conducted  to  the  indicated  spot,  in 
which  were  arranged  some  state  rooms,  for  pas- 
sengers of  inferior  rank. 

This  visit  to  the  between  decks,  disturbed  a 
passenger  in  important  business.  It  was  Mr. 
Habakkuk  Daily,  the  before  mentioned  clerk  of 
the  house  of  Walker  &  Co.,  who  had  taken  up 
his  quarters  there,  because,  very  naturally,  it  was 
not  suitable  that  he  should  inhabit  the  same  cabin 
with  the  son  of  the  house. 
Mi:    Hab'  Daily  (as  he  generally  subscribed 


himself  for  shortness  sake)  was  a  square  built, 
robust  fellow,  with  a  cheerful,  round  counte- 
nance, blinking  gray  eyes,  coarse  black  hair,  and 
whiskers  to  match,  which  reached  from  his  tem- 
ples to  the  corners  of  his  mouth,  in  the  refrac 
tory  inflexibility  of  a  hedgehog's  bristles.  He 
was  just  driving  a  nail  in  one  of  the  four  boxes, 
which  had  been  given  to  his  especial  care,  and 
stood  near  his  luggage — among  which  appeared 
two  large  trunks,  covered  with  ox  hides,  and 
made,  according  to  South  American  fashion,  high 
and  narrow.  This  form  appears  suitable  to  the 
purpose,  since  the  baggage,  for  the  most  part 
transported  by  mules,  is  fastened  to  their  sides, 
and,  calculated  for  being  carried  through  narrow 
mountain  passes,  is  made  to  occupy  the  least 
possible  breadth.  Besides,  the  height  or  depth 
of  the  trunks  would  occasionally  serve  for  a  very 
good  purpose  to  their  owner,  who  had  ordered 
tliem  for  a  voyage,  and  had  caused  the  interior 
to  be  carefully  provided  with  a  false  bottom  and 
concealed  drawers. 

"  What  can  1  do  for  you,  Mr.  Hem  .'"  said  Mr. 
Daily  to  the  mate,  Mr.  Storhjelm,  whose  name 
he  would  willingly  have  pronounced  correctly, 
if  its  genuine  foreign  sounds  had  not,  unfortu- 
nately, escaped  him,  notwithstanding  he  had 
spelled  it  over  many  times  to  himself.  He  seated 
himself  at  these  words,  comfortably,  upon  one 
of  the  high  trunks,  and  played  with  the  hammer, 
as  if  he  had  not  thought  of  any  thing  serious  for 
a  year  and  a  day. 

"  Are  you  looking  for  something,  Mr.  Hem  .'" 
inquired  he,  hastily,  without  awaiting  the  an- 
swer to  his  first  question. 

"  Nothing  but  the  box  of  wine  there,"  returned 
Mr.  Storhjelm,  pointing  to  the  object  of  search, 
which  Mr.  Rossbriick  recognised,  to  his  great 
content,  and  at  the  same  time  cast  a  contemptuous 
look  upon  the  clerk  and  the  articles  surround- 
ing him.  This  look  was  intended  to  demon- 
strate the  great  indifl^erence  with  which  a  real 
gentleman  observes  all  appearances  around  him. 
"  A  pinch  of  snuft',  Mr,  Hem  ?"  inquired  Mr. 
Daily,  while  he,  in  his  peculiar  hasty  manner, 
drew  a  silver  snuff  box  from  his  pocket,  opened, 
and  handed  it  to  the  mate.  The  latter  was  too 
much  occupied  by  the  urgent  business  of  the  day 
to  be  able  to  bestow  suitable  attention  and  reply 
to  his  ceremonial  offer.  He  muttered  some  words 
of  thanks,  without  interrupting  the  conversation 
with  the  young  gentleman,  buried  the  point  of 
his  forefinger  in  the  sneezing  powder,  and  cai'- 
ried  it  rather  awkwardly  to  his  nose,  not  being  a 
proficient  in  this  fine  art. 

"  Mr.  Storhjelm  !"  cried  the  loud  voice  of  the 
long  Ottar,  down  from  the  deck.  "  Mr.  Stor- 
hjelm, there  is  a  boat  coming!  And  there  is 
an>  ither,  that  seems  to  be  coming  towards  us  !" 

.^t  this  announcement,  the  mate  and  Mr. 
Rossbriick  hurried  on  deck.  "  That  is  the  pas- 
senger, the  German  Doctor,  or  herb  gatherer,  or 
whatever  he  is !"  grumbled  Mr.  Storhjelm,  to 
himself,  while  he  directed  his  eye  to  the  nearest 
boat,  which  the  cabin  boy  pointed  out. 

"  Brig  ahoy!"  sounded  from  the  boat,  after 
some  moments;  "is  this  the  Swedish  brig  for 
Rio  de  Janeiro  ?" 

"  This  is  the  Swedish  brig  Nordstjernan,  for 
Rio  de  Janeiro,"  answered  the  mate ;  "  wliether 
there  is  another  Swedish  brig  bound  to  Rio,  I  do 
not  know." 


54 


DOLORES. 


The  boatman  declared,  in  the  English  lan- 
gnage,  with  a  Spanish  accent,  that  the  passenger 
he  brought  had  not  been  able  to  tell  whether  the 
vessel  which  he  sought  was  a  brig,  a  bark,  or 
a  schooner. 

"  Is  not  this  the  vessel  that  I  was  on  board 
off"  inquired  a  little  man,  in  the  stern  of  the 
boat,  who  had,  by  this  time,  attracted  the  eyes  of 
all  those  present  on  the  deck  of  the  brig.  The 
little  man  appeared  like  a  colossal  brown  wood 
beetle,  with  a  thick  and  almost  square  head,  set 
upon  a  very  small  neck,  and  with  proportionably 
small,  thin  legs.  His  very  old  hat  was  deco- 
rated, on  the  inside  and  out,  with  beetles,  of  all 
sorts  and  sizes,  stuck  upon  pins ;  while  his  brown 
overcoat  was  covered,  from  top  to  bottom,  like  a 
travelling  arbor,  with  branches  of  trees,  leaves, 
creeping  plants,  and  flowers  of  all  sorts — part 
stuck  in  the  buttonholes,  and  part  carefully 
fastened  to  his  arms  and  neck  with  packthread. 
In  his  right  hand  our  little  man  held  an  uprooted 
young  tree,  with  a  fresh  top,  some  feet  higher 
than  himself,  and  which  had,  apparently,  been 
taken  from  the  earth  but  a  short  time ;  in  his  left 
hand  was  a  large  cigar  box,  perforated  with 
holes.  The  question  of  this  wandering  natural- 
ist, whether  he  had  already  been  on  board  of  the 
brig,  was  followed  by  an  involuntary  chuckling 
laugh  from  most  of  the  seamen  ,who  were  look- 
ing down  into  the  boat,  over  the  forward  bul- 
wark, accompanied  by  the  reply  of  the  mate, 
that  such  was  probably  the  case,  and  that  he  had 
better  come  on  board,  and  make  himself  com- 
fortable. 

"  It  will  be  very  difhcult  for  me  to  get  up 
there '."  exclaimed  the  passenger,  in  the  boat ; 
"how  1  shall  accomplish  it  I  know  not,  especially 

and  particularly,  as  1 "    He  interrupted  liim- 

self,  and  inspected  his  coat,  the  side  pockets  of 
which,  stufled  full,  stood  out   from  his  body  : 

" especially  and  particularly,  as  I  see  that' 

my  eggs  are  in  danger." 

"  Your  eggs  ?"  inquired  the  mate,  laughing 
heartily ;  "  how  so  .'" 

"  Yes,  indeed,  my  eggs  !  I  have  all  my  pock- 
ets filled  with  birds'  eggs,  and  have  been  obliged, 
the  whole  long  way  from  the  city,  to  stand  up- 
right, as  you  see  me  here;  and  the  deuced  boat 
would  hardly  lie  upon  the  water,  but  rocked  and 
pitched  hither  and  yon,  and  I  had  both  hands 
full,  as  you  see." 

"  But  why  then  did  you  not  pack  up  your  eggs 
carefully,  as  we  bring  our  eggs  on  board  for 
stores  ?" 

"  You  !  your  store  eggs  ?  how  can  you  com- 
pare them  to  my  eggs  .'"  exclaimed  the  little  man. 
"  What  sort  of  eggs  are  your  store  eggs .'  ha ; 
common  hen's  eggs,  or  duck  eggs  at  the  most ! 
Eggs  !  truly — eggs  which  every  miserable  hen  in 
Europe  will  lay  for  you,  and  you  wish  to  com- 
pare them  with  my  eggs  !  with  my  costly  con- 
tributions for  a  royal  museum  !  you  would  com- 
pare your  insignificant,  ordinary  store  eggs,  to 
my  eggs.  What  countryman  are  you .'  not  a 
Swede  ?  not  the  countryman  of  the  great  lAa- 
neus .'" 

"  Will  you  please  to  step  on  board,  and  pay 
us  our  fare .'"  interrupted  the  boatman,  in  Span- 
ish, while  Mr.  Rossbriick  could  as  little  restrain 
his  laughter,  as  the  mate  and  crew. 

"  Hut  why  do  you  have  the  eggs  so  loose  in 
your  jiocketi,  if  they  are  of  so  much  importance 


to  you  ?"  again  inquired  the  mate,  leaning  com- 
fortably against  the  bulwark,  while  the  occur- 
rence was  taking  up  the  time,  and  appeared  to 
amuse  him. 

"  Why  .'  because  they  are  not  yet  classified — 
they  have  not  yet  been  brought  into  system — 
and  especially,  because  I  only-this  morning  dis- 
covered the  '  Anser  Merboldensis,'  of  which  nei- 
ther Humboldt,  nor  Blumcnbach,  nor  Cuvier, 
made  the  least  mention ;  and  look  here !  look 
here  !  this  is  the  egg  ;  it  is  yet  warm  ;  the  egg  of 
the  Anser  Merboldensis  !  You  know  that  1  am 
Dr.  Merbold — the  captain  has  my  passport." 

"  Go  to  the  devil  with  your  eggs  !"  exclaimed 
the  boatman,  suddenly,  in  English  ;  "  step  up 
the  ladder  there,  and  let  your  baggage  be  taken 
on  board,"  grumbled  he  in  Spanish. 

"  Now,  how  in  the  world  am  I  to  do  that  ? 
you  do  not  reason  at  all ;  I  am  more  badly  placed 
than  you  are  !  Here  I  stand  with  my  eggs, 
and  have  both  hands  full,"  exclaimed  Dr.  Mer- 
bold, in  broken  English;  "  and  you  sit  there,  with 
your  club  in  your  hand " — the  learned  man 
meant  the  tiller. 

While  they  were  thus  disputing,  the  mate  or- 
dered some  sailors  to  jump  into  the  shallop,  and 
help  the  good  doctor,  and  bring  him  and  his 
etlects  on  board  as  quickly  as  possible,  but  care- 
fully and  circumspectfully. 

After  a  great  deal  of  difficulty  and  exertion. 
Dr.  Merbold  at  length  stood  upon  the  quarter 
deck. 

"  Mate,"  said  he,  looking  around,  inquiringly, 
"  will  you  have  some  earth  brouglit  up  to  me, 
from  your  ballast,  for  a  tree  here  ?  Perhaps  you 
have  a  box,  or  an  empty  cask  ?" 

"  Earth  ?  from  our  ballast .'"  repeated  Mr. 
Storhjelm,  laughing  aloud ;  "  how  ?  what  do  you 
mean  by  that,  doctor  .'" 

"  Why,  now !  I  meant  some  earth  from  your 
ballast!  You  generally  carry  some  good,  rich 
earth  as  ballast,  and  my  '  simplex  magnus  Mer- 
boldensis' may  grow  in  that,  until  we  come  to 
Rio  de  Janeiro." 

"  Pardon  me,  my  dear  doctor,"  replied  the 
Swede,  a  little  at  a  loss,  "  we  have  nearly  a  full 
cargo,  as  you  see,  and  if  we  had  brought  earth 
here  as  ballast,  we  must  have  thrown  it  over- 
board before  we  took  in  the  cargo." 

"  So  !"  answered  the  learned  man,  in  subdued 
tones,  "  I  did  not  know  that !  I  never  thought  of 
that,  that  is  very  probably  the  case.  So  you 
have  no  earth  on  board  .'  pity  !  if  1  had  imagined 
that ;  I  would  have  brought  as  much  with  me 
from  shore,  as  I  have  need  of — there  is  no 
scarcity  of  earth  there.  Is  there  not  a  boat  go- 
ing to  the  shore  again,  that  I  may  have  the  op- 
portunity of  bringing  some  earth  on  board .'" 

"  None  of  our  boats  are  going  ashore  again," 
replied  the  mate  ;  "  we  are  waiting  for  the  cap- 
tain, that  we  may  go  to  sea." 

"  Hem,"  murmured  Dr.  Merbold,  to  himself, 
"  then  I  shall  hardly  be  able  to  send  that  '  sim- 
plex magnus  Merboldensis '  growing  and  green, 
to  Berlin  ;  and,  unfortunately,  I  cannot  draw  a 
line,  or  else  I  should  soon  know  how  to  help 
myself. 

"  Well,  then,"  continued  he,  soliloquizing  half 
aloud,  "  I  will  do  as  other  renowned  naturalists 
have  done,  who  could  draw  as  little  as  I,  and 
have,  nevertheless,  published  splendidly  illus- 
trated works  about  their  travels.    I  wiU  arrange 


DOLORES. 


55 


it,  thank  you  for  your  good  will,  Mr.  Mate," 
he  exclaimed,  aloud,  and  then  sank  into  reflec- 
tion on  his  newly  discovered  natural  productions. 


CHAPTER    III. 

IMPORTANT    ACQUAINTANCE. 

The  arrival  of  the  second  sailboat,  which  the 
long  Ottar  had  announced,  interrupted  the  scene 
of  the  savant's  debut  on  board  the  Nordstjernan. 
Mr.  McGaul  stepped  on  board,  sought  and  found 
Mr.  Daily,  and  drew  him  immediately  aside  in 
conversation,  concerning  the  taking  of  tlie  two 
boxes  of  precious  stones  from  on  board,  and 
landing  them  safely  somewhere  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  country  house  which  has  been 
spoken  of.  The  attempt  was  in  itself  no  trifle,' 
the  shore  being  rather  strongly  guarded,  and  no 
boat  daring  to  approach  any  other  than  the  ap- 
pointed landing  places  in  the  city , without  special 
permission  from  the  custom  house. 

Mr.  McGaul  had  received  orders  to  take  pos- 
session of  the  two  boxes,  to  pass  the  day  on  the 
river,  and  then  to  endeavor  to  land  them  safely 
in  the  evening  or  night.  In  the  possible  case  of 
making  an  arrangement  to  have  them  shipped 
with  another  captain,  he  was  to  receive  a  second 
order  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  country  house ; 
in  which  case  it  would  be  easier  to  bring  the 
contraband  goods  on  board  without  touching  the 
shore. 

Mr.  Daily  put  on  a  grave  face,  turned  his 
head  right  and  left,  and  moved  it  backwards  and 
forwards,  whenever  his  words  required  these 
accompanying  gestures ;  and  then  sank  again 
into  reflection,  in  order  to  advise  his  colleague 
as  to  the  best  course  to  be  pursued  by  him. 

The  latter  had  been  provided  by  Mr.  Walker, 
with  two  water  casks,  which  he  brought  with 
him  in  the  boat,  into  which  the  two  boxes  were 
to  be  secreted  and  headed  up.  "  Two  water 
casks  !"  cried  Mr  Daily,  half  aloud;  "  excellent ! 
exquisite !  There  we  have  our  Mr.  Walker 
again !  he  is  indeed  a  capital  smuggler !  he 
knows  the  ways  and  means  so  directly !  In  water 
casks  I  each  box  to  be  placed  in  a  water  cask — 
the  head  to  be  taken  out  tirst,  and  then  put  in 
again  !  Excellent !  beautiful !  But  what  sort  of 
people  have  you  got  with  you  ?  can  you  rely  upon 
them .'" 

"Oho!  as  to  that,"  whispered  Mr.  McGaul, 
"  they  are  trusty  fellows,  who  have  already  done 
so  much  on  their  own  account,  that  they  must 
be  silent,  if  they  would  not  carry  chains  ail  their 
lives!  They  cannot  injure  us  ;  Mr.  Walker 
has  them  in  his  hands,  or  rather  in  his  pocket." 

"  All  right"  returned  Mr.  Daily,  in  as  low  a 
voice,  "then  I  will  hand  the  two  boxes  over  to 
you,  in  the  presence  of  the  mate,  that  he  may 
be  satisfied  that  they  are  the  same  which  the 
captain  will  have  sent  from  on  board." 

"Very  well,"  answered  the  other,  "do  so; 
call  the  mate  aside,  and  have  the  boxes  brought 
on  deck." 

It  was  done  as  they  had  agreed ;  the  mate  ex- 
amined the  captain's  seals,  and  found  them 
unbroken  on  both  boxes.     'These  were  put  on 


board  of  the  boat,  which  Mr.  McGaul  soon  after 
stepped  into,  and  steered  for  the  opposite  shore. 
When  it  had  got  otf  at  some  distance  from  the 
brig,  he  took  out  some  iishing  tackle,  and  pre- 
pared for  fishing,  as  if  he  was  on  the  stream 
simply  for  that  purpose,  and  had  never  thought 
of  precious  stones  (or  smuggling)  in  all  his  life. 
Mr.  Rossbriick  had  observed  the  secret  dis- 
course of  the  two  clerks,  without  taking  any  ap- 
parent notice  of  it.  The  expedition  of  two  boxes 
from  on  board  just  before  the  departure  of  the 
ship,  appeared  to  him  a  little  out  of  the  ordi- 
nary course  of  business.  He  threw  a  stolen 
glance,  accompanied  by  a  knowing  smile,  to  the 
mate,  who  looked  after  the  boat  for  a  long  time, 
and  then,  to  amuse  himself,  went  and  sat  down 
by  Dr.  Merbold,  who  was  still  busied  in  freeing 
himself  from  his  beetles  and  leafy  covering,  and 
in  classifying  and  systematizing. 

"  What  have  you  there,  in  that  box,  doctor,  if 
I  may  ask .'"  said  Mr.  Rossbriick,  unintention- 
ally exhibiting  one  of  his  German  traits  of 
character,  in  commencing  a  conversation,  al- 
though it  was  entirely  opposed  to  the  manner 
and  custom  of  a  real  gentleman. 

"  The  most  interesting  thing  that  a  naturalist 
has  ever  brought  from  this  country,"  answered 
the  savant,  and  his  broad,  square  face  beamed 
with  a  radiant  expression,  "  Look,  if  you  please, 
through  one  of  the  little  holes ;  you  will  there 
see  a  newly  discovered  production  of  nature,  in 
four  specimens,  two  male  and  two  female ;  the 
one  pair  is  designed  for  Queen  Victoria,  and  the 
other  for  the  Emperor  of  Russia." 

"  They  appear  to  be  wood  beetles  ;  are  they 
not,  doctor  ?"  remarked  the  other,  after  a  hasty 
look  at  the  show  box. 

"  They  certainly  belong  to  the  class  of  wood 
beetles,  but  this  species  has  never  yet  been  men- 
tioned by  naturalists.  I  myself  have  discovered 
this  beetle,  and  have  given  it  my  name,  as  I  do 
with  all  my  discoveries,  to  avoid  misunderstand- 
ing, in  regard  to  my  right  of  property  as  a  natu- 
ralist." 

"  The  discovery  may  be  very  interesting  and 
very  important,"  remarked  Mr.  Rossbriick  ;  "  it 
is  a  pity  that  I  am  no  connoisseur,  and  understand 
so  little  about  such  thing# 

"  A  pity,  do  you  say .'  it  is,  indeed,  a  pity," 
replied  the  little  man,  straightening  himself  up 
with  arrogant  importance  ;  "  it  is,  indeed,  a  pity 
that  you  are  unacquainted  with  the  science  of 
entomology,  for  it  is  the  first  in  the  world.  It 
evidently  penetrates  into  the  most  hidden  depths 
of  nature,  for  where  no  other  creature  can  pene- 
trate, a  beetle  will,  and  the  study  of  beetles  con- 
ducts us,  also,  where  they  penetrate.  Look 
here,  sir  !  a  beetle  will  penetrate  into  a  thick, 
bard  piece  of  wood,  and  there  cut  and  work  out 
his  way  and  his  dwelling ;  you,  with  all  your 
human  intelligence,  cannot  do  the  like." 

Mr.  Rossbruck  was  compelled  to  admit  the 
justness  of  the  above  observation  of  the  naturalist, 
who  continued  with  vivacity  his  panegyric  of 
beetles.  "  Do  you  see  this  tree,  which  has  cost 
me  so  much  trouble  to  bring  with  me  .'  why  does 
it  interest  me  ?  simply  as  a  tree  ?  by  no  means ; 
dendrology  is  not  my  province ;  it  simply  inter- 
ests me  because  a  beetle  lives  on  it  and  in  it,  in 
the  physiology,  or  rather  psychology,  of  which 
I  have  spent  some  months.  Do  you  comprehend 
that,  sir  !    Do  you  see  this  egg  here  ?  the  egg  of 


56 


DOLORES. 


the  Anser  Merholdensis  !  Do  you  suppose  that 
the  goose  interests  me  as  a  goose  ?  Oh  no  !  no 
goose  has  ever  yet  interested  me.  But  this,  my 
goose,  lives  entirely  on  beetles  ;  it  eats  nothing 
but  beetles  ;  the  element  of  its  lil'e  is  beetles, 
and,  therefore,  it  interests  me,  for  I  have  devoted 
myself,  my  whole  life,  to  the  study  of  beetles— 

to"  beetles.     Do  you  understand  that,  Mr. : 

what  is  your  name  .'" 

"My "name  is  Rossbriick,"  said  the  young 
man,  a  little  embarrassed,  and  in  a  low  voice,  for 
he  disliked  to  pronounce  his  fatal  German  name 
in  the  presence  of  Mr.  Daily,  who  had  just  ap- 
proached him. 

"  Then  you  are,  also,  a  German  ?  I  am  re- 
joiced ;  I  am  rejoiced  to  make  your  acquain- 
tance," exclaimed  the  little  man. 

"  Fine  weather  to-day,"  began  Mr.  Daily, 
while  he  held  out  his  snuff  box  to  the  yo\uig 
gentleman ;  "  a  good  wind,  likewise,  for  going 
down  the  river."  ' , 

The  young  gentleman  answered  by  a  slight 
nod,  ste'ppod  aside  a  few  paces,  and  removed 
himself  from  the  deck  passenger. 

Mr.  Daily  was  too  much  of  an  Englishman  not 
to  understand  this  negative  reply ;  he  by  no  means 
lost  his  self-possession,  but  repeated  his  observa- 
tion about  wind  and  weather,  while  he  stepped 
close  up  to  the  little  beetle  man,  and  held  out 
the  box  to  him.  Dr.  Merbold  replied  with  all 
kindness,  ajreed  that  it  was  very  fine  weather, 
but  as  regarded  the  \vind,  which  was  requn-ed  lo 
go  down  "the  river,  that  was  a  matter  %vith  which 
the  learned  man  was  entirely  unacquainted. 
•  Like  so  many  others  of  his  kind.  Dr.  Mer- 
bold lived  in  the  narrow  boarded  up  world  of 
his  particular  study,  in  wliich  he  was  suffi- 
ciently well  versed.  But  out  of  the  domain  of 
his  study  of  beetles,  he  appeared  as  unconver- 
sant  wit'li  the  world,  and  as  unacquainted  with 
practical  life,  as  many  others  of  his  kind. 

Entirely  taken  up  with  his  beetles,  he  only 
bestowed  a  hasty  look  upon  his  travelling  com- 
panion, whose  advances  were,  however,  not  un- 
welcome to  him.  He  loved  conversation  and 
intercourse,  without,  however,  interesting  him- 
self much  in  its  subject,  unless  it  was  some  kind 
of  beetle.  ' 

"  How  long  have  you  been  in  this  country  ?" 
inquired  the  clerk  of"  him,  after  a  pause  in  their 
discourse.  The  learned  man  held  a  beetle  be- 
fore him  on  a  needle,  and  said,  "  I  caught  this 
one  the  first  week  after  my  landing,  it  may  be 
two  months  since.  Only  see  once!  what  a 
splendid  specimen  that  is;  they  cost  ten  mill- 
reis  a  pair  in  Rio  de  Janeiro,  and  in  Europe 
you  would  have  to  pay  ten  dollars  for  them." 

"  Is  tliat  true  !"  exclaimed  Mr.  Daily  ;  "  then 
you,  who  have  embarked  such  a  capital  in  the 
article,  will  make  a  good  business  and  a  great 
deal  of  money  by  it." 

"  As  to  monev-making"  rejoined  the  little 
man,  there  I  am  not  so  fortunate  as  other  people, 
for  I  am  not  a  merchant — not  in  the  lca.st ;  and 
besides,  I  am  always  too  much  absorbed  in  my 
occupation,  in  and  'for  itself,  to  be  able  to  con- 
cern mvself  with  speculation  and  trade.  I  pur- 
sue this  study  simply  as  a  study,  and  only  from 
the  love  of  knowledge." 

Mr.  Daily  stared  at  the  little  man  in  astonish- 
ment, while  he  as  little  understood  this  uncon- 
scious confession  of  the  naturalist,  (so  much  to 


his  honor,)  as  he  was  able  to  conceiTe  of  the 
entire  separation  of  science  from  the  general 
knowledge  of  the  world. 

"  One  can  engage  in  business,  and  make  money 
as  a  naturalist,  as  to  that  matter,"  continued  Dr. 
Merbold.  "  When  you  go  to  Rio  de  Janeiro,  you 
will  find  there  naturalists,  or  at  least  those 
who  call  themselves  so,  who  have  acquired  pro- 
perty by  trading  in  miserable  stones  and  peb- 
bles—in minerals !  1  know  a  Mr.  Closting,  there 
who  follows  this  business." 

"So  !"  said  Mr.  Daily,  more  attentive  than  be 
fore,  "  he  deals  in  mi'nerals  !  in  stones  did  you 
say  ?  probably   in  precious  stones,  brilliants — 
that  is  worth  hearing." 

"  Precious  stones !  precions  stones !  brilliantsl" 
grumbled  the  other  to  himself ;  "  as  if  there  was 
any  thing  precious  in  a  stone !  there  is  but  one 
precious — one  brilliant — the  well  known  '  bril- 
liant beetle !' "  .       •     ,     t 

"  Do  you  know  any  European  in  Rio  de  Ja- 
neiro, who  does  a  business  in  minerals  and  the 
like — I  mean  a  naturalist,  as  you  call  him,  who 
is  not  exactly  a  merchant .'"  inquired  Mr.  Daily, 
after  a  pause. 

"  Naturalist,  or  something  of  that  sort,  who 
does  a  good  business .'  yes,  I  know  one  well, 
who  understands  how  'to  make  money  out  of 
stones.  If  you  require  such  a  one,  I  will  give 
vou  Mr.  Closting's  address,  or  go  with  you  to 
"him,  when  we  come  to  Rio.  1,  myself,  will 
have  nothing  to  do  with  him— may  God  keep  me 
from  it !  but  if  I  can  do  you  a  service  as  my  trav- 
elling companion " 

Mr.  Daily  became  more  and  more  attentive, 
for  the  few  words  respecting  the  unknown 
"  brought  water  to  his  mill,"  and  he  inquired  far- 
ther— "  1  hope  he  does  not  stand  in  bad  re- 
pute— the  naturalist  of  whom  you  spoke  ?" 

"  In  repute  ?"  returned  Dr.  Merbold,  busily 
occupied  in  sticking  down  beetle  after  beetle. 
"I  have  told  you,  already,  he  does  a  good  busi- 
ness. He  has  monev,  and  whoever  has  money  does 
not  need  reputatio'n.  As  to  '  how  he  has  made' 
his  money  !  that  has  nothing  to  do  with  his  repu- 
utation.  I— I  mean  what  people  call  reputation. 
Only  he  who  has  no  talent  for  business,  and 
does  not  understand  how  to  malte  money,  stands 
in  evil  repute  with  all  who  have  money  ;  they 
endeavor  to  shun  him,  because  they  fear  that  ha 
may  occasionally  expect  certain  favors  of  them. 
They  call  him  lazy  and  stupid,  or,  altogether  too 
honorable,  too  honest." 

Mr.  Daily  smiled  with  peculiar  satisfaction  at 
these  remarks,  in  which  more  sound  sense 
shone  forth,  although  in  broken  rays,  than  could 
have  been  expected  from  the  learned  man,  after 
what  had  taken  place. 

"  Very  true  !  excellent !"  he  exclaimed  ;  while 
the  otlier  continued — "  I  know  men  in  great  com- 
mercial cities,  of  whom  people  say  sometimes 
one  thing  and  sometimes  another :  one  has  forged 
notes  ;  another  has  made  three  fraudulent  bank- 
ruptcies; a  tliird  has  counterfeited  the  name  of  his 
king,  and  thus  obtained  money ;  and  another  has 
committed  all  of  these  crimes  togetlier  :  so  they 
say.  And  all  of  them,  but  especially  the  last,  do 
a  good  business,  and  pass  for  clever  fellows,  and' 
of  course  are  in  good  repute  as  clever  fellows. 
What  more  do  you  wish  .'    Do  you  not  think  so 

too,  Mr. ?  what's  your  name .'" 

i'    "  Daily,  Habakkuk  Daily,  is  my  name,"  an- 


DOLORES. 


67 


swered  the  other,  smilinEf  as  before,  regarding 
the  little  man  with  individual  interest,  who,  on 
his  part,  little  suspected  how  important  his  infor- 
mation and  remarlis  were  to  his  travelling  com- 
panion, if  the  latter  should  be  permitted  to  ap- 
ply them  to  the  individual  spoken  of,  whose  ac- 
quaintance he  hoped  to  make  by  means  of  this 
accidental  introduction. 

"  You  must  move  all  your  things  away  from 
the  deck,  down  below,  between  decks  !"  said  the 
mate,  interrupting  the  conversation,  and  ap- 
proachino;  the  naturalist,  who  had  not  troubled 
himself  in  the  least  jibout  his  berth  and  ac- 
commodations. 

"  Down  below,  between  decks  ?"  inquired  the 
naturalist,  without  looking  up  from  his  beetles  ; 
"  is  there  then  such  a  hurry .'  I  love  the  fresh 
air,  and  am  busy,  as  you  see." 

"  So  I  see.  indeed,"  replied  the  mate;  "  but  we 
are  going  to  be  very  busy  here  just  now  our- 
selves ;  the  captain  is  coming  with  the  last  cabin 
passenger,  and  we  must  have  the  deck  clear." 

"  Hem  !  if  it  must  be  so,  it  must,"  grumbled 
Dr.  Merbold  ;  but  cannot  you  make  yourself 
busy  somewhere  else  besides  here,  where  I  and 
my  things  are .'" 

The  mate  wavered  for  an  instant  between 
mirth  and  anger,  but  involuntarily  broke  into 
laughter,  and  called  a  sailor,  to  whom  he  gave 
the  order  to  transport  the  little  fellow,  with 
all  his  trumpery,  belov/,  between  decks,  where 
his  berth  was  prepared  for  him.  The  naturalist 
put  a  good  face  on  a  bad  business,  while  Mr, 
Daily  lent  a  helping  hand,  and,  with  remark- 
able ofhciousness,  assisted  him  in  arranging  his 
quarters.  In  this  manner  they  were  brought 
into  close  personal  contact,  and  had  time  and 
leisure,  by  degrees,  to  enter  more  and  more  into 
conversation  with  each  other,  although  it  would 
have  been  difficult  lor  the  naturalist  to  become, 
as  the  expression  is,  "  better  acquainted"  with 
his  travelling  companion.  In  fact,  the  learned 
man  troubled  his  head  very  little  about  the 
clerk,  as  he  was  no  beetle,  and  therefore  did  not 
particularly  interest  him. 


B-#s^^^^^**^ 


CHAPTER    IV. 


THE    UNITARIAN. 


While  these  intermediate  scenes  of  embarka- 
tion, were  passing  on  board  the  Nordstjernan,  it 
was  not  less  lively  on  board  the  Argentine  man 
ot  war,  La  Caza. 

The  second  morning  watch,  including  the 
time  from  four  o'clock  in  the  morning,  until 
eight,  had  passed  by  before  the  expected  cutter, 
or  a  shallop  with  the  required  crew,  was  any 
where  to  be  seen. 

Mr.  Tumble,  the  commander,  appeared  on  the 
quarter  deck,  after  having  been  waked  to  break- 
fast by  the  steward.  He  was  one  of  those  broad 
shouldered  figures,  whose  heads  sit  so  close  upon 
their  bodies  that  the  blood  easily  mounts  into 
them,  while  the  expression  of  his  round  face, 
"  cut  with  a  coarse  chisel  out  of  soft  sandstone," 
presented  a  perpetual  declaration  of  war. 

Mr.  Tumble  generally  sailed  ou  the  waves  of 


inflated  eelf-conceit  under  a  full  wind  of  bru- 
tality, whereby  men  in  similar  posts  impose  upon 
their  inferiors,  and  require,  as  a  tribute  of  duty, 
the  respect  which  would  otherwise  be  denied  to 
them.  The  commander,  Mr.  Tumble,  belonged 
to  the  great  class  of  men  who  ofi'er  little  for 
their  most  intimate  associates  to  love  or  respect ; 
whose  deeds  of  selfishness  and  meanness  draw 
upon  them  universal  contempt,  while  they 
themselves  live  under  the  mistake,  that  they 
command  universal  respect.  These  imposing 
men  are  generally  surrounded  by  creatures 
whose  studied  demeanor  manifests  this  dutiful 
respect,  without  which  they  would  evidently 
prejudice  their  own  interests.  On  the  other 
hand,  men  of  the  world  are  often  officially  tbrced 
into  contact  with  them,  who  possess  sufficient 
tact  to  adapt  their  behavior  to  them,  without 
disturbing  the  illusion  of  these  "  highly  respected 
and  universally  prized"  men  ;  an  attempt  which 
would  be  in  itself  as  impossible  as  thankless. 

The  greater  the  obligation,  in  the  social  rela- 
tions, which  compels  persons  who  are  brought 
into  contact  with  a  man  occupying  a  position 
like  the  above,  to  manifest  a  certain  outward  re- 
spect, the  more  difficult  would  it  be,  to  infuse  into 
his  mind  doubts,  or.'%ven  a  suspicion  that  this 
respect  does  not  proceed  from  "  esteem,"  but  is 
merely  the  maintenance  of  external  forms.  Such 
an  intimation  would  be  as  useless  as  fruitless, 
and  would,  besides,  be  lost  upon  the  egotism 
of  the  "  respected  man."  The  natural  conse- 
quence would  be  a  heavy  dose  of  official  bru- 
tality against  the  friend  who,  from  a  noble  mo- 
tive, should  dare  to  disturb  such  a  happy  illu- 
sion— to  raise  the  veil  from  before  the  fatal  re- 
ality— whereby  he  would  only  injure  himself, 
and  serve  no  other  person. 

Two  elements  of  the  world's  erreat  theatre  set 
aside  this  so  called  universal  "  public  or  per- 
sonal respect"  of  a  man,  as  unnecessary.  The 
two  elements  are  :  business  and  subordination, 
neither  for  the  one  nor  the  other  of  tliese  pur- 
poses, does  the  man  generally  require  this  article, 
where  these  elements  are  replaced  by  others — 
for  business  by  credit,  and  for  subordination  by 
rank. 

Respect,  founded  on  moral  worth,  disappears 
by  the  tendency  of  the  civilization  of  our  century, 
in  proportion  as  the  "  worth  of  man,"  in  some 
countries,  is  estimated  according  to  rank,  title, 
and  external  dignity  ;  in  others,  according  to  the 
measure  of  money  ;  and  sometimes  by  both  to- 
gether. Whoever  possesses  one  or  the  other  of 
these  qualifications,  will  trouble  himself  very 
little  about  "  personal  esteem,"  the  article  in 
question,  since  he  does  not  at  all  require  it  for 
the  maintenance  of  his  position.  At  this  point 
we  encounter  a  universal  evil  of  our  time ;  an 
inevitable  result  of  so  called  civilization,  which 

excludes  the  idea  of  a  sense  of  honor. 

Capt,  Tumble  drew  his  old  ash-gray  "  south- 
wester"  (which,  in  consequence  of  long  service, 
might  have  passed  for  the  original  hat  of  Jim 
Crow)  farther  over  his  right  ear,  cast  a  criticising 
glance  at  the  rigging  and  deck,  and  then  upon 
the  midshipman  of  the  watch.  He  gave  a  half- 
dozen  orders  in  a  thundering  voice,  and  at  a 
breath,  which  the  midshipman  would  certainly 
have  given  had  they  been  necessary,  or  if  the 
time  for  them  had  arrived.  The  young  office! 
repeated  each  order  separately,  in  the  customaij 


58 


DOLORES. 


seaman's  intonation,  and  with  the  rapidity  which 
their  execution  allowed.  The  commander  drew 
his  telescope  to  a  locus,  with  a  dissatisfied  air, 
and  stepped  to  the  bulwark  to  observe  the  cutter 
and  a  shallop,  which  showed  themselves  in  the 
far  distance,  steering  for  the  Caza.  At  the  end 
of  half  an  hour,  during  which  the  officers  had 
breakfasted,  and  the  fragmentary  crew  had  re- 
ceived their  rations,  both  sails  had  come  along- 
side of  the  Caza,  and  offered  a  singular  spectacle 
in  their  cargo  of  living  creatures,  (food  for  the 
cannon  of  the  Orientals.)  Besides  the  people 
who  served  to  man  the  cutter  and  shallop,  a 
variegated  mixture  was  presented,  of  "  forced 
passengers,"  of  various  ages,  from  the  boy  to  the 
graybeard,  and  with  as  great  variety  of  character 
and  nationality. 

As  great  as  was  the  contrast  of  individuality 
in  this  "  muster-roll  of  neglected  children,"  from 
the  remotest  corners  of  the  earth,  who  were  now 
treated  by  fate  in  such  a  stepmotherly  manner, 
there  was,  nevertheless,  a  certain  general  ex- 
pression predominating  throughout  the  entire 
intricate  picture,  composed  of  every  degree  of 
wretchedness,  want,  grief,  anxiety,  discontent, 
and  despair,  whose  colors  were  blended  with 
each  other,  and  presentet^a  most  tragical  view 
to  the  feeling  observer. 

More  speedily  than  Dr.  Merbold  had  left  his 
shallop  for  the  deck  of  the  Nordstjernan,  did  the 
future  defenders  of  the  Argentine  republic  arrive 
on  board  the  Caza,  on  the  quarter  deck  of 
which,  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  mainmast, 
the  ship's  clerk  had  arranged  his  table,  with 
paper  and  writing  materials,  in  order  to  make 
out  an  inventory  of  the  captured  machines  and 
blind  tools,  while  the  midshipman  who  com- 
manded the  cutter  went  up  to  the  commander, 
and  handed  him  several  documents,  which  were, 
in  a  certain  degree,  to  be  considered  as  a  "  bill  of 
lading"  of  the  delivered  articles. 

Senor  Enero  ■  undertook  the  conduct  of  the 
inspection,  and  a  scene  took  place  similar  to  the 
recruiting  muster  of  Falstaff',  the  details  of  which 
would  overstep  the  prescribed  limits  of  this 
novel.  The  officer  caused  the  floating  troop  to 
be  arranged  into  four  divisions,  in  order  more 
readily  to  assign  to  each  individual  the  future 
employment  for  which  his  fate  had  destined  him. 
The  divisions  were  as  follows :  Volunteers, 
who  had  announced  themselves  as  willing  to 
serve  in  the  marine ;  and  these,  again,  were 
divided  into  the  two  classes  of  sailors  and  ma- 
rines. The  last  class  embraced  some  who  had 
already  served  as  soldiers  on  shore,  or  had  learned 
the  use  of  arms.  The  volunteers  were  to  be  en- 
titled to  several  dollars  bounty  money,  from 
which  a  boatswain,  who  conducted  a  recruiting 
party  in  the  city,  had  already  made  advances  to 
release  one  and  another  out  of  some  public 
house,  where  they  had  pledged  themselves  and 
their  travelling  bundles.  Besides  these,  ap- 
peared the  third,  and  certainly  the  most  nume- 
rous class,  of  so  called  criminals,  individuals 
who,  under  pretence  that  they  were  dangerous  to 
society,  were  placed  for  the  present  in  safe 
custody.  This  class  embraced  all  the  "disor- 
derly fellows,"  taken  up  in  their  frolics  out  of 
the  gutters  and  thrown  into  prison,  with  Unita- 
tarians — men  who,  from  their  feeling  and  enthu- 
siasm for  freedom  and  fatherland,  had  become 
suspicious  and  "  dangerous  to  church  and  state." 


The  fourth  class  consisted  of  natives  of  the 
republic,  subject  to  military  duty,  who  were 
obliged  to  serve  out  their  time,  by  land  or  by 
sea,  as  defenders  of  their  country,  or  rather  as 
servants  of  Rosas. 

Besides  these  divisions,  the  recruiting  boat- 
swain, who  conducted  the  transport,  thrust  for- 
ward two  individuals,  who,  strictly  speaking, 
fell  into  neither  of  these  categories,  whom  he  had 
"picked  up"  quite  accidentally,  just  before 
the  embarkation. 

To  avoid  confusion  afterwards,  these  two  were 
first  examined.  The  one  was  a  tall,  herculean 
fellow,  with  coarse  hair,  of  a  color  between  ver- 
milion and  chrome  yellow,  which  sported  in  friz- 
zled locks,  and  a  weatherbeaten  face.  A  deep 
fold  was  formed  on  his  singularly  strong,  muscu- 
lar neck,  whenever  he  held  up  his  head,  with  a 
sort  of  independent  carriage,  which  seemed 
peculiar  to  him.  He  wore  a  simple  "  sailor's 
negligee :"  wide  sailcloth  pantaloons,  and  a  gar- 
ment (which  the  overstrained  morality  of  certain 
countries  will  not  allow  to  be  named)  of  un- 
bleached calico,  with  a  blue  sailor's  collar,  and 
white  trimmings.  These  two  pieces  of  clothing 
formed  his  whole  attire.  At  the  small  leather 
girdle  above  his  hips,  which  protected  his  "  inex- 
pressibles from  mischance  or  downfall,  hung  the" 
remnant,  or  rather  back  of  a  buckhorn  handled 
knife,  very  nearly  worn  out  by  length  of  service 
To  a  piece  of  sailyarn,  strung  around  his  solid 
neck,  dangled  a  small  octave  flute,  the  holes 
of  which  were  so  near  to  each  other  that  it  must 
require  a  twofold  art  to  play  upon  the  instrument 
with  such  clumsy  fingers  as  those  of  its  owner 
Hat,  barret,  cap,  stockings,  shoes,  or  boots,  wera 
out  of  the  question. 

The  neglected  son  of  the  muses  sustained 
himself  with  his  back  'against  the  mainmast,  with 
an  evident  difficulty  to  conceal  the  exertion  that 
it  cost  him  to  maintain  a  suitable  posture  before 
the  officer  without  balancing. 

To  the  question  about  his  name  and  country, 
he  replied  with  the  utmost  significance  of  ex- 
pression : 

"  My  name  is  Patrick  McCafTray,  but  the  la- 
dies cadi  me  Pat  Gentleboy,  your  honor.  I  am  an 
irishman  by  birth,  a  little  drunk  by  accident, 
and  an  American  by  principle." 

An  involuntary  shout  of  laughter  from  the 
officers  near  the  clerk,  called  the  commander 
from  the  hinder  part  of  the  ship,  to  the  group, 
where  he  only  saw,  in  the  manly  form  of  the 
newly  arrived  person,  a  "  brilliant  acquisition  for 
his  Caza." 

Mr.  Tumble  now  began,  in  good  English,  a 
private  examination  of  Patrick,  at  whose  an- 
swers he  was  as  little  able  to  restrain  his  laugh- 
ter as  before. 

It  transpired,  by  degrees,  that  Pat  Gentleboy 
was  tiventy-nine  years  old,  and  had  been  to  sea 
twenty-one  years;  that  he  had  served  a  long 
time  in  the  British  navy,  and  five  years  on  board 
a  United  States  corvette,  which  had  discharged 
him  in  Monte  Video  according  to  documents  ia 
the  best  form,  which  he  carried  in  a  rusty  round 
tin  box  near  his  flute. 

"  You  are  a  fifer,  as  I  see  .'  inquired  the  com- 
mander, in  continuation  of  his  examination. 

"  Yes,  your  honor,  fifer  by  profession,  and 
Catholic  by  religion.  Many  an  anchor  has  been 
raised  by  this  life,  I  assure  your  honor,  and 


DOLORES. 


many  capstans  have  been  manned  after  it  in 
dade  ;" — and  thereupon  Patrick  Gentleboy  put 
his  miniature  instrument  to  his  lips,  and  blew, 
in  the  clearest,  shrillest  notes  that  had  ever 
sounded  above  the  murmur  of  the  waves,  and 
with  undeniable  skill,  the  well  known  Irish 
melody,  "  My  love  is  on  the  ocean,"  accompany- 
ing, as  it  were,  the  trills  and  runs  with  heart  and 
soul,  gazing  fixedly  in  the  air,  and  keeping  the 
most  exact  time  on  the  planks  with  his  bare 
foot. 

A  hearty  applause  on  the  part  of  the  officers 
followed  the   last,  masterly  executed   passage 
whereupon  Senor  Enero  whispered  in  the  clerk's 
ear  : 

"  Set  him  down  in  thelist  of  voluntaries,  with 
five  pesos*  bounty  money." 

Patrick,  who  understood  the  words  "  volunta- 
rios"  and  **  pesos,"  excused  himself,  and  spoke 
Vfith  peculiar  seriousness : 

"  Cinco  pesos  .'  good  !  very  good  !  I  have 
nothing  agin  that,  but  not  as  Voluntario.  I  beg 
your  honor's  pardon  !  I  am  not  here  as  volunta- 
rio, but  as  a  land  traveller,  as  a  passenger 
your  honor.  It  is  my  intention  to  travel  to  Rio 
Negro,  where  I  have  a  brother,  a  carpenter,  your 
honor.  He  lives  there  in  a  little  town  or  vil- 
lage on  the  coast.  IVIy  brother's  name  is  Tom, 
your  honor !  Patrick  is  my  name — Patrick 
Gentleboy — and  by  no  manes  a  voluntario  !  But 
if  your  honor  plazes  to  give  me  the  cinco  pesos, 
God  bless  your  honor,  and  may  the  heavens  be 
your  bed  !  I  will  accept  thim  for  travelling  ex- 
pinces  with  plaisure.  And  you  may  write  all 
that  in  the  book,  Mr.  Officer!  if  you  plase  !  Pat- 
rick Gentleboy — musicianer — Irishman  by  birth 
— and  above  all,  if  you  honor  would  plase  to  put 
down  the  name  of  the  place  where  my  brother 
lives,  for  I'm  afeared  I've  lost  the  bit  of  paper 
where  I  had  it  written  down." 

Captain  Tumble  laughed  heartily,  and  en- 
deavored, with  great  success,  to  translate  this 
original  request  of  the  Irishman,  verbatim,  into 
good  Spanish. 

"  No  mistakes,  your  honor,"  continued  Pat- 
rick, in  the  matter  of  voluntaries;  I  am  no 
voluntario  at  all,  at  all !  I'm  an  American  by 
principle,  and  this  here,  as  far  as  I  see,  this  here 
is  a  Rosas  ship,  an  'Ar-gentile'  man  of  war  ;  isn't 
it,  your  honor  ?  and  I'm  by  no  manes  willing. to 
act  agin  my  principles!  by  no  manes  at  all,  at 
all  !  note  that  in  your  book  :  Patrick  Gentle- 
boy— passenger— American  by  principle.  Does 
your  honor  understand  ?  No  mistakes ;  for  my 
brother  is  expectin'  me  on  the  coast  of  Patagonia. 
No  mistakes,  your  honor  !" 

The  officers  lingered  as  long  by  this  volunteer 
against  his  will,  as  the  urgency  of  the  time  per- 
mitted, and  then  handed  him  over  for  the  pre- 
sent to  the  steward,  for  an  extra  breakfast, 
against  which  Patrick  Gentleboy  had  "not  the 
least  objection  in  the  world." 

They  waited  now  for  the  other  individual, 
whom  the  boatswain  brought  forward  with  the 
following  account. 

"  This  man  I  found  to-day,  while  I  was  waiting 
for  the  transport ;  he  sat  in  a  boat  by  the  shore, 
and  twanged  on  his  guitar  the  cursed  Spanish  tune 
of  freedom,  by  Rigas  or  Riego,  however  the 
Bong  may  be  called,  and  muttered  words  to   it 


•  Dollars. 


that  induced  me  to  arresAim  and  bring  him  on 

board." 

All  eyes  were  now  directed  to  the  prisoner. 
He  was  a  young  man,  apparently  about  thirty- 
years  old,  of  a  middling  size,  and  weak  frame — 
whose  features,  furrowed  by  suffering  and  grief, 
were  evidently  stamped  with  the  proud  serious- 
ness of  Spanish  nationality,  which  his  whole 
person  indicated. 

He  wore  black  nether  garments,  a  velvet  spen- 
cer, with  buttons  which  had  once  been  gilt,  a 
broad  Pyrenean  or  Basque  bonnet,  with  a  long 
tassel  fastened  under  the  chin,  an  old  threadbare 
cloak,  or  mantle,  thrown  over  his  shoulders,  and 
in  his  right  hand  a  Spanish  mandoline. 

"  Your  name .'"  inquired  Senor  Enero,  with  a 
certain  air  of  consideration,  in  consequence  of 
the  impression  that  his  appearance  made  upon 
him. 

"  Alvarez  de  la  Barca,"  replied  the  prisoner, 
looking  his  interrogator  boldly  in  the  eye. 

"  A  Spaniard,  then  .'"  said  the  other. 

"  A  South  American,"  replied  Alvarez. 

"  Where  were  you  born  .'" 

"  In  Corrientes." 

Enero  continued,  while  the  clerk  wrote  down 
the  answers  : 

"  What  is  your  standing,  your  profession  ?" 

"  Aristocrat  among  democrats;  compositor  by 
profession." 

Singular  as  this  answer  might  seem  in  itself, 
no  one  dared  laugh  at  it,  since  the  undeniable 
dignity  of  the  prisoner  suppressed  the  sense  of  ' 
the  comic. 

"  Were  you  ever  in  military  life  ?"  asked 
Enero. 

"  A  volunteer  in  the  well  known  '  bataillon  de 
la  Blouse,'  at  Barcelona,"  replied  Alvarez,  with- 
out allowing  an  emotion  of  his  mind  to  be  visible. 

"  What  song  were  you  singing  this  morning, 
when  the  boatmen  met  you  .'" 

"  A  republican  hymn,  a  South  American  song 
— fragment  of  the  Elegias  de  la  Plata." 

The  officers  looked  at  one  another  with  an  ex- 
pression of  surprise. 

"  Sing  the  song  again,"  ordered  the  captain. 
"Sing  it!"  cried  he,  louder,  while  a  scornful 
smile  distorted  his  mouth;  "  I  wish  to  hear  it,  as 
a  sample  of  Unitarian  poetry.     Sing  on  !" 

"  Do  you  then  desire  that  I  should  sing  the 
fragment .'"  asked  the  prisoner. 

The  commander  reiterated  his  order,  and  the 
South  American,  after  preluding  some  passages 
upon  his  instrument,  raised  his  powerful  bari- 
tone voice  in  an  air  similar  to  that  of  the  famous 
hymn  of  Riego,  and  sang  the  following  strophe : 

*"  The  waves  of  La  Plata  are  beating 

Outhe  shore — anil  with  horrors  they're  gone  ; 
Streams  of  blood  there  its  waters  were  meeting, 
Through  the  crimes  of  the  tyrant  thereon  1" 

"  What !"  cried  Codo,  whose  royalist  princi- 
ples had  sufficiently  declared  themselves  during 
the  quarterdeck  promenade  of  the  foregoing 
night :  "  how  do  you  dare  to  sing  such  a  song 
here,  on  board  the  Caza .'" 

"  I  ordered  it,"  interrupted  the  commander, 
in  a  harsh  voice  ;  "  1  wish  to  hear  the  song;  do 
not  disturb  him." 

The  singer  had  continued  his  accompaniment. 


•  Free  imitation  of  the  Spanish  origiaal. 


60 


DOLORES. 


without  noticing  the  interruptiim,  while  Patrick 
Gentleboy  liad  returned  in  a.1  haste  from  the  for- 
ward deck,  and  accompanied  the  air  in  a  mas- 
terly manner,  with  his  picolo  flute. 

With  increasing;  animation,  during  which  a 
deathly  jjaleness  overspread  his  noble  features, 
the  South  American  sang  the  following  stanzas, 
without  being  again  interrupted : 


"  The  flowing  of  time's  ceaseless  torrent, 
From  the  Pampas  the  tyrant  would  stem  ; 
With  ivalls  and  with  ramparts  abhorrent, 
Its  course  he  would  willingly  hem. 

His  ramparts  with  corses  are  gory  ; 

The  dams  are  cemented  with  lilood-, 
And  the  hangman,  so  runs  the  sad  story, 

Lacks  stones  to  encumber  the  Hood. 

From  the  high  sunny  hills  in  the  distance, 

La  Plata  bears  freedom's  idea 
To  a  people  whose  future  existence, 

In  the  union  of  nations  will  be! 

In  the  rush  of  her  waves  is  her  greeting. 
Their  movement  is  harmony's  might, 

Although  rulers  the  nation  are  cheating, 
Its  sj-mpathy  goes  with  the  right. 

The  waves  of  La  Plata  shall  nourish 
For  Rosas  contempt,  while  they  run  ; 

Though  hirelings  the  praises  may  flourish      , 
Of  the  Pampas^  degenerate  son.  ^ 

Let  Rosas  then  he  well  attended, 
Grow  rich  at  the  cost  of  the  state  ; 

Though  by  strangers  and  priests  he's  defended, 
Yet  vengeance  shall  be  his  sure  fete. 

The  hero  by  flatt'rers  surrounded. 
Ingulfed  in  time's  current  shall  be; 

His  name  as  a  by-word  be  sounded, 
The  scorn  of  the  brave  and  the  free 

When  nations  are  writing  their  story 
Of  tyrants  with  blood-spotted  fame, 

Let  each  traitor  who  shines  in  such  glory 
Be  called  K05AS — a  curse  be  his  name." 


The  effect  of  the  different  verses  upon  the 
minds  of  the  officers,  and  upon  that  portion  of 
the  crew  who  were  more  or  less  able  to  under- 
stand the  signification  of  the  words,  rose  above 
all  expression,  with  the  accompaniment  which 
filled  up  the  pauses  of  the  song,  while  the  singer, 
evidently  carried  away  more  and  more  by  his  en- 
thusiasm, brought  forth  all  the  strength  of  his 
thrilling  voice,  in  accordance  with  the  depth  of 
feeling,  with  which  he  pronounced  the  words. 

Patrick  Gentleboy,  although  not  particularly 
conversant  with  the  Spanish  language,  had 
placed  himself  directly  oppoiite  the  singer,  and 
outdid  himself  in  an  able  accompaniment  to  the 
refrain,  the  more  the  singer's  expression  of  coun- 
tenance, as  it  were,  brought  him  out  of  his  .drunk- 
enness and  electrified  his  fingers. 

The  effect,  however,  upon  the  various  minds 
of  the  officers,  reached  its  crisis  with  the  last 
strophe,  and  it  would  be  a  fruitless  attempt  to 
describe  it  here. 

"  Infamous  Unitarian  !"  cried  Senor  Codo,  as 
the  last  words  had  scarcely  left  the  singer's 
trembling  lips  ;  "  infamous !  and  you  dare  here, 

on  board .'"     Throwing  himself  upon  him 

with  these  words,  he  unsheathed  his  dirk,  and 
would  have  seized  the  unfortunate  man  by  the 
cravat,  but  Enero  sprang  between  the  two,  and 
turned   the  blow  aside,  crying  loudly,  "Jus- 


tice ! — and  no  murder  ! — ^back  !  back  !  who  gave 
you  orders  ? 

"  Fair  play  !  fair  play  !  gintlemen  ;"  cried 
Patrick  who  suddenly  dropped  his  flute,  and 
seizing  the  daring  Unitarian,  covered  him  with 
his  colossal  body,  when  the  commander  sprang 
forward,  and,  by  his  loud  orders,  assembled 
r-ound  him  a  dozen  of  his  crew. 

'  Seize  that  Irishman  !"  roared  he,  foaming 
with  rage,  and  leave  the  Unitarian  to  me;  I 
will  despatch  him  myself  !" 

Hardly  had  he  spoken  these  words,  when  Pat- 
rick Gentleboy  was  overpowered  by  several 
stronghanded  sailors,  and  the  unfortunate  Alva- 
rez stood  exposed  to  the  arbitrary  powers  of  the 
British  hireling  of  Rosas. 

'  Miserable  Unitarian  !"  growled  he,  with  ir- 
repressible rage,  and  seizing  him  with  a  ner- 
vous arm,  he  dragged  him  to  the  bulwark,  and 
pitched  him  overboard  with  his  mandoline. 

"  Do  not  reach  any  thing  to  him,  let  him 
drown  !"  shouted  he  to  the  sailors  in  the  shal- 
lop which  had  brought  a  part  of  the  forced  vol- 
unteers on  board,  "  do  not  touch  him  ;  let  the 
hound  drown !  the  Unitarian  dog  !" 

Out  of  breath,  and  still  trembling  with  savage 
emotion,  he  went  back  to  the  quarterdeck, 
while  a  deathlike  silence  ensued,  and  no  one 
dared  to  look  overboard,  for  fear  of  manifesting 
a  curiosity  which  might  be  ascribed  to  personal 
sympathy  for  the  unfortunate  man. 


CHAPTER   V. 

THE  ESCORT   ON   BOARD. 

Mr.  John  Walker  accompanied  his  son  to  the 
place  of  landing  and  departure,  where  a  sailing 
shallop  lay,  ready  to  take  the  captain  of  the 
Nordstjernan  on  board  his  vessel,  his  own  boat 
having  taken  the  Senora  Dolores,  the  night 
before,  from  the  country  house  of  the  Briton  to 
the  brig. 

Captain  Finngreen  appeared  under  the  friendly 
attendance  of  Mr.  Lund,  a  ship  chandler's  clerk, 
wTio  gave  him  his  company,  for  which  his  prin- 
cipal had  already  taken  a  per  centage  in  his 
account.  Mr.  Limd,  formerly  a  student  in  Up- 
sala,  had  been,  like  so  many  Europeans,  led 
to  South  America  by  the  caprice  of  fortune, 
where  he,  for  the  time,  laid  by  his  jurisprudence, 
and  had  assumed  the  provisionary  occupation  in 
which  we  see  him. 

"  When  I  see  the  heads  which  are  stuck  on 
the  grating  of  the  Plaza  del  Victoria  there," 
remarked  the  captain,  as  he  encountered  Mr. 
Walker  and  his  son,  "  my  heart  becomes  heavy, 
and  I  feel  inclined  to  have  my  own  head  insured 
before  1  cast  anchor  in  the  stream  yonder.  The 
executioner  appears  here  to  be  the  prime  minis- 
ter of  your  Director  or  Dictator,  as  you  call  your 
Gobernador." 

"  That  he  is,  indeed,"  said  Mr.  Lund,  smiling' 
"  and  red  is  not,  without  reason,  the  favorite 
color  of  Rosas." 

"That  color  has  made. many  a  cloth  dealer 
rich,"  interrupted  Mr.  Walker,  wliile  his  son's 
effects,  and  the  last  articles  sent  from  the  ship 


DOLORES. 


61 


dianrtler's,  were  arranged  in  the  shallop ;  "  and 
for  ail  that,"  continued  he,  leaninghis  head  on 
one  3ide,  and  closing  one  eye,  as  usual,  "  for  all 
that,  this  is  a  very  liberal  government;  the  most 
free  in  the  world.  We  can  here  do  and  follow 
what  we  will ;  pursue  commerce  as  much  as  we 
choose,  if  we  leave  politics  alone,  shave  the 
beards  smooth  under  our  chins,  and  wear  a  red 
vest,  or  even  anything  else  that  is  red.  I  desire 
no  better  government  than  that  of  Rosas.  If  the 
Unitarians  will  stake  their  heads,  I  cannot  help 
it  ;  whoever  wishes  to  get  rid  of  his  head,  meets 
with  prompt  attention  here.  But  merchants, 
like  us,  do  not  easily  '  lose  tlieir  heads'  here.  Do 
you  understand  me,  gentlemen  ?" 

Mr.  Walker  accompanied  his  wit  with  a  hearty 
laugh,  and  handled  his  watch  key. 

"  Rosas  was,  also,  a  merchant  himself,  as  I 
hear,"  added  Captain  Finngreen ;  '*  he  must  un- 
derstand traffic  well  to  buy  men,  as  he  is  accus- 
tomed to  do." 

"Certainly,"  replied  Mr.  Lund;  "he  was 
clerk  to  a  mercantile  house  in  this  city,  and  that 
is  no  disgrace  to  him.  That  he  understands 
how  to  do  business,  he  shows  plainly  enough  ; 
he  does  it  well ;  he  keeps  in  with  the  merchants, 
because  he  knows  that  they  are  not  easily  excited 
to  rebellion ;  and  he  says  to  the  lower  classes, 
*  you  are  free,'  and  they  ai-e  so  stupid  as  to  be- 
lieve it.  He  keeps  in  with  the  priests,  who 
preach  to  the  people,  '  ye  ohall  be  in  subjection 
to  the  magistrates ;'  and  the  priests  here  water 
the  plant  of  stupidity  diligently,  with  holy  water. 
Whoever  is  independent,  and  no  merchant,  is 
abhorred  by  him,  for  he  fears  the  patriotism  and 
disinterestedness  of  such  men ;  he  calls  them 
XJnitarios,  causes  them  to  be  beheaded  or  shot, 
if  they  do  not  save  themselves  by  flight,  and 
confiscates  their  property,  which  he  shares  with 
his  favorites,  who  know  how  to  use  money  as 
well  as  he  does  himself" 

"  But  he  is,  withal,  a  wisehead,  a  '  clever  fel- 
low,' who  understands  how  to  govern,"  asserted 
old  Walker ;  "  but  he  was  never  a  'merchant,'  only 
a  clerk ;  only  a  clerk  !"  At  these  words,  he  drew 
up  his  head  for  an  instant,  from  his  right  shoul- 
der to  an  upright  position,  and  continued,  "  Ro- 
sas was  born  and  brought  up  among  his  father's 
cattle  in  the  pampas,  and  came  to  Buenos  Ayres 
a  calf,  and  became  a  clerk,  and  soon  afterwards 
entered  as  a  volunteer  into  the  party  war,  and 
in  the  extermination  of  the  aborigines,  showed 
bravery,  and  became  a  chief  And  when  he 
had  a  thousand  men  under  his  command,  he 
became  general ;  and  as  general,  military  chief 
of  the  republic  ;  and  then  Supreme  Director  or 
Goberrnado " 

"  And  was  very  liberal  when  he  first  came  to 
the  government,"  said  the  ship  chandler's  clerk, 
"  He  talked  of  enlightenment  and  the  edu- 
cation of  the  people,  and  a  free  press  and  the 
like,  until  the  priests  took  him  to  school,  and 
the  Jesuits  from  Spain  taught  him  the  secret  of 
governing  like  a  tyrant,  and  passing  for  liberal 
before  the  world.  That  is  the  history  of  our  Ro- 
8aa,  captain,"  added  he,  after  a  pause,  "  and  so 
far  as  I  know  from  Gazettes  and  books,  the  his- 
tory of  most  rulers  in  Europe.  He  follows  the 
method  of  many  discreet  heads,  who  wear  the 
crown,  and  relinquish  the  executive  power  to 
the  executioner." 

The  unpretending  clerk's  sound  common  sense 


very  justly  indicated  the  position  of  Rosas  in  this 
explanation,  and  partly  unravelled  the  singular 
riddle,  how  it  had  been  possible  for  the  despot  of 
La  Plata  to  assume  such  a  position,  and  maintain 
it  for  so  long  a  time. 

"  But  how  the  people  here  can  allow  them- 
selves to  be  satisfied  with  stlch  treatment,  no  one 
in  Europe  can  easily  understand,"  replied  the 
captain. 

"  And  yet  it  is  very  easy  to  explain,"  returned 
Mr.  Lund,  "  when  you  think  of  the  condition  in 
which  the  people  were,  in  all  parts  of  South 
America,  subject  to  the  oppression  of  the  priest- 
hood, under  Spanish  or  Portuguese  sovereignty, 
under  the  influence  of  the  priests,  and  especially 
of  the  Jesuits,  who,  as  you  see  here,  have  built 
nearly  all  the  colossal  architecture  of  the  coun- 
try. The  Spanish  population  of  this  ancient 
colony  were,  in  a  moral  respect,  entirely  in  the 
hands  of  the  priests,  and  externally  in  slavery  to 
the  government — to  absolute  despotism.  The 
political  developments  of  Europe,  worked 
directly  or  indirectly  to  the  progress  of  things 
here  in  South  America,  and  many  European 
seeds  have  here  grown  and  thriven,  with  remark- 
able rapidity,  to  blossom  and  fruit.  Our  coun- 
try, however,  is  by  no  means  the  first  and  only 
one  where  the  priests  have  known  how  to  avail 
themselves  of  a  certain  '  republican  freedom,'  to 
effect  their  own  purposes,  to  uphold  the  interest 
of  the  ruling  powers,  and  unite  them  with  their 
own,  under  the  pretence  of  maintaining  public 
order.  The  priests  of  all  orders,  after  they  had 
once  obtained  a  firm  footing  here,  and  had  almost 
literally  had  possession  of  all  the  provinces,  did 
not  resign  their  position,  even  when  the  light  of 
freedom,  coming  over  from  Europe,  extended  its 
rays  here,  and  evidently  (we  cannot  deny  it) 
dazzled  the  people ;  like  a  blind  man,  who  is 
pierced  for  the  cataract,  and  seeing  suddenly,  is 
unable  to  distinguish  between  near  and  distant 
objects." 

"  What  the  devil !"  suddenly  exclaimed  old 
Walker,  "  1  thought  you  were  a  shipchandlcr's 
clerk,  and  you  speak  like  a  member  of  parlia- 
ment— or  a  lord  of  the  upper  house !  you  must 
have  studied." 

"  A  little,  Mr.  Walker,"  replied  Mr.  Lund 
smiling,  "  but  I  see  that  our  shallop  is  ready  for 
sailing,  and  I  will,  in  all  haste,  conclude  my 
remarks.  The  priests  would  not  relinquish 
their  position  here,  although  a  part  of  the  popu- 
lation would  no  longer,  as  formerly,  accept  their 
papal  letters  of  credit,  but  often  sent  back  their 
'  bills  of  exchange  on  eternity'  protested.  They 
quietly  sought  to  gain  over  Rosas,  by  making 
him  understand  that  the  despotism,  by  which 
alone  he  sustains  himself,  cannot  subsist  without 
the  aid  of  the  so  called  '  church.'  Church  and 
state  here,  also,  formed  an  alliance,  and  Rosas 
became  the  instrument  of  the  priests,  while  he 
retains  the  illusion  that  he  uses  the  priests  as 
instruments  tor  the  maintenance  of  '  public  or- 
der,' a  plant,  as  we  see  here,  plentifully  wa- 
tered with  blood,  and  for  the  growth  of  which 
corpses  are  used  as  manure.  And  now,  captain, 
farewell ;  a  happy  voyage  to  you." 

The  former  student  from  Upsala  hastily  gave 
his  right  hand  to  Captain  Finngreen,  while  old 
Mr.  Walker  as  hastily  seized  his  left,  and  over- 
come by  a  peculiar  heartiness,  exclaimed,  "  I 
will  pay  you  a  compliment,  Mr.  Lund.     Is  not 


62 


DOLORES. 


ywir  name  Land  ?  No,  1  will  not  pay  you  a  com- 
pliment ;  I  am  not  fond  of  compliments,  as  you 
must  know,  I — I  have  respect  for  you,  all  re- 
spect. It  is  a  pity  you  are  not  an  Englishman. 
Your  qualifications  would  open  a  career  before 
you,  a  brilliant  career  !  by  my  soul !  But  how 
came  you  in  a  ship  chandler's  shop  !  I  should 
lilie  to  Icnow.' 

"  The  ways  of  fate  are  not  always  direct," 
returned  jMr.  Lund ;  "  besides,  I  find  my  acquire- 
ments very  convenient  in  my  position  as  clerl< 
in  a  ship  chandler's  store,  since  I  can  serve  as 
interpreter  in  three  or  four  languages,  and  be- 
come useful  to  many  captains  as  well  as  to  my 
principal,  without,  in  my  apprehension,  degra- 
ding myself  in  the  least,  or  having  any  thing 
with  which  to  reproach  my  conscience." 

Very  honorable  !  very  honorable  on  your  part," 
observed  Mr.  Walker.  "If  you  ever  wish  to  bet- 
ter yourself,  to  increase  your  salary,  come  to  me." 

Mr.  Lund  returned  hearty  thanks  for  this  of- 
fer, while  Captain  Finngreen  interposed  the  re- 
quest that  he  would  accompany  him  on  board, 
adding,  "  You  can  and  must  give  one  more  proof 
how  useful  you  can  become  to  a  captain.  I  have 
still  to  pass  the  man  of  war  there,  and  if  ves- 
sels are  not  generally  hailed,  it  may  yet  be  the 
case  to-day  that  something  of  the  kind  may  oc- 
cur to  me ;  and  then,  too,  I  am  still  uncertain 
whether  the  two  boxes  are  sent  from  on  board. 
You  know,  Mr.  Walker,  what  1  mean  .'  Come  on 
board  with  me,  Mr.  Lund.  In  case  the  two 
boxes  are  still  there,  you  shall  at  least  witness 
that  I  throw  them  overboard." 

"  It's  all  right !  all  right,  captain,"  returned 
Mr.  Walker,  smiling,  "  I  have  already  sent  out 
my  McGaul,  an  hour  ago ;  the  boxes  are  dis- 
posed of;  rely  upon  it.  But  go  on  board  with 
nim,  for  all  that,"  continued  he,  returning  to  the 
clerk  ;  "  do  the  captain  that  favor,  at  my  request. 
I  will  call  at  your  store,  and  inform  your  princi- 
pal that  I  have  made  it. 

"  No,  indeed,"  returned  Mr.  Lund  ;  "  why 
should  I  not  go .'  I  accompany  so  many  captains 
on  board,  that  my  principal  finds  it  quite  in 
order." 

Mr.  Walker  now  took  leave  of  Captain  Finn- 
green  and  his  son,  but  he  had  no  tears  of  emotion 
at  his  disposal,  since  he  did  not  allow  himself 
an  overflow  of  feeling,  which  would  disturb  his 
Dusiness,  and  was  not  the  fashion. 

"  Now,  Bob,  my  boy  !"  he  at  last  exclaimed, 
••  farewell !  take  notice  of  my  *  Private  Instruc- 
tions ;'  read  them  over  to-day,  when  you  are 
comfortably  on  board  ;  and  read  them  often,  very 
often  ;  act  by  them,  live  by  them,  as  a  gentleman, 
a  Briton,  and  a  Walker." 

Bob  Walker  was  just  stepping  into  the  cart 
which  was  to  convey  him  on  board  the  shallop, 
when  some  one  tapped  old  Mr.  Walker  on  the 
shoulder. 

"  Good  morning.  Signer'  Testa ;  come  state. 
Signer'  ?"  he  exclaimed,  as  loudly  as  before, 
to  the  gentleman  who  had  saluted  him.  It 
was  Mr.  Joseph  Testa,  the  Italian  from  Pata- 
gonia, whom  we  observed,  the  evening  before, 
at  the  coffee  house.  "  I  can  give  you  the 
exchange  on  Genoa  that  you  desired  ;  you  can 
despatch  it  immediately.  It  is  all  right.  Come 
with  me,  if  it  suits  you.  You  came  quite  apropos, 
Signor'  Testa,  as  if  you  had  been  _  sent  for.  I 
have   a  secret  lor  you.     You  arc  my  man.     1 


thought  of  you  last  night.  Come  along."  All 
these  fragments  flowed  in  such  haste  from  Mr. 
Walker's  lips,  that  the  Italian  found  no  oppor- 
tunity for  reply. 

"  All  very  well,  Mr.  Walker,"  interrupted  he, 
at  length  ;  "  but  I  have  first  something  here  for 
Signor'  Roberto.  Here,  Signor'  Bob,"  said  he, 
turning  to  the  young  Mr.  Walker,  while  he  hur- 
ried to  the  cart,  and  delivered  him  a  letter, 
"  here  is  a  letter  to  one  of  your  fellow  passen- 
gers, Mr.  Hinango.  It  contains  a  letter  of 
introduction  to  our  friend  Horatio,  and  to  your- 
self. I  desire  that  this  traveller  may  be  con- 
sidered by  you  all  as  my  friend  and  countryman. 
He  was  not,  to  be  sure,  born  in  Italy,  but  my 
fatherland  acknowledges  him  as  a  son.  Intro- 
duce him  to  our  Horatio,  and  farewell." 

The  worthy  Bob  promised,  with  hearty  good 
will,  to  take  the  best  care  of  the  letter,  and 
thanked  the  Italian  for  thus  procuring  him  an 
agreeable  acquaintance ;  whereupon  the  other 
spoke  to  him  for  some  time  in  a  low  voice ;  he 
then  took  leave  of  his  papa,  and  hurried  off. 

"  Farewell,  BoU,  my  boy  !  God  bless  you  ! 
Write  to  me  soon  from  Rio.  Pleasant  voyage !" 
cried  Mr.  Walker,  after  him,  while  he  seized 
Signor  Testa  under  the  arm,  drew  him  along 
with  him,  and  whispered  in  his  ear — 

"  You  are  a  good  Catholic — are  you  not .'  You 
can  go  into  a  monastery  without  difliculty ;  not 
as  a  monk — I  do  not  desire  that — I  will  not 
persuade  you  to  celibacy — but  with  a  secret  to 
the  monastery  up  there — that  one  there.  Come 
with  me,  first,  into  my  cabinet." 

Signore  Testa  followed  the  eccentric  old  man, 
without  obtaining  time  to  thank  him  for  the  ar- 
rangement of  the  e.xchange.  Mr.  Walker  ap- 
peared happy  to  be  once  more  in  possession  of  a 
secret,  and  one,  too,  of  so  much  importance  that 
he  dared  not  speak  of  it  in  the  public  streets,  in 
the  lightest  whisper.  He  forcibly  drew  along 
by  the  arm,  the  confidant  who  had  appeared  as 
if  "  sent  for,"  as  an  English  steamer  tows  an 
Italian  bark  up  the  Thames ;  and  they  soon 
disappeared  amid  the  throng  in  the  Calle  del 
Victoria. 


'^^^^■4'S&^^^*^*^ 


CHAPTER  VI. 

BELIVEKANCE   AND  MEETING. 

The  shallop  steered  for  the  brig  Nordstjernan, 
which  lay  about  a  mile  from  tlie  war  brig.  La 
Caza,  in  such  a  direction  that  her  course  would 
carry  her  past  the  latter. 

The  three  men  in  (he  stern  talked  about  wind, 
and  weather,  and  war,  and  executions,  while  a 
favorable  breeze  hastened  their  voyage. 

Mr.  Robert  Walker  furnished  his  two  compan- 
ions with  cigars,  and  added  the  request  that  they 
should  keep  them  lighted,  that  he  might  kindle 
another  by  them  before  they  came  on  board,  be- 
cause the  wind  would  render  it  difficult  or  im- 
possible to  light  a  match  on  the  way.  They 
were  already  past  the  Caza,  the  distance  of  two 
long  rifle  shots,  when  they  descried  an  object  on 
the  waves,  which  suddenly  fixed  their  atf-^ntion 
It  was  a  person  swimming, who,  from  til'      j  time. 


DOLORES. 


63 


held  up  something  round  above  the  water,  (which 
a  sailor  pronounced  to  be  a  large  shovel,)  giving 
himself  up  at  one  time  to  be  the  sport  of  the 
waves,  bv  allowing  himself  to  be  borne  along  by 
them,  and  then  striking  out  and  swimming  again. 
The  natural  impulses  ofhumanitywere  aroused  in 
the  most  lively  manner,  in  the  breast  of  each  man 
in  the  shallop,  and,  without  a  word  of  concert, 
the  boat  was  steered  towards  the  singular  appear- 
ance. It  was  no  one  else  than  the  unfortunate 
Alvarez  de  la  Barca,  enfeebled  by  prolonged  and 
powerful  exertion,  into  a  kind  of  apathy,  a  tran- 
sition state  to  utter  exhaustion — to  death.  To 
find  a  man  in  such  a  condition  in  the  stream, 
and  to  consult  whether  they  should  save  him 
by  taking  him  into  the  shallop,  never  occur- 
red to  them.  But  the  boatmen  bestirred  them- 
selves the  more  to  rescue  the  drowning  man, 
when  they  came  near  to  him,  and  IVIr.  Lund  re- 
cognsied  in  him  an  acquaintance,  though  not 
very  intimate. 

"  JVIy  God  !"  exclaimed  Mr.  Lund,  "  that  is 
certainly  the  guitar  teacher,  who  was  lately  at 
our  store,  seeking  a  passage  for  Bahia  !  I  know 
him  by  his  velvet  spencer,  with  yellow  buttons  ; 
and  he  has  even  yet  his  instrument  in  his  hand  !" 

While  Mr.  Lund  was  saying  these  words,  the 
boatman  threw  a  rope  to  the  drowning  man,  and 
tried  to  bring  the  shallop  near  to  him.  He  had 
harcfly  strength  to  hold  the  rope  with  both  hands, 
until  a  sailor  caught  him  by  the  collar  of  his 
spencer,  and  hastily  drew  him  into  the  boat. 
Since  he  had  entered  the  Caza,  the  band  of  the 
guitar  had  been  slung  round  his  neck,  whereby 
the  instrument,  more  accidentally  than  inten- 
tionally, had  remained  united  to  his  fate,  and  had 
partly  served  him,  as  a  kind  of  oar,  until  it  became 
filled  with  water,  when  it  had  assumed  the  shovel 
movement,  (which  the  sailor  had  noticed  at  a 
distance,)  as  he  occasionally  emptied  it  of  its 
liquid  contents.  Young  Mr.  Walker  hurried  to 
open  his  medicine  chest,  which  stood  hear  him, 
among  his  other  baggage,  and  it  required  all  the 
dilligence  of  his  rescuers  to  bring  the  unfortun- 
ate man  out  of  danger,  and  to  the  consciousness 
of  his  earthly  existence. 

"  How  in  the  world  did  you  come  to  be  in  the 
water  at  this  distance  from  the  shore  ?"  inquired 
Mr.  Lund.  "  Did  you  fall  overboard  from  some 
vessel .'  I  suppose  you  will  hardly  know  me.'  I 
took  you  lately  to  a  Danish  captain,  who  was 
bound  for  Bahia." 

Alvarez  stared  at  the  Swede  a  long  while,  and 
then  at  all  the  other  persons  in  the  shallop  in 
turn,  and  finally  appeared  to  become  conscious 
of  his  situation,  and  to  remember  the  clerk.  He 
emptied  a  glass  of  Madeira  wine,  which  Captain 
Finngreen  held  to  his  lips,  and  began  his  reply 
in  a  low,  feeble  voice  : 

"  I  remember  you  very  well,  sir,  and  I  thank 
you  again  for  your  former  kindness  to  me  ;  by 
and  by,  perhaps,  I  shall  find  words  to  thank  you 
all,  gentlemen,  for  my  rescue,  though  it  is  yet 
to  be  seen  whether  death  or  life  be  the  greatest 
benefit  to  me.  May  I  beg,"  said  he,  suddenly 
interrupting  himself,  and  turning  to  one  of  the 
boatmen ;  "  may  I  beg  you  to  dry  out  my  man- 
doline very  carefully,  if  it  is  not  already  unglued, 
and  then  lay  it  in  the  shade." 

The  sailor  to  whom  this  request  was  addressed 
hastened  to  fulfil  it,  while  the  singer,  with  his 
feeble  voice,  continued  to  answer  the  above 


questions,   and  the  shallop  flew  towards  the 

Nordstjernan. 

"  Then  you  remember  me,  and  perhaps  zs 
much  of  my  circumstances,  likewise,  as  I  con- 
fided to  the  captain  in  your  presence,  I  could 
find  no  employment  as  a  printer  here  in  Buenos 
Ayres,  for  I  was  proscribed  as  a  Unitarian,  and 
no  one  would  compromise  himself  by  employing 
me.  As  a  teacher  of  the  guitar,  I  required  re- 
commendations. My  treasury  stood  at  sixty-five 
pesos — so  I  sought  a  passage  to  Bahia,  although 
that  sum  Was  hardly  sufficient  for  it.  In  order  to 
save  my  money  for  the  voyage,  I  was  obliged  to 
lodge  at  a  miserable  public  house,  where  the 
charges  were  low.  Some  rascals  who  stayed 
there,  suspected  or  observed  my  intentions,  and 
although  I  put  my  purse  under  the  straw  bed  at 
night.  It  was  stolen  from  me.  I  was  now  driven 
to  despair,  and  was  in  constant  danger  of  being 
apprehended  as  a  Unitarian.  I  passed  the  last 
night  under  the  open  sky  ;  and,  sure  enough, 
was  arrested  this  morning  by  a  press  gang  for 
Rosas'  navy.  Think  what  you  will  of  me,  when 
I  assure  you  that  I  preferred  death  to  such  a  ser- 
vice— to  fight  agamst  my  political  friends.  I 
found  an  opportunity,  as  I  expected,  to  end  my 
life — or,  in  the  strange  contradiction  of  my 
feelings,  to  save  my  life — to  regain  my  freedom, 
and  live  hereafter  as  a  Unitarian.  I  was  takerj 
on  board  the  vessel,  the  man  of  war  there.  The 
commander  ordered  me  to  sing  the  song,  of  which 
the  officer  of  the  press  gang  had,  this  morning, 
heard  a  few  passages,  which  I  was  repeating  to 
myself,  as  a  sort  of  morning  prayer.  I  knew  my 
situation,  and  calculated  on  the  consequences  of 
such  a  song.  They  were  verses  from  the  '  Ele- 
gias  de  La  Plata.'  I  selected  those  which  were 
most  bitter  against  the  tyrant.  I  had  scarcely 
ended,  before  a  dirk  was  drawn  upon  me ;  it  was 
held  back,  and  in  a  second  the  commander,  with 
his  own  hands,  pitched  me  overboard  with 
astonishing  dexterity.  Although  at  first  I  made 
no  effort  to  save  myself,  the  stream  lifted  me  up 
on  its  waves.  I  was  born  on  this  river,  and  am 
a  practiced  swimmer  from  childhood.  Contra- 
dictory feelings  arose  within  me.  Providence 
does  not  yet  seem  to  require  my  death.  I  find  my- 
self here,  tolerably  well — I  still  live — and  there 
is  a  God — and  his  will  be  done  !" 

A  long  pause  followed,  during  which  the  three 
men  in  the  stern  of  the  shallop  looked  thought- 
fully at  each  other,  and  involuntarily  considered 
about  the  immediate  disposition  of  the  rescued 
man.  Captain  Finngreen,  who  was  sufficiently 
acquainted  with  Spanish  to  catch  the  sense  of 
the  relation,  was  the  first  to  break  silence,  while 
he  fixed  his  eyes  earnestly  upon  Mr.  Walker 
and  Mr.  Lund,  saying  in  an  under  tone  : 

"  A  singular  situation,  in  which  this  unfortu- 
nate man  has  placed  us,  without  intending  it. 
We  cannot  throw  him  overboard  again — he  can 
as  little  go  back  to  Buenos  Ayres  with  you,  Mr. 
Lund ;  he  must  go  on  board  with  me ;  and  we 
may  rest  assured  that  the  longboat  of  tlie  cursed 
brig  there,  will  be  directly  steered  for  the 
Nordstjernan,  to  reclaim  him,  and  then  they 
will  be  led  to  entertain  other  suspicions,  and 
molest  my  cabin  passengers  ;  and  1  would  gladly 
shield  your  sister  from  such  visits,  Mr.  Walker." 

A  long  silence  again  followed,  during  which 
Mr.  Lund  found  himself  in  peculiar  perplexity, 
from  not  knowing  whether  lie  oug'.it  to  appear 


Gl 


DOLORES. 


cognizant  of  a  secret,  about  which  the  captain 
had  confidentially  consulted  with  him,  before  he 
had  asireed  to  the  request  of  Mr.  Walker  to  take 
the  lady  on  board  as  passenger. 

"  I  take  it  for  granted,  captain,  that  you  have 
made  your  countrynian,  Mr.  Lund,  acquainted 
with  tlie  circumstances  of  my  sister,  so  far  as 
my  f.itliev  imparted  them  to  you  ?"  at  last  began 
Mr.  Walker,  who  had  read  in  the  countenance  of 
his  third  companion  what  was  passing  in  his 
mind.  He  spoke  these  Words  in  a  very  low 
voice,  on  account  of  the  presence  of  the  boat- 
men, upon  whose  discretion,  very  naturally,  he 
could  not  count,  in  case  they  understood  Eng- 
lish. 

"  Mr.  Lund,  my.confidential  friend,"  answered 
the  captain,  "  knows  as  much  as  myself  in  re- 
lation to  your  sister,  Mr.  Walker  ;  but  since  we 
can  only  speak  of  the  affair  among  ourselves, 
we  must  get  on  board  ;  and  this  poor  man  must 
go  with  us — come  what  will.  In  no  country  of 
tire  world  does  there  exist,  according  to  my 
knowledge,  a  law  which  forbids  taking  a  man 
out  of  the  water  when  he  is  in  danger  of  drown- 
ing. Whether  I  may  save  a  man's  life  by  receiv- 
ing him  on  board  as  a  passenger,  is  another  ques- 
tion, and  we  can  only  talk  about  it  on  board." 

The  captain  now  turned  to  Alvarez,  as  if  he 
had  not  been  speaking  of  any  thing  important  to 
his  friends  ;  and  asked  him,  with  manifest  sym- 
pathy, how  he  felt. 

The  unhappy  man,  who  appeared  sunk  in  deep 
reflection  upon  his  present  situation,  declared 
that  he  was  quite  well  physically,  and  asked 
where  the  vessel  was  bound  to  which  the  shal- 
lop was  making  its  way,  and  when  it  set  sail. 

The  captain  named  his  place  of  destination, 
with  the  remark  that  he  should  weigh  anchor, 
and  go  to  sea  immediately,  in  case  the  wind, 
which  now  appeared  favorable,  "  held,"  and 
would  carry  him  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  river. 
A  glance  of  the  persecuted  Unitarian  said  more 
than  it  would  have  been  possible  for  his  tongue 
to  express. 

"  I  have  a  request  to  make  to  you  captain,"  he 
began,  after  a  fresh  pause,  while  his  lips  moved 
as  if  the  muscles  of  his  organs  of  speech  refused 
to  obey  the  will.  "  I  have  a  request  to  make  to 
you,  captain,  but  I  can  only  speak  it  when  I  am 
on  boai'd  with  you  ?  May  I  go  on  board  with 
you  .'" 

In  this  last  question  lay  evidently  the  with- 
held request,  as  little  as  it  might  have  been  his 
intention  to  utter  it  so  plainly. 

"  We  shall  soon  be  on  board,"  replied  the 
captain,  with  a  sailor's  brevity.  "  Come  up 
with  us,  and  at  least  take  something  warm,  as 
Boon  as  possible,  if  it  is  only  a  cup  of  tea  or  cof- 
fee. It  will  do  you  good,  and  then  we  will  talk 
of  the  rest.  Here  !"  said  he,  to  the  crew  of  the 
shallop  "  here  is  a  little  drink  money,  for  the 
lengthening  of  our  passage  while  you  were  pick- 
ing up  this  unfortunate  man ;  for  the  deed  it- 
self, of  saving  his  life,  God  will  reward  you;  if 
I  were  rich,  I  would  also  offer  you  something." 

With  these  words  he  handed  the  master  of  tlie 
shallop  a  gold  piece,  whereupon  Mr.  Walker 
took  out  his  purse,  and  gave  them  double  the 
sum,  for  the  moment  already  forgetting  his  fa- 
ther's admonition  in  relation  to  generosity.  The 
design  of  securing  the  boatmen  on  their  side,  in 
case  they  fell  in  with  the  mercenaries  of  Rosas, 


governed,  undoubtedly,  the  conduct  of  both,  es- 
pecially as  the  situation  of  the  young  lady  on 
board  the  Nordstjernan  had  become  more  dan- 
gerous, apart  from  the  feelings  of  humanity 
which  prompted  them  to  the  rescue  of  the  un- 
fortunate Alvarez. 

The  shallop  was  now  beside  the  Nordstjernan. 
The  captain  stepped  on  board,  the  others  fol- 
lowed him,  while  he  gave  orders  to  remove  the 
various  goods  and  effects  from  the  boat,  and  to 
hand  the  boatmen  a  couple  of  bottles  of  wine. 

"  Make  some  good  coffee  for  the  cabin,"  cried 
he  to  the  long  Ottar,  as  he  stepped  upon  the  quar- 
terdeck ;  "  and  now,  gentlemen,  come  with 
me,"  added  he,  turning  to  his  companions,  while 
he  took  the  enfeebled  Alvarez  under  the  arm, 
and  led  him  to  the  cabin  steps.  Hinango  and 
Horatio  stood  among  the  passengers  who  were 
upon  the  quarterdeck,  awaiting  the  captain's  ar- 
rival. Both  had  observed,  through  the  telescope, 
the  rescue  of  a  man  from  the  water,  and  had  in- 
voluntarily taken  a  warm  interest  in  the  scene. 
The  nearer  the  shallop  approached,  the  more 
lively  did  this  feeling  become  in  Hinango,  who 
thought  that  he  beheld,  in  the  person  rescued,  a 
man  whom  he  had  seen  elsewhere,  either  in  re- 
ality or  in  a  dream. 

Such  cases  of  glimmering  recollection,  in 
which,  as  it  were,  we  put  in  requisition  all  the 
powers  of  our  memory,  to  follow  out  some  clue 
of  the  past,  to  the  point  of  contact  with  the  ac- 
tual present,  bring  us  into  a  state  of  reflection, 
as  singular  as  painful.  Remembrance  is  a  mat- 
ter of  sentiment,  of  the  soul ;  memory  is  an  affair 
of  the  understanding.  The  clearness  of  our  im- 
pressions often  becomes  conditional  upon  the 
greater  or  less  excitement  of  feeling,  through 
the  susceptibility  of  the  mind,  at  the  moment 
when  we  receive  them.  Impressions  which  we 
receive  in  the  deptlis  of  our  agitated  souls,  in- 
weave themselves  into  our  very  existence — 
while  others,  which  excited  us  more  superfi- 
cially, are  more  easily  effaced,  and  lose  them- 
selves in  the  background  of  our  perceptions, 
among  the  thousand-fold  appearances  of  the  ex- 
ternal world. 

The  richer  the  life  of  a  man  in  events,  the 
sooner  do  even  the  more  lively  impressions 
which  he  has  received  into  the  depths  of  his  be- 
ing become  confused,  and  he  must  set  aside  a 
mass  tof  "  old  and  new  images  in  the  remem- 
brance chamber  of  his  mind,"  before  he  can  find 
the  impression  of  the  appearance,  whose  search 
has  involuntarily  occupied  him.  This  displa- 
cing and  search  becomes  often  more  difficult  and 
painful  when  the  mind,  at  the  moment  excited 
by  important  events,  is  receiving  deep  impress- 
ions, whose  images  glitter  in  all  the  liveliness 
of  their  colours  on  the  foreground  of  the  percep- 
tion, and  preferably  occupy  us. 

Hinango  not  only  felt  that  he  had  actually 
met  the  stranger  somewhere,  whose  life  had  just 
been  saved,  but  there  arose  within  him  a  faint 
remembrance  that  he  had  held  intercourse  with 
him  at  some  eventful  period, where  and  whenever 
it  might  have  been.  „  Musing  more  and  more, 
without  finding  a  clue  which  could  lead  him, 
through  the  labyrinth  of  his  past  life,  to  any  spot, 
where  the  meeting  had  taken  place,  and  at  length 
despairing  at  the  fruitless  exertion  of  his  powers 
of  retrospection,  he  already  experienced  a  sensa- 
tion of  physical  suffering  in  the  nerves  of  hif 


DOLORES. 


,'S* 


65 


brain,  as  Mr.  Kossbriick  suddenly  drew  near  him, 
and  accidentally  blew  the  smoke  of  a  genuine 
Manilla  cigar  by  his  nose. 

Whether  the  olfactory  organs  of  men  are  most 
closely  connected  with  those  fibres  of  the  brain, 
through  which  the  nerves  e.\tend  whose  spiritual 
fluid  operates  as  memory,  or  whether  some  other 
impenetrable  mystery  of  nature  is  the  source  of 
a  train  of  thought  whieh,  at  times,  places  us, 
with  the  speed  of  an  electro-magnetic  conductor, 
in  one  or  another  scene  of  the  past,  when  an 
odour  excites  us  which  we  there  perceived  with 

fieculiar  liveliness  ?  Be  that  as  it  may,  it  he- 
ongs  to  the  researches  of  physiology. 

Scarcely  had  Hinango  felt  the  lightest  breath 
of  the  Manilla  smoke,  when  he  found  himself 
suddenly  placed  in  a  dilapidated  monastery  in 
Catalonia,  in  a  spacious  cl'U,  severely  wounded, 
and  saw  a  physician  near  him,  who  blew  the 
smoke  of  a  Manilla  cigar  in  his  nose,  thereby 
recalling  him  to  life;  while  a  comrade  of  his 
famed  "  Bataillon  de  la  Blouse"  had  hold  of  his 
right  liand,  and  cried  out,  in  a  joyful  tone,  "  He 
lives  !" 

Just  then  Alvarez,  with  the  captain,  was  ap- 
proaching the  entrance  to  the  cabin,  passing 
Hinango,  when  the  latter,  as  if  struck  by  light- 
ning, still  inhaling  the  Manilla  perfume,  as  sud- 
denly stepped  up  to  the  rescued  Unitarian,  gazed 
intently  in  his  eyes,  and  under  profound  mental 
agitation,  cried  out  to  him,  "  He  lives!" 

The  effect  of  this  exclamation,  accompanied 
by  the  appearance  of  a  human  form  so  suddenly 
stepping  before  him,  as  if  out  of  the  grave  of  the 
past,  very  naturally  produced  a  shock  in  the 
nervous  oj'ganization  of  the  sufferer. 

As  if  dazzled,  Alvarez  gazed,  with  quivering 
eyelids,  upon  the  countenance  of  the  man  from 
whom  these  words  were  directed  to  him,  but 
quickly  attained  the  consciousness  of  recol- 
lection, and  involuntarily  exclaimed,  "  Capitan  ! 
Dio3  y  Humanidad  !"  It  was  the  watchword 
of  that  night,  from  before  whose  scenes  the  cur- 
tain was  now  rolled  up  to  the  unrestricted  per- 
ception of  memory. 

"  Come  quickly  with  us  into  the  cabin !" 
whispered  Captain  Finngreen  in  the  ear  of  Hi- 
nango, who  thereupon  followed  the  three  men 
who  had  brought  his  comrade  on  board. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

THE    TWO    RIVALS. 

We  return  on  board  of  the  Argentine  war  brig 
La  Caza.  The  death-like  silence  which  fol- 
lowed the  intended  (and  to  all  appearance  ful- 
filled) murder,  was  interrupted  by  the  continu- 
ance of  the  inspection  of  the  recruits,  though 
the  clerk  addressed  his  questions  in  a  somewhat 
subdued  voice  to  the  individuals  who  came  in 
turn  before  him.  The  commander  still  puffed 
and  fumed,  in  apparent  transports  of  rage, 
walking  up  and  down  on  the  quarterdeck  ;  and 
then,  hastily  drawing  his  telescope  to  a  focus,  he 
directed  his  attention  to  the  shallop  which  was 
steering  for  the  Swedish  brig.  The  rapid 
novement  of  the  stream  had  already  carried 

9 


the  victim  of  his  savage  fury  to  a  considerable 
distance.  At  the  same  moment,  when  he  had 
perceived  the  object  of  his  scrutiny,  it  appeared 
to  him,  as  if  a  luiman  head  raised  itself  out  of 
the  waves,  and  then  suddenly  disappeared  be- 
hind the  shallop  whose  sail  partly  concealed  the 
movements  of  the  people  on  board  of  it. 

"  One  of  the  recruits  desires  to  have  the 
honor  of  confiding  to  you  something  of  impor- 
tance. Captain  Tumble,"  said  Codo,  who  had 
quietly  approached  him. 

"  What  does  the  fellow  want.''  grumbled  he, 
without  removing  the  glass  from  his  eye, "  prob- 
ably some  excuse  to  leave  the  ship,  I  know 
such  important  matters  of  old." 

"  He  intimates,"  returned  Codo,"  that  he  is 
able  to  give  information,  concerning  the  author 
of  the  '  Elegias  de  La  Plata,'  for  whose  head  it 
is  known  a  reward  is  ofi'ered." 

"  Show  him  the  yard  there,"  replied  the  com- 
mander, surlily  "  and  ask  him  if  he  wants  his 
neck  stretched .'  if  he  wishes  to  have  a  rope 
around  it,  and  swing  there  .'" 

"  He  seems  certain  of  being  able  to  give  up 
the  author,  or  the  authoress,"  returned  Codo. 

"  Could  it  be  a  woman  ?  Do  you  mean  the  au- 
thoress of  the  Elegies,  of  which  the  wretch 
there  lately  sung  some  verses  !"  inquired  the 
commander,  a  little  more  attentive. 

"  So  far  as  I  have  understood,  he  means  the 
authoress  of  these  Elegies,"  returned  the  other, 
"  but  he  requires  to  return  to  the  city,  to  a  po- 
lice officer,  to  register  his  deposition. 

"  To  return  to  the  city  .'  there,  you  see !  'tis 
all  nonsense,"  grumbled  the  commander ;  "  the 
fellow  is  afraid  of  the  sea  air,  and  has  the  can- 
non fever,  that  is  all." 

"  He  speaks  English,  besides,"  continued  Co- 
do,  "  and  desires  nothing  farther  than  to  speak 
with  you  alone." 

"  Does   he   speak    English  .'"    inquired   Mr.     Jt 
Tumble,  taking    his  glass  under  his  arm,  and 
suddenly  giving  his  entire  attention  to  the  offi- 
cer's account. 

"  He  says  he  is  a  literary  gentleman,  from 
Buenos  Ayres,  in  a  condition  to  give  the  best 
referenees,  upon  influential  English  families 
there.  He  asserts  that  he  was  apprehended  en- 
tirely by  accident,  without  the  least  fault  on  his 
part." 

"  Let  the  fellow  come  this  way,"  said  Mr. 
Tumble.  Codo  disappeared — and  after  some 
moments  Perezoso  stood  on  the  quarterdeck^ 
trembling  like  an  aspen  leaf,  while  the  glance 
of  the  captain  passed  from  his  head  to  his  feet. 

"  Who  are  you  .'  and  what  do  you  want .'"  said 
Mr.  Tumble  to  him.  "  What  have  you  to  say  to 
me  ?" 

The  literary  gentleman  approached  the  com» 
mander  as  nearly  as  his  extreme  fear  would  per- 
mit, that  he  might  speak  to  him  in  the  lowest 
possible  tones,  from  a  needless  precaution,  lest 
his  companion  and  rival,  Serior  Falsodo,  who 
stood  far  from  him,  by  the  foremast,  sliould  over- 
hear him. 

He  answered  the  first  questions  concerning  hb 
person  and  position,  with  all  brevity,,  in  a  falter- 
ing voice,  for  Senor  Codo  had  not  failed  to  whis- 
per some  words  in  his  ear  about  the  "  yard  "  an(J 
"  rope  around  his  neck,"  and  "  dangling ;"  and 
the  fate  of  the  guitar  singer  floated  before  hia 
eyes. 


66 


DOLORES. 


The  brutality  of  the  commander  diminished 
propcrtionably,  the  more  fluently  the  prisoner 
continued  to  speak  English,  though  with  a  Span- 
ish accent. 

After  he  had  heard  the  introduction  to  a  dis- 
closure, the  object  of  which  was  in  itself  of  so 
much  inportance,  he  beckoned  the  literary  gen- 
tleman to  follow  him,  and  retired  to  his  cabin. 

Before  he  descended  the  stairs,  he  called  to 
the  first  lieutenant,  "  Keep  an  eye  on  the  shal- 
lop, yonder  !  send  an  officer  to  her  !  I  wish  to 
know  whether  they  have  drawn  the  Unitarian 
dog,  dead  or  alive,  out  of  the  water  ?  If  they  have 
rescued  him,  and  taken  him  on  board  the  Swede, 
he  must  be  brought  from  there ;  if  not — if  the 
dog  is  entirely  dead,  the  shallop  may  pass." 

"  I  will^o  myself,  and  meet  the  shallop,"  re- 
turned Senor  Enero,  and  ordered  the  Spanish 
royalist  to  take  his  place  in  the  inspection. 

The  captain  disappeared  with  Perezoso.  Codo 
placed  himself  near  the  clerk,  and  made  a  re- 
mark about  the  official  diligence  of  the  lieuten- 
ant, who  very  wisely  made  no  reply. 

Enero  stepped  into  a  boat  with  twelve  oars, 
and  steered  in  the  direction  of  the  Nordstjernan, 
while  the  shallop,  which  had  already  discharged 
her  passengers  and  their  effects,  now  sailed 
towards  him. 

The  mustering  of  the  "  instruments  and  tools" 
for  the  maintenance  of  despotism  on  the  river 
La  Plata  went  forward,  under  the  guidance  of 
Codo,  who  would  certainly  rather  have  com- 
manded the  boat,  for  various  reasons.  The  re- 
cruits passed  in  review,  one  after  the  other,  and 
many  who  had  no  red  riband,  or  did  not  wear  some 
red  thing  or  another,  were  sharply  examined. 

"  What  is  your  name  .'"  inquired  the  clerk,  of 
a  little  fellow,  dressed  in  black,  with  a  broad 
brimmed  straw  hat,  who  came  next  in  order. 

"  Ignatius  Loyola  Falsodo,"  replied  the  pris- 
oner. 

"  What  are  you  .'  what  is  your  profession  ?" 
"  I  am  an  Agent  of  police,  in  the  service  of 
government,  and  have  a  special  report  to  make 
to  the  Chief  of  the  Police  Department.  I  attend 
the  Unitarian  there,  who  has  gone  into  the 
captain's  cabin.  I  apprehended  him  last  night  in 
front  of  the  prison  in  which  the  traitor  Alphonso 
lay,  who  was  shot  this  morning.  I  had  made 
the  discovery  that  the  plan  was  laid  to  free  him. 
I  maintained  my  incognito  towards  this  Unita- 
rian, because  I  was  on  special  service.  You 
understand  me,  gentlemen ;  the  police  must 
sometimes  wear  a  mask,  to  go  to  work  more 
surely.  I  know  that  this  Unitarian,  Perezoso  by 
name,  stands  in  intimate  connexion  with  the 
friends  of  Alphonso,  and  has  assisted  in  the  dis- 
semination of  the  damned  '  Elegias  de  La  Plata.' 
What  step  he  is  now  taking  to  get  on  shore 
again,  in  what  manner  he  is  seeking  to  delude 
and  outwit  the  commander,  I  can  only  suspect. 
As  concerns  myself,  I  retpiire  to  remain  here 
on  board  as  a  prisoner,  to  write  a  report  to 
Borrachezo,  a  commissary  of  police;  it  will 
then  be  confirmed  that  I  am  in  the  service  of 
government,  and  I  shall  be  recalled  to  further 
duty  in  the  city." 

Codo  heard  this  announcement  with  peculiar 
interest,  and  not  without  surprise.  "  Step 
aside,"  said  he  to  the  police  spy ;  he  then  beck- 
oned to  a  midshipman  to  take  his  place  at  the 
inspection,  and  huiried  down  into  the   com- 


mander's cabin.  He  found  Mr.  Tumble  in 
earnest  conversation  with  Perezoso,  which  had 
lost  the  form  of  a  hearing,  and  taken  that  of  a 
secret  conference,  in  which  the  subordinate 
situation  of  the  literary  gentleman  was  set  aside 
by  the  importance  of  the  disclosures. 

Codo  asked  pardon  of  the  commander  for  dis- 
turbing him,  and  whispered  some  words  in  his 

ear. • 

Thereupon  Captain  Tumble  sprang  up,  in 
great  agitation,  from  his  seat,  and  with  the  vio- 
lence peculiar  to  him,  exclaimed,  "  It  is,  then, 
true,  as  I  at  first  suspected,  and  the  fellow  was 
in  the  way  to  lead  me  thoroughly  astray.  Wait 
now,  you  dog !  the  rope  is  spun  for  you  already  I" 
"  Will  you  permit  me  to  put  some  questions 
to  the  prisoner  here,  to  arrive  at  the  truth  the 
sooner  ?"  said  Codo,  interrupting  the  pause, 
during  which  the  commander  had  become  lost  in 
reflection. 

"  Ask  him !"  he  replied,  as  morose  and  brief 
as  usual,  and  threw  himself  back  upon  the  sofa, 
looking  with  a  tiger's  glare  at  the  faithful  parti- 
san of  Rosas,  who  was  in  danger  of  being  des- 
patched as  a  Unitarian. 

"  Do  you  know  a  man  named  Falsodo  ?"  in- 
quired Codo  of  the  prisoner,  who,  through  this 
interruption,  and  the  violent  agitation  of  the 
captain,  had  nearly  lost  all  selfpossession.  Less 
than  ever  did  the  muscles  of  his  organs  of  speech 
comply  with  the  urgency  of  the  occasion.  With 
a  quivering  under  lip,  he  replied,  hesitatingly, 
"  I  only  know  him  according  to  his  position — no 
further.  I  stand  in  no  further  connexion  with 
him." 

"  And  what  is  the  position  in  which  you  know 
him .'" 

"  He  is  known  as  a  police  spy — well  known," 
stammered  the  poor  devil,  not  thinking,  in  his 
deadly  anxiety,  that  this  title  would  here  be  the 
best  recommendation  he  could  give  to  his  op- 
ponent. 

"  As  a  police  agent,  you  would  say,"  ex- 
claimed Codo,  now  casting  as  triumphant  a  look 
at  the  commander,  as  if  he  had  captured  an  ene- 
my's corvette.  "  Is  any  further  confirmation 
required,  sir?"  continued  he;  "does  he  not 
himself  state  in  whose  company  he  came  on 
board  ?" 

"Unheard  of!  shameful!"  exclaimed  Mr. 
Tumble ;  "  and  to  circumvent  me  with  such 
cunning.  Me  !  To  endeavor  to  bring  me  upon 
his  side !  Let  the  police  officer  come  down 
here." 

Codo  flew  up  the  cabin  steps,  and  before  Pere- 
zoso had  time  to  wipe  oft",  with  his  Rosas-red 
handkerchief,  the  sweat  of  anxiety  which  stood 
in  gmat  drops  upon  his  forehead,  Falsodo 
stoolTdirectly  opposite  to  him. 

The  consciousness  of  displaying  his  official 
diligence  under  the  protection  of  furious  Con- 
federados,  seemed  to  have  removed  in  the  po- 
lice spy  all  hesitation  and  fear,  which  often 
disturbed  him  when  he  found  himself  amidst 
opposing  elements,  as  was  too  clearly  mani- 
fest from  his  conversation  with  Borrachezo,  the 
commissary  of  police,  in  tlie  office  of  old  Do- 
mingo. • 

"  You  are  then  in  the  service  of  government, 
as  police  agent .'"  inquired  the  commander,  look- 
ing him  steadily  in  the  eyes. 
"  For  years,  S'Sor  Commander,  as  my  chief, 


DOLORES, 


G7 


S'nor  Borracliezo  will  confirm,  to  whom  I  wish 
to  send  a  report  from  here."  ■, 

"  And  how  came  you  in  prison,  then  ?" 

"  As  1  had  succeeded  in  disturbing  this  Uni- 
tarian in  his  plan,  and  having  him  arrested,  I 
Wiis  forced  tu  make  up  my  mind  to  pass  the 
night  with  him  in  tlie  guard  house,  that  I  might 
not  lose  sight  of  him  until  I  found  an  opportuni 
ty  to  commit  to  paper  a  report  to  my  chief, 
which  I  have  not  been  able  to  do  until  now. 

"  It  was  past  eleven,  when  we  were  arrested 
My. position  did  not  permit  me  to  mal<e  a  confi- 
dent uf  the  corporal  or  tiie  lieutenant  of  the 
guard.  I  l;new  sufliciently  well  the  mode  of 
proceeding  in  such  cases.  Either  I  should  re- 
main until  to-day  in  the  guard  house,  and  would 
then  have  summoned  a  servant  of  the  police  to 
inform  my  chief  wdiere  1  was,  or  that  must  hap- 
pen which  is  now  the  case :  I  must  find  an  op- 
portunity to  confide  in  some  officer  of  a  higher 
rank.  This  I  have  quietly  waited  for  here, 
while  I  gave  my  prisoner  ample  opportunity  to 
unmask  himself,  inasmuch  as  I  knew,  before- 
iiand,  that  he  would  make  the  attempt,  under 
one  pretence  or  another,  to  go  from  on  board 
and  regain  his  freedom." 

"  Miserable  liar  !''  exclaimed  Perezoso  be- 
tween his  teeth,  while  his  knees  shook,  as  if 
seized  with  an  ague  fit,  and  he  tried  to  sit  down 
in  an  arm  chair,  whose  disjointed  frame  was  al- 
most broken,  and  cracked  under  him. 

"  Stand  up  !"  cried  Codo  to  him  ;  "  prisoners 
do  not  sit  here,  in  the  cabin  of  the  commander." 

Mr.  Tumble  had  listened  with  great  attention 
to  the  spy's  communication,  and  recognised  in  it 
a  certain  appearance  of  probability,  that  seemed 
worthy  of  a  closer  e.xamination. 

"  You  are  then  firmly  convinced  that  this 
Unitarian  stands  in  connexion  with  the  friends 
of  the  traitor,  who,  as  I  hear,  was  shot  this 
morning :"  he  asked,  looking  steadily  into  the 
eyes  of  the  "  police  officer." 

"  I  am  firmly  convinced  of  it,"ansivered  Fal- 
sodo,  more  and  more  encouraged  by  the  official 
protection  of  the  marine  officer.  "  I  am  firmly 
convinced  that  this  Unitarian  is  not  only  en- 
gaged in  a  plot  witli  the  friends  and  coadjutors  of 
the  executed  person,  but  that  he  knows  the  au- 
thor or  autlioress  of  the  infamous  Elegies ;  and 
that  he  can  at  least  be  compelled  to  give  the 
name." 

A  long  silence  again  ensued,  while  all  three 
sought  to  read  tne  impression  of  this  declara- 
tion on  the  countenance  of  the  literary  gentle- 
man, which,  like  a  book  whose  back  is  unglued, 
hardly  held  together,  while  his  gaze  wandered 
about  unsteadily,  and  found  no  resting  place. 

"  1  am  no  Unitarian !"  he  at  length  sighed, 
squeezing  his  red  handkerchief  together  in  a 
ball ;  "  God  knows,  I  am  no  Unitarian  !  I  am  a 
Confederado,  and  a  true  follower  of  our  Regent — 
our  Director.  I  will  do  all  I  am  able  to  come 
upon  the  track  of  the  author  of  the  damned  Ele- 
gies, when  I  am  in  tlie  presence  of  a  func- 
tionary with  whom  I  can  co-operate.  My  life 
is  in  your  hands,  S'nor  Commander.  If  you  choose 
to  end  it  here,  you  make  it  impossible  for  me  to 
operate  for  the  interest  of  the  government  in  this 
matter.     Remember   all   the  particulars  which 

1  gave  you. Do  with   me  what  you  will; 

only  send  me  as  prisoner  on  sliore  to  trial,  since 
what  I  have  to  depose  falls  within  the  provLncc 


of  the  police,  of  the  judiciary,  and  not  of  tho 
marine  department.  Consider  me  Unitarian, 
until  I  can  legally  prove  that  I  am  a  real  Con- 
federado, and  the  truest  servant  of  our  Rosas 
that  ever  wore  his  colors." 

He  drew  a  long  breath,  and  involuntarily  un- 
folded his  red  handkerchief  like  a  flag,  while  the 
sweat  of  anxiety  streamed  out  more  and  more, 
and  required  its  constant  use. 

This  brief  exculpation  confused  the  comman- 
der, with  respect  to  the  position  and  prospects 
of  the  literary  gentleman.  The  blustering  liurri- 
cane  of  his  fury,  wliich  had  threatened  to  over- 
whelm the  lifeboat  of  the  accused,  became 
transformed  into  a  "  stiff  breeze  of  official  duty." 
The  mysterious  cargo  of  the  literary  gentleman 
appeared  to  be  of  some  value,  and  might  be  of 
some  use  to  himself.  From  the  late  declaration 
made  to  him  in  private,  it  seemed  evident  to 
him  that  Perezoso  was  apparently  sure,  on  his 
part,  of  arriving  at  the  discovery  of  the  author 
of  the  Elegies  ;  so  it  very  naturally  remained, 
that  he  would  reveal  his  secret  to  any  one 
through  whom  he  might  be  deprived  of  the  re- 
ward that  was  affixed  to  the  denunciation.  The 
accusation  of  Falsodo  in  regard  to  the  literary 
gentleman's  position  as  a  Unitarian,  might  ap- 
pear well  founded  in  the  eyes  of  the  captain,  as 
in  the  contests  of  the  political  parties  of  our  day, 
it  was  by  no  means  an  impossible  thing  for  a 
person  to  become,  from  self  interest,  a  traitor  to 
his  own  party,  when  a  favorable  opportunity 
should  be  oflered.  In  the  accuser,  P'alsodo,  he 
saw  nothing  but  the  "  respectable  police  agent," 
who  had  maintained  his  incognito  undei'  the  pe- 
culiar circumstances. 

Without  the  floating,  "  wooden  world"  of  his 
vessel,  our  commander  knew  but  little  of  the 
world  and  mankind.  His  contracted  world  was 
the  wooden  district,  with  its  cordage,  copper, 
and  iron,  from  the  maintruck  to  keel,  and  from 
the  flying  jib-boom  to  poop-lanterns.  Officers 
and  crew  were  subjected  to  his  unrestrained 
command,  by  the  fetters  of  subordination  in  the 
element  of  official  duty.  He  exercised  only  ship 
knowledge,  not  the  knowledge  of  mankind. 
Nothing  was  so  foreign  to  him  as  character  and 
heai-t;  the  internal  basis  of  the  man,  from  whose 
rich  or  desolate  soil  his  conduct  proceeds.  He 
recognised  neitlier  noble  nor  base  conduct ;  he 
knew  only,'  Duty.'  Man,  as  man,  never  came  into 
his  consideration,  as  liumanity  was  a  quality  for- 
eign to  his  nature  ;  and  he  very  naturally  could 
not  look  for  that  in  others,  in  which  he  himself 
failed,  and  of  course  he  had  not  the  least  idea. 

Without  entering  into  Talsodo's  notions,  or 
perceiving  liis  contemptible  meanness,  he  saw 
in  him  only  the  *'  officer  on  service,"  and  in  the 
service  too,  of  the  same  government  from  which 
he  so  regularly  received  his  solid  monthly,  and 
which  held  out  to  him  "  brilliant  prospects  of 
advancement.'* 

As  an  officer  on  duty,  he  saw  himself  placed 
accidentally  beside  the  "  clever  and  obedient  po- 
lice officer,"  Ignatius  Loyola  Falsodo,  who  had,  in 
a  manner,  taken  refuge  on  board  of  his  Caza,  in 
order,  under  his  protection,  and  by  his  co-opera- 
tion, to  guard  the  Unitarian  prisoner,  Perezoso, 
and  lead  him  to  the  confession  of  his  secret. 
There  immediately  arose  within  him,  a  demand 
for  official  dilligence,  to  sustain,  to  the  best  of  his 
power,  the  so  called  police  oifioer.     In  the  uos.si- 


68 


DOLORES. 


ble  though  improbable  case,  that  Falsodo  wag 
not  in  the  service  of  government,  (which  might 
soon  be  ascertained,)  he  held  himself,  even  on 
this  supposition,  secure  of  his  person,  and  of 
course,  uo  oversight  of  duty  would  occur  on  his 
part. 

Some  peculiar  circumstances  of  his  voyage  re- 
quired him  to  go  on  shore  again,  to  an  office  of 
the  admiralty.  After  a  brief  consideration  of  the 
importance  of  the  mystery  which  Falsodo  so 
conscientiously  escorted  in  the  captured  life- 
boat of  the  literary  gentleman,  he  resolved  to 
accompany  his  colleague  in  service  to  the  office 
of  the  designated  commissary  of  police,  to  con- 
vince himself,  in  person,  of  the  reality  of  his 
relations. 

While  these  transactions  took  place  in  the 
commander's  cabin,  Senor  Enero  had  approached 
the  shallop  in  which  Mr.  Lund  was  returning 
from  the  Nordstjernan.  After  the  preliminary 
inquiries  upon  which  he  had  received  orders, 
the  lieutenant  found  it  expedient  to  bring  the 
shallop  alongside  of  the  Caza,  that  the  com- 
mander might  himself  receive  the  information 
which  he  had  obtained,  and  that  he  might  be 
relieved  of  all  further  responsibility  in  this 
matter. 

Mr.  Tumble  had  left  the  cabin  with  his  two 
prisoners,  and  had  gone  to  the  quarterdeck, 
where  he  now  waited  for  the  long  boat.  Enero 
stepped  on  board,  and  announced,  in  a  serious 
official  tone,  that  he  had  accomplished  his  er- 
rand. 

"  The  master  of  the  shallop,  and  the  young  man 
in  the  ^ern,  there,  a  ship  chandler's  clerk  from 
the  city,"  continued  he,  "  declare  that  they 
drew  a  man  out  of  the  water,  and  took  him  on 
board.  He  was,  as  they  say,  in  such  a  state  of 
phrensy,  as  led  to  the  suspicion  that  he  had  inten- 
tionally thrown  himself  into  the  stream,  which 
his  further  behaviour  and  his  end  ci>n6rmed. 
He  was  hai-dly  restored  to  consciousness,  before 
he  seized  a  fitting  moment  to  thrust  aside,  with 
the  strength  of  despair,  those  who  had  sur- 
rounded him,  jumped  overboard,  and  sank  to 
rise  no  more.  From  some  words  which  he  mut 
tered  in  his  delirium,  it  appeared  evident  that 
he  took  the  .Swedish  brig  for  a  man  of  war,  and 
the  fear  of  falling  again  into  the  hands  of  the 
Confcdcrados,  moved  him  to  suicide." 

Captain  Tumble  heard  this  report,  like  any 
other,  without  receiving  any  impression  from  it, 
which  did  not  belong  to  the  service,  and  mut- 
tered to  himself — "  The  hardiness  of  his  beha- 
vior here  on  board,  as  a  first  attempt  to  end  his 
life  upon  a  yard  or  in  the  stream,  certainly 
agrees  very  well  with  his  end.  The  fellow  was 
crazy,  like  all  Unitarians,  and  belonged  to  the 
madhouse,  like  them  all.  'Tis  a  pity  that  I  did 
not  first  have  him  tied  over  a  cannon.  He  ought 
to  have  been  soundly  flogged,  before  1  threw  him 
overboard ;  it  is  vexatious  to  think  that  I  neg- 
lected that.  But  I  was  heated,  overcome  by  an 
impulse  of  generosity,  of  humanity,  as  the  Uni- 
tarians call  it.     It  is  a  pity  !" 

"  The  barret  and  guitar  of  the  madman  lie 
there  in  the  shallop,"  remarked  Enero,  with  ap- 
pai-ent  indiflerence,  while  the  commander  cast  a 
glance  at  Falsodo,  whose  presence  warned  him 
of  the  expedition  to  the  police  office. 

"  The  guitar  ?  that  appears  worth  more  than 
the  fellow  himself,"  returned  he,  alter  a  pause ; 


"  let  it  be  brought  up  here — I  know  a  lady  who 
can  use  it," 

"  And  the  barret,  besides  ?"  inquired  Enero, 
in  the  same  tone  as  before,  while  the  "  confisca- 
tion of  the  eilects"  of  the  drowned  man  was 
taking  place. 

"  The  barret .'"  returned  Mr.  Tumble,  while 
he  considered  it  anew ;  "  that  has  great  similar- 
ity with  a  Scottish  Highland  bonnet,  if  it  did  not 
have  that  long  tassel  on  it.  Let  it  ba  thrown 
into  my  cabin  for  the  present." 

"  If  you  mean  to  keep  it  on  board,  Senor  com- 
mander, do  give  it  to  the  Irishman,  the  lifer, 
who  has  nothing  upon  his  head  but  his  fiery  red 
hair,"  said  Enero. 

"  The  Irishman  there,"  said  the  captain,  "  the 
fellow  who  sprang  to  the  assistance  of  the  damned 
Unitarian  ?  what  ails  you  ?  I  would  rather  take 
otf  the  tassel,  and  wear  it  myself."  With  these 
words,  he  snatched  the  barret  from  the  hands  of 
the  boatman  who  had  taken  possession  of  the 
confiscated  property,  and  threw  it  into  his  cabin, 
through  the  skylight. 

"  Is  there  nothing  else  left  on  board,  that  be- 
longs to  the  Unitarian  dog  ?"  he  asked,  while  he 
leaned  over  the  bulwark  and  looked  down. 

'*  Nothing  but  the  wet  place  here  in  the  stern, 
where  we  laid  him  down,"  replied  the  boatman, 
with  an  ironical  smile. 

"  What  passengers  did  yon  take  on  board .'" 
inquired  the  commander,  further. 

"  Only  one,  S'nor  Capitan"  replied  he,  "  a 
young  Englishman  from  the  Calle  del  Victoria." 
Do  you  not  know  his  name .'"  The  boat- 
man looked  at  the  ship  chandler's  clerk,  as  if  to 
intimate  that  he  could  give  the  required  informa- 
tion. 

It  was  Mr.   Robert  Walker,  who  went  on 
board  with  the  captain,"  answered  iVIr.  Lund. 

.43  Seiior  Perezoso  heard  this  name,  the  mus- 
cles of  his  face  were  set  in  motion,  and  he  was 
on  the  point  of  making  a  loud  exclamation  to  the 
captain,  but  his  rival,  Falsodo,  stood  close  to  him, 
and,  as  it  were-  held  the  fibres  of  his  counte- 
nance "under  police  control."  The  possibility 
that  Senora  Dolores  might  sail  with  young  Mr. 
Walker  was  extremely  probable  to  the  literary 
gentleman,  but,  nevertheless,  he  dared  not  take 
any  steps  to  direct  the  attention  of  others  to  the 
Swedish  vessel,  much  less  to  point  out  theauthor- 
ess  of  the  Elegies,  as  long  as  he  remained  under 
a  twofold  arrest,  and  wou'd  thus,  through  the  in- 
trigues of  Falsodo,  lose  all  prospect  of  the  ex- 
pected reward. 

"  What  is  the  name  of  that  Swedish  brig 
there  !"  inquired  the  captain,  without  any  par- 
ticular object. 

"  Nordstjernan,"  replied  Mr.  Lund,  with  a 
movement  in  the  stern  of  the  shallop  as  if  pre- 
paring himself  to  return  to  the  city. 

The  commander  appeared  to  recollect  him- 
self for  a  moment,  and  then  exchiimed,  "  The 
shallop  may  pass  oil!"  and  turned  to  the  lieuten- 
ant, saying,  in  a  surly,  official  tone, "  1  am  going 
ashore  in   the   cutter,  with  these  two  here.     A 

corporal  and  six  men  lor  the  cutter ! choose 

trusty   men   of  our   old  stock.     Codo,  with  the 

long  boat,  to  the  brig  there ! the  passengers' 

passports  must  be  strictly  examined;  the  Isst  of 
their  names  must  betaken. 

"  1  see  the  brig  is  preparing  to  set  sail,"  he 
added,  hastily,  looking    at   the  NordstjernaD. 


DOLORES, 


69 


Lose  no  time,  and  besides,  '  Pronto  para  hacerse 
a  la  vela  !'  ( ready  for  sailing)  before  I  return." 

Codo  received  the  order,  as  a  starving  man 
would  the  order  to  go  to  the  baker  for  bread.  He 
girded  on  his  sword,  stucic  two  pistols  in  his 
^  belt,  and  jumped  into  the  longboat,  at  the  same 
'  time  that  the  commander,  with  his  two  prisoners, 
stepped  into  the  cutter,  and  pushed  off  from  the 
Caza. 


b.#^^^«rf^''<. — 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

OU)   AND   NEW    ACQUAINTANCES. 

The  position  of  Alvarez,  on  board  the  Nord- 
stjernan,  had  increased  to  the  utmost  the  peril 
which  hovered  over  Dolores.  But,  nevertheless, 
the  captain  did  not  for  an  instant  appear  unre- 
solved to  keep  the  unfortunate  man  on  hoard,  if 
possible,  and  became  the  more  confirmed  in  his 
highhearted  purpose,  as  the  meeting  between 
him  and  Hinango  gave  a  sort  of  moral  guarantee 
in  regard  to  the  person  of  the  persecuted  man. 

"You  know  this  man,  then  .'"  inquired  Captain 
Finngreen  of  Hinango,  svhen  they  found  them- 
selves in  the  cabin,  and  he  had  thrown  aside  his 
hat,  for  his  head  was  warm. 

"  I  know  him  as  a  man  of  honor,  as  a  comrade 
in  the  Spanish  war  of  the  revolution,"  asserted 
Hinango, "  and  am,  besides,  under  an  obligation 
of  gratitude  to  him,  for  the  personal  attachment 
and  fidelity  wliich  he  showed  to  me  when  my 
life  was  in  danger." 

"  Well,  then,"  said  the  noble  seaman,  "  we 
must  counsel  together,  how  to  get  him  away, 
how  we  can  hide  him,  for  we  may  be  certain  of 
a  strict  visit  from  the  man  of  war,  there." 

"  That  will  not  long  be  delayed,"  observed 
Mr.  Walker,  "  for  the  commander  of  the  Caza, 
is  an  Englishman,  who  understands  his  duty, 
and  a  diligent  servant  of  our  Don  Juan  Manuel  de 
Rosas.  A  good  deal  depends  upon  which  of  the 
officers  he  sends  to  us ;  I  know  nearly  all  of 
them,  and  have  often  breakfasted  on  board." 

"  So  much  the  better,"  interrupted  the  cap- 
tain, "  but  how  shall  we  hide  thi^  friend  here  .' 
that  is  tlie  question." 

A  long  pause  of  silent  consultation  ensued  ; 
each  seemed  to  meditate  a  plan,  but  to  hesitate 
in  producing  it,  in  the  hope  of  yet  finding  a  bet- 
ter. 

"  He  must  not  go  any  more  on  deck  ;  a  glass 
from  the  man  of  war  may  be  directed  towards  us, 
and  then  all  would  be  lost,"  whispered  tlie  cap- 
tain at  last.  The  shallop  will  probably  be  hailed 
by  the  brig  when  it  returns.  Our  plan  must  be 
preconcerted."  He  directed  the  last  words  to 
Mr.  Lund,  who  replied  with  decision,  "  I  will 
hurry  on  deck  and  speak  to  the  boatmen,  wdio 
have  already  received  some  gold  pieces  ;  tliat 
class  of  people  may  be  relied  upon  ;  they  are 
sailors,  and  will  not  bring  an  unfortunate  man  to 
the  scafi'uld,  who  has  committed  no  other  crime 
than  that  of  loving  his  country."  He  disappeared 
at  this  remark,  and  Captain  Finngreen  contin- 
ued :  "  Tliis  opening,  here,  leads  into  a  narrow 
epace,  which  is  connected  with  the  ship's  hold 
by  another.     I  will  step  down  with  our  friend,] 


and  let  him  slip  in  as  far  as  possible,  between 

barrels  and  boxes,  and  will  then  throw  buffalo 
hides  and  sails,  over  the  cargo,  leaving  as  much 
air  as  is  necessary  for  him  to  breathe.  Before 
the  opening,  down  here,  we  will  stow  as  many 
trunks  and  boxes  as  will  go  in  the  space,  and  on 
these  we  will  stand  a  sliip's  chest.  The  great 
hatch  in  the  middle  of  the  vessel  is  already 
covered.  Whoever  wishes  to  examine  into  this 
space,  must  go  down  tiirough  the  little  forward 
hatch,  and  will  have  to  creep  a  long  while  be- 
fore he  comes  to  the  back  part,  where  I  will, 
with  my  own  hands,  take  measures  that  they 
shall  not  easily  discover  him'.  Explain  this  now 
as  quickly  as  possible  to  the  good  man,  in  Span- 
ish," continued  he,  turning  to  Mr.  Walker, 
**  and  I  will  step  down  to  work." 

"  You  require  a  pair  of  hands  to  help,"  whis- 
pered Hinango  in  his  ear.  "  I  will  go  down 
with  you,  captain  ;  I  am  not  entirely  unaccus- 
tomed to  such  games  of '  hide  and  seek.' " 

Captain  Finngreen  thankfully  accepted  the 
passenger's  ofler,  and  both  disappeared  through 
the  opening  in  the  floor,  while  Mr.  Walker  dis- 
losed  to  the  unfortunate  man  the  measures  about 
to  be  taken  for  his  deliverance,  who,  deeply 
moved,  found  few  words  to  express  his  grati- 
tude for  so  lively  an  interest  in  his  fate. 

Mr.  Lund  reappeai-ed  in  the  cabin,  with  the 
assurance  that  he  had  arranged  every  thing  so  as 
to  gain  over  the  boatman,  and  had  no  doubt  that 
his  plan  would  succeed;  he  required,  however, 
for  his  purpose,  the  mandoline  and  cap  of  the 
rescued  man,  which  had  already  been  seen  on 
board  the  Caza. 

"  My  mantle,  besides,  floats  somewhere  on 
the  stream,  or  is  hanging  to  the  man  of  war," 
said  Alvarez,  entirely  agreeing  to  the  proposal 
of  his  friend. 

Mr.  Lund  now  took  a  hurried  leave,  since  his 
longer  continuance  on  board  the  Nordstjernan 
might  excite  suspicion  ;  whereupon  the  shallop 
departed,  and  soon  drew  near  to  the  longboat  of 
the  Caza,  which,  under  Enero's  command,  glided 
over  the  waves  towards  them. 

While  the  packing  of  the  living  contraband 
article  was  taking  place  in  the  hold  of  the 
ship,  Mr.  Robert  Walker  undertook  tlie  equally 
important  measure  of  drawing  his  clerk,  Mr. 
Daily,  into  his  confidence,  and  then  speaking  to 
Mr.  Rossbriick,  whose  name  he  knew  "  on 
'change,"  he  requested  him  to  be  cautious  not  to 
say  or  do  any  thing  to  attract  the  attention  of  the 
German  doctor. 

Horatio,  who  was  hastily  made  acquainted  with 
all  the  circumstances,  was  charged  with  the  diffi- 
cult task  of  tranquillizing  the  old  negro  and  Co- 
rinna,  from  whose  anxiety  in  relation  to  Dolores, 
the  worst  was  to  be  feared.  The  youth  explained 
the  circumstances  to  them  both,  with  the  same 
firmness  and  selfpossession  which  we  liave  be- 
fore observed  in  him,  and  by  his  example,  he 
unconsciously  worked  more  effectually  on  the 
agitated  minds  of  hia  auditors  than  by  his  words. 
He  had  just  sent  Corinna  to  Dolores,  to  pre- 
pare her  for  an  investigation  which  might  be 
carried  even  to  the  threshold  of  her  apartment, 
when  a  sailor  gave  the  announcement  that  the 
long  boat  of  the  Caza,  was  once  more  steering 
for  the  Nordstjernan. 

The  refugee  had  just  been  carefully  stowed 
away,  in  the  hold  of  tha  vessel,  and  Captain 


70 


DOLORES. 


Finnsxeen  and  Hinango  xvere  already  upon  the 
quarter  deck,  where  the  other  passengers  assem- 
bled around  them,  all  looking  forward  %Tith  ear- 
nest expectation  to  the  arrival  of  the  visiters, 
while  the  mate  ordered  the  crew  to  keep  on 
undisturbed  in  their  preparations  for  sailing, 
without  concerning  themselves  about  the  pre- 
sence of  the  marines  on  board. 

The  captain  ordered  one  anchor  to  be  raised, 
the  more  quickly  to  make  sail  if  the  impending 
danger  should  be  happily  passed  througli.  The 
firm  confidence  of  the  seaman  in  the  compe- 
tency of  his  preparations  for  the  approaching 
visit,  unconsciously  increased  the  courage  of  the 
anxious  bystanders,  and  called  out  from  many 
countenances  an  expre's'sion  of  tranquillity  and 
cai-elessness  which  was  more  than  iiecessary  to 
meet  the  inquisitorial  look  of  the  officer. 

"  It  is  not  the  same  officer  who  commanded 
the  longboat  when  it  hailed  the  shallop,"  re- 
marked the  captain,  examining  the  fatal  object 
■with  his  telescope  ;  "  it  is  a  smaller  man  ;  the 
other  appeared  to  me  tall  and  slender ;  and  this 
time  tliere  are  soldiers  there,  with  bayonets." 

"  Bring  a  dozen  glasses  and  some  bottles  of 
champagne  up  here !"  cried  he,  to  the  cabin  boy, 
alter  a  pause. 

"  A  dozen  glasses  and  some  bottles  of  cham- 
pagne !"  returned  the  long  Ottar,  as  the  mate  and 
sailors  repeat  each  order^  by  itself,  as  soon  as  it 
sounds  in  their  ears.  "  But  the  coffee  for  the 
cabin  is  ready,  captain  !"  added  he,  and  he  was 
on  the  point  of  inquiring,  whether  he  should 
take  a  cup  to  the  newly  arrived  passenger,  when 
he  fortunately  recollected  himself,  as  the  in- 
struction suddenly  occurred  to  him,  that  he 
must  act  as  if  he  had  not  seen  any  wet  passenger. 
"  Then  bring  the  coffee  first !"  cried  the  cap- 
tain, after  him  !  "  Cofl'ee  first !"  returned  Ottar,  as 
if  it  were  "  square  the  yards,"  and  hurried  to 
the  cook  in  the  caboose. 

Mr.  Robert  Walker  improved  this  moment  of 
suspense,  to  hand  the  envelope  of  Mr.  Testa  to 
his  fellow  voyager,  Mr.  Hinango,  who  appeared 
to  have  expected  such  a  parcel,  and  handed  over 
the  enclosed  letter  to  Horatio  with  peculiar 
pleasure. 

Joseph  Testa,  a  jurist  of  Bologna,  played  a 
conspicuous  part  in  the  insurrection  for  the  de- 
liverance of  Italy,  in  the  years  1S30-31,  had 
been  sentenced  to  death,  like  so  many  other  pa- 
triots, and,  having  escaped  as  a  refugee,  was  ex- 
iled. He  succeeded  in  reaching  Marseilles  from 
Genoa,  and  from  thence  arrived  at  Buenos 
Ayres,  where  he  lived  for  some  years,  until  he 
purchased  land  in  Patagonia.  Originally  ad- 
dressed to  the  house  of  Walker  and  Co.,  as  a 
travelling  gentleman,  he  had  entered  into  a  bu- 
siness intercourse  with  old  Mr.  Walker,  and  was 
intimately  acquainted  with  many  of  the  patri- 
ots of  the  country— among  the  rest,  with  Al- 
phonso.  . 

Horatio  received  the  communication  of^  his 
friends,  and  a  gleam  of  joy  and  animation  flitted 
over  his  countenance,  which  was  lighted  up 
still  more  as  he  read  further  into  the  letter  that 
he  held  in  his  trembling  hand. 

"  Is  it  possible  ?"  he  exclaimed,  in  a  smoth- 
ered voice,  stepping  aside  with  Hinango,  "  is 
it  possible !  you  are  a  confidential  friend  of 
Senor  Testa,  in  the  same  situation  with  him,  and 
have  come  especially  to  Buenos  Ayres  for  our 


sake,  to  seek  out  our  uncle,  Alphonso,  and  Se- 
nora  Dolores  .'" 

"  I  came  too  late,"  said  Hinango  ;  "  too  late 
for  Alphonso,  and  God  grant  that  I  may  have 
come  in  the  right  time  to  save  Dolores  !  I  had 
already  heard,  in  Montevideo,  of  your  uncle's 
arrest.  My  errand  referred  especially  to  him,  . 
and  to  one  "of  his  most  confidential  friends,  whose 
name  you  will  easily  guess.  His  fate  was  yet 
unknown  in  Monte  Video.  I  did  not  find  him, 
but  I  saw  his  head  on  the  iron  grating  of  the 
Plaza  de  la  Victoria.  The  danger  impending 
over  Dolores  was  now  all  the  greater ;  I,  there- 
fore, the  more  readily  resolved  upon  the  journey, 
sailed  across  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  arrived, 
partly  by  land,  at  Buenos  A\Tes.  Testa  waited 
for  me  liere.  The  strictest  caution  was  neces- 
sary. To  save  Dolores,  I  must  appear  as  if  I  did 
not  even  know  her  by  name.  All  had  to  be 
managed  through  Testa.  The  fortunate  con- 
currence of  different  circumstances,  united  in 
behalf  of  our  taking  ship  ;  the  freighting  of  the 
Nordstjernan,  and  the  individuality  of  the  cap- 
tain, to  whom,  until  to-day,  I  was,  likewise, 
personally,  a  stranger.  Send  to  your  t'riend 
Dolores  the  consolatory  information  of  my  . 
presence  on  board,  for  her  succor.  I  perceive 
that  the  young  negress  is  initiated  in  all  the 
secrets  of  our  situation  ;  let  her  take  these  lines, 
with  the  necessary  explanations,  to  Dolores ;  but 
bring  back  the  letter,  for  these  leaves  must  be 
destroyed  before  the  oflBcer  there  steps  upon  the 
vessel." 

Horatio  hurried  into  the  cabin  to  Corinna  and 
Achilles,  while  Hinango  handed  a  piece  of 
paper  out  of  the  envelope  to  Mr.  Robert  Walker, 
who  read  it  over  very  hastily.  "  1  am  already 
advertised  of  this  by  word  of  mouth,  through  our 
friend  Testa,"  returned  the  young  Briton,  with 
a  good  humored  smile,  as  he  glanced  over  the 
lines ;  "  I  am  rejoiced  to  have  a  companion  in 
the  defender  of  my  '  sister.'  We  could  now  get 
clear,  if  that  cursed  longboat  was  only  going 
from  us,  instead  of  coming  to  us.  You  are 
heartily  welcome,  but  I  must  confess  that  our 
friend  Testa  understands  managing  a  secret  bet- 
ter than  my  father,  who  never  suspected  your 
reasons  for  embarking." 

"  It  is  all  right,  if  you  know  it  now,  Mr. 
Walker,"  said  Hinango,  smiling ;  "  and  if  the 
captain  learns  it  from  you  opportunely,  when  it 
shall  be  necessary,  when  circumstances  shall 
require  me  to  render  him  any  assistance  as  a 
seaman." 

"  All  right !  all  right !"  exclaimed  Mr.  Robert 
Walker ;  "  the  whole  management  of  the  em- 
barkation falls  on  me  ;  and  the  captain,"  added 
he,  very  low,  and  half  aside,  "  has  acted  like  a 
fool,  to  send  away  the  two  boxes  from  on  board." 
Hinango  did  not  understand  the  meaning  of 
the  last  words,  and  felt  no  direct  occasion  to 
inform  himself  further  in  regard  to  them. 

"  Our  secret  requires  the  destruction  of  these 
letters,"  whispered  he,  in  the  ear  of  young 
Walker,  as  Horatio  returned  with  his,  and  then 
said  aloud,  "  Would  you  like  a  cigar,  Mr 
Walker  ?  I  am  going  to  light  mine  presently." 
"  All  right !  all  right  !"''cried  Bob,  helping 
himself  to  a  "smoking  stick,"  while  the  latter 
stepped  to  the  caboose  and  burnt  the  papers. 


DOLORES. 


71 


chapter;  IV. 


THE   VISITATION'. 


Haudly  were  these  precautionary  meai5ures 
tiOien,  before  the  .Swedish  brig  was  hailed  IVom 
I  he  longboat  of  the  Caza;  and  Senor  Codo, 
armed  with  sword  and  pistols,  sprung  upon  the 
quarterdeck,  and  posted  six  so  called  marines 
(a  woful  looking  set)  with  their  guns  as  a  guard. 

"  Are  you  the  captain  of  this  vessel  ?"  inquired 
Codo,  as  -Captain  Finngreen  stepped  up  to  him 
in  the  gangway. 

"  Captain  Finngreen,  at  your  service !"  an- 
swered the  latter. 

"  What  is  the  brig's  name  ?" 

"  The  Nordstjernan  !" 

"  Call  your  passengers  and  crew  on  deck,  and 
hand  me  your  papers,  passenger  list,  and  muster 
roll ;  but  first  bring  out  the  man  that  you  have 
concealed  here,  that  you  brought  on  board  in 
the  shallop  !" 

"  Passengers  and  crew,  on  deck !"  cried  the 
captain  to  the  mate.  "  Here  are  my  papers  ;  as 
to  a  man  on  board  from  the  shallop,  1  know  noth- 
4      ing  about  it ;  it  must  be  a  mistake  !" 

"  Come,  don't  make  a  fuss  about  it,  captain  ! 
produce  him,  or  I  shall  have  him  searched  for  ; 
and  then  you  will  fare  hardly  !" 

"  I  am  sorry  that  I  cannot  obey  your  com- 
mands in  this  respect.  If  you  will  give  your- 
self the  trouble  of  searching  my  vessel,  I  cannot 
prevent  you." 

"  Four  men  up  here,  to  search  the  brig !"  cried 
the  officer,  to  the  men  in  the  longboat ;  and  as 
the  fourth  man,  appeared  Patrick  Gentleboy, 
who,  notwithstandmg,  his  position  as  land 
traveller  and  passenger  an  board  the  Caza,  had 
been  ordered  into  service  in  the  longboat,  as 
there  was  no  superfluity  of  good  rowers  like  him 
on  board. 

"  .Stay  in  the  boat !"  roared  Codo  to  him ; 
another  man  here  !  I  cannot  employ  you  here  !" 

"  Beg  pardon,  your  honor !  and  sure  I've  no 
nade  of  employment,  intirely !  for  I  am '  employed 
to  rest,'  an  it's  quite  waried  I  am,  wid  the  long 
pull  you  gev  me,"  said  the  Irishman,  falling  back 
into  the  boat,  to  give  place  to  another  sailor. 

"  Arrali  !  and  if  there  isn't  his  cloak  swim- 
ming, the  poor  crature  !"  exclaimed  Patrick,  as 
he  seated  himself,  "  and  there  it  is,  fast  to  an 
anchor  buoy,  and  the  tide  is  agin  it,  and  it 
can't  make  sail  wid  this  wind,  sure." 

All  eyes  were  directed  to  the  object  thus 
pointed  out,  and  the  captain  remarked  : 

"That  certainly  seems  like  a  cloak  or  mantle, 
and  may  have  belonged  to  the  unfortunate  man, 
who  threw  himself  overboard  from  the  shallop, 
just  after  we  had  picked  him  up." 

Senor  Codo  appeared  to  reflect  for  a  moment, 
doubtful  of  the  result  of  his  proceedings,  for 
he  had  until  then  suspected  the  asssertion  of  the 
boatman,  and  sought  to  attain  his  end  by  his  in- 
solent demands. 

"  Search  the  brig  thoroughly ;  the  fellow  must 
oe  hidden  somewhere  !"  he  now  repeated  to  the 
lailors,  who  stood  there  in  a  state  of  embarrass- 
ment, and  appeared  not  to  know  where  they 
ihould  begin,  while  each  of  them  would  have 
.een  glad  to  creep  into  a  hole,  himself,  and 
desert. 

"  Let  the  people  search  the  vessel,  lieuten- 


ant !"  interposed  Mr.  Walker,  "  only  accompany 
me  first  to  the  cabin  door  of  my  sister,  who  lies 
ill  in  her  birtli,  overcome  by  sea  sickness.  I 
hope  you  will  take  this  part  of  the  search  upon 
youself,  and  not  disturb  my  sister." 

"  You  are  Mr. >" 

"  Mr.  Walker !  Mr.  Robert  William  Walker  !" 

"  Oh,  yes  !  we  are  already  acquainted  ;"  re- 
turned the  officer,  who  held  the  list  of  passen- 
gers in  his  hand,  and  read  the  name  there. 

"  At  your  service  !  I  am  a  friend  of  your  com- 
mander, captain  Tumble,  as  you  know.  How 
is  the  commander .'  I  hope  he  is  very  well  ?" 

"  Thank  you,  very  well !"  replied  the  other, 
in  a  dry  tone.  "  You  are  then  going  to  Rio  Ja- 
neiro, and  your  sister  is  on  board  .'  Will  you  have 
the  goodness  to  accompany  me  to  her  ?'' 

"I  believe  she  is  asleep,  just  now.  I  will 
open  the  door  for  you.  I  give  you  my  word,  that 
the  man  whom  you  are  seeking,  is  not  hidden 
with  my  sister,  even  if  he  were  on  board." 

"  I  believe  that  readily  ;  but  I  must,  notwith- 
standing, be  convinced  of  the  presence  of  your 
sister  on  boai'd." 

At  these  words,  Senor  Codo  followed  the 
young  Englishman,  who  softly  opened  the  door 
of  the  private  cabin,  and  the  oflicer  cast  a  sharp 
look  into  the  interior. 

"  Let  me  beg  you  not  to  wake  her ;  ladies  do 
not  feel  very  comfortable  on  board  at  any  time," 
whispered  Mr.  Walker,  while  Codo  saw  a  fe- 
male form  in  a  berth,  and  a  quantity  of  female 
travelling  necessaries,  behind  which  no  Unita- 
rian could  find  room  to  hide  himself. 

"  Pardon  me  that  I  was  obliged  to  institute 
this  search.  Your  sister  appears  to  have  been 
born  here  ;  she  has  as  fine,  black,  curling  hair  as 
a  daughter  of  South  America,"  added  the  officer, 

"  Our  beauties  of  Albion  not  only  vie  with 
yours  here  on  the  La  Plata  in  their  curls,  but 
also  in  all  other  endowments,"  returned  the 
young  Briton,  with  a  proud  smile. 

"  And  these  persons  are  my  attendants,"  he 
remarked  in  a  calm  serious  tone.  "  My  old  ne- 
gro Achilles  and  his  daughter  Coriuna,  the 
waiting  maid  of  my  sister !" 

"  Why  do  they  weep  so .'  Their  eyes  are  as 
red  as  the  lees  of  Burgundy." 

"  They  have  never  been  away  from  the  shore,'' 
replied  the  youth,  "  and  are  as  afraid  of  the  sea. 
as  a  hen  of  the  pond." 

The  officer  looked  around  in  the  gi-eat  cabin, 
and  then  ascended  to  the  quarterdeck. 

"  Do  you  believe  that  1,  as  a  son  of  the  house 
who  have  freighted  this  vessel,"  said  young  Mr. 
Walker  to  the  officer,  "  do  you  really  believe 
that  I  would  have  suffijred  a  deserter  or  Unita- 
rian to  conceal  himself  on  board,  even  if  such 
a  chance  had  occurred  ?  It  is  to  be  hoped  that 
you  know  my  father's  position — his  confidential 
relations  with  the  ministry.  This  vessel  goes  to 
sea  under  our  name.  The  vagabond  whom  the 
people  in  the  shallop  drew  out  of  the  water, 
sprang  overboard  again  before  we  could  deter- 
mine what  was  to  be  done  with  him.  In  any 
case  we  should  have  sent  him  back  to  the  city, 
as  a  candidate  for  the  madhouse  rj  the  house  of 
correction — since  the  name  of  our  house  would 
have  required  it." 

The  officer  heard  the  young  Englishman's 
declaration  with  "  half  an  ear,"  but  appeared 
partly  led  astray   bf  the  unrestrained   naiveti 


72 


DOLORES. 


which  accompanied  it.  He  now  proceeded  to  an 
examination  of  the  passengers,  compared  the 
passports  with  the  list  of  names,  copied  the  last 
into  his  pooketbook,  and  examined  each  indi- 
vidual from  head  to  foot,  as  if  he  hoped  to  dis- 
cover the  object  of  his  search  under  one  mask 
or  another. 

"  Mr.  Ros.sbriick  appeared  on  deck,  and  was 
now  examined,  and  gave  his  name. 

"  Mr.  William  Rossbriick,"  repeated  SeSor 
Codo  to  him  ;  "  what  countryman .'" 

"  An  Enfrlishman  !"  answered  he,  not  without 
some  embarrassment,  since  Mr.  Walker  stood 
Dear  him. 

"  You  an  Englishman  ?"  inquired  Mr.  Walker 
of  him,  with  an  ironical  smile,  but  without  any 
asperity  in  his  tone,  which  might  wound  him — 
from  consideration,  which  the  secret  on  board, 
rendered  necessary,  in  which  the  other  waspartly 
involved. 

"  Yes  sir,"  returned-  the  pseudo  Briton,  "  my 
brother  is  estaplished  in  London,  and  has  mar- 
riet  an  English  voman." 

"Indeed!"  said  the  other,  smilinp;  as  inno- 
cently as  possible,  without  asking  whether  he  was 
the  son  of  his  brother,  and  the  English  woman. 

An  involuntary  redness  had  overspread  the 
countenance  of  the  young  gentleman  from  the 
European  continent,  but  his  end  was  gained,  he 
saw  that  the  ofEcer  had  added  the  word  IngUs 
alTer  his  name. 

"  Your  standing  and  profession  ?"  further  in- 
quired the  latter. 

"  Gentleman  !"  was  the  answer,  for  Mr.  Ross- 
briick had  travelled  in  Germany  and  Sw'itzer- 
land,  and  had  not  ohly  observed  that  every  sad- 
dler, or  shopkeeper  from  England,  inscribed 
his  name,  with  this  title  added  to  it,  in  the  for- 
eign registers,  but  also  carved  it  with  his  own 
hand  on  the  Rigi  and  the  Weissenstein. 

The  naturalist  came  next  in  order,  gave  his 
name,  and  replied  to  the  question  about  his  na- 
tionality. 

"  I  am  an  Anhalt-Bernburger,  a  subject  of  his 
Highness,  the  l>uke  of  Anhalt-Bernburg." 

"  An-halt-Bern-bur-ger,"  repeated  the  Span- 
iard in  the  service  of  Rosas ;  "  what  nation  is 
that .'  I  do  not  know  the  flag ;  the  country  must 
lie  somewhere  in  the  interior  of  Europe. 

"  It  is  one  of  the  thirty-four  small  nations 
■which  supply  princes  and  princesses  for  the 
European  thrones,  and  emigrants  for  transat- 
lantic and  other  colonies,"  returned  Mr.  Walker, 
very  seriously. 

"  Oh  I"  said  the  officer,  and  added  the  ques- 
tion, "  what  standing  .'  what  profession .'" 

"  Entomologist ;  Doctor  of  Philosophy  ;  Cor- 
responding Member  of  the  Royal,  Imperial,  and 
Grand  Ducal  Academies  of  Science,  at  Vienna, 
Berlin,  Detmold  and  Kniephausen  ;  Honorary 
Member  of  the  Zoological  Societies  of  St.  Pe- 
tersburgh  and  Weimar ;  Member  of  the  Basle 
Bible  .Society  ;  and  Honorary  Member  of  the 
British  Temperance  Society." 

"  What  is  the  man  properly  ?"  inquired  Senor 
Codo,  quite  confused  by  this  string  of  titles,  a 
yard  long,  of  which  he  understood  very  little. 

"  Set  him  down  as  a  literary  gentleman," 
remarked  Mr.  Walker  ;  "  that  will  about  express 
all  the  titles." 

"  What !"  exclaimed  the  Jittle  man,  evidently 
displeased ;  "  literary  gentleman .'   Literary  may 


do,  but  gentleman — gentleman  !  that  I  object  fr>' 
I  am  no  gentleman — no  Englishman ;  but  an 
Anhalt-Bernburger,  and  will  not  dress  myself 
in  borrowed  plumes.  I  am  neither  a  Prussian, 
nor  a  Saxon,  nor  a  Wiirtemberger.  I  know  my 
home,  and  the  name  of  my  reigning  prince,  and 
when  his  birthday  comes.  Spell  it,  now,  cor 
rectly  :  An-halt-Bern-burger,  not  Anhalt-Des 
sauer — no  sow  " 

The  officer  gave  little  heed  to  this  exhortation, 
and  went  on  with  his  inspection.  - 

"  Your  name  .'"  inquired  he  of  the  passenger 
in  the  monkey  paletot.  > 

"  Ormar  Olafur  Hinango,"  answered  the  latter, 
slowly  and  distinctly. 

Captain  Finngreen,  who  stood  near  him,  ap- 
peared suddenly  so  surprised  by  the  sound  of 
this  name,  that  it  evidently  cost  him  great  effort 
to  conceal  his  inward  emotion.  After  a  side 
glance  at  the  mate,  Mr.  Storhjelm,  he  turned 
his  eyes  to  the  passenger,  about  whom,  until 
now,  he  had  not  been  able 'to  make  up  his  mind, 
and  whose  thoroughly  northern  name  he  now 
heard  for  the  first  time. 

"  What  nation  .'"  inquired  the  officer. 

"  Scandinavian — born  in  Finland."  | 

"  Finland !  that  belongs  to  the  Swedish 
crown,  if  I  am  not  mistaken  .'" 

*'  It  belongs  to  Scandinavia,  and  was  united  to 
Sweden,  but  fell  accidentally  under  Russian 
sovereignty." 

"  You  are,  then,  a  Russian  subject .'  What 
standing  .'" 

"  P'ormerly  Russian  naval  ofEcer." 

"  What  rank  ?" 

**  Lieutenant  commander  of  a  brig." 

"  W'hat  was  the  name  of  your  last  brig  in  the 
imperial  Russian  navy .'" 

"  Kamtschatka." 

The  Spanish  naval  officer  heard  these  replies 
with  a  certain  nautical  sympathy,  which  seldom 
is  wanting  in  the  heart  of  a  seaman,  as  soon  as 
he  comes  in  contact  with  his  equal,  either  from 
a  strange  race,  or  from  one  kindred  to  himself. 

"  Commander  of  a  brig  in  the  imperial  Rus- 
sian navy,  at  present  out  of  service,"  he  re- 
peated, slowly,  while  he  allowed  his  pencil  to 
rest  on  his  note  book,  and  again  observed  his 
ocean  comrade  and  his  passport. 

"  But  you  carry  a  French,  not  a  Russian  pass- 
port," remarked  he,  with  peculiar  intonation. 

"  I  find  it  more  suitable  to  my  situation  to 
travel  under  French  protection,  especially  as  the 
French  language  is  better  understood  in  foreign 
countries  than  the  Russian,"  replied  Hinango, 
with  indifference. 

"  When  did  you  leave  your  brig,  and  the  naval 
service?"  inquired  the  other. 

"  It  is  six  years  since  I  transferred  from  the 
navy  into  the  marine  department,  at  St.  Peters- 
burgh." 

"And  you  are  travelling,  now,  for  your 
pleasure  '." 

"  I  sought  a  southern  climate  for  the  re-estab- 
lishment of  my  health,  and  have  now  a  notion 
of  taking  a  merchant  vessel — of  purchasing  one 
for  myself.  I  came  here  on  that  account,  having 
learned  at  Rio  de  Janeiro  that  a  Danish  brig, 
from  St.  Thomas,  was  offered  for  sale  here ;  but 
I  came  too  late.  It  is  the  little  brig  down  there," 
continued  he,  pointing  to  a  vessel  in  the  distance; 
"  she  had  already  found  one  to  fancy  her." 


DOLORES. 


73 


"  I  know  the  brig,"  replied  Senor  Codo ;  "  you 
have  not  lost  much  in  her ;  she  is  a  heavy  old 
box — a  wretched  sailer.  Would  you  not  lilie  to 
enter  our  service  ?  Our  government  would 
gladly  give  you  command  of  a  corvette.  Capa- 
ble naval  officers,  who  join  us,  find  immediate 
advancement." 

"  I  thank  you  for  your  confidence,"  replied 
the  Russian  naval  officer ;  "  I  wish  to  see  if  I 
can  procure  a  Baltimore  schooner  at  Rio  de 
Janeiro,  which  I  have  already  inspected;  if 
that  is  not  the  case,  it  is  possible  that  I  may 
arrange  other  plans  for  the  future,  and  return 
hither  again." 

"  In  any  case,  you  will  find  a  welcome  with 
us,"  Seiior  Codo  remarked. 

Captain  Finngreen,  who  had  perceived  this 
amicable  discourse  of  the  two  officers  with  great 
surprise,  as  well  as  to  his  inward  relief,  in 
respect  to  the  immediate  situation  of  the  pas- 
sengers, now  stepped  up  to  a  bench  on  which 
bottles  and  glasses  were  set,  and  said,  "  Will 
you  permit  a  seaman,  who,  indeed,  wears  no 
naval  uniform,  to  empty  a  glass  with  you,  to  the 
welfare  of  the  Argentine  republic,  and  to  the 
future  destiny  of  our  fatherland — Scandinavia  !' 

"  Scandinavia  !  Scandinavia  !  star  of  the  north, 
break  brightly  forth  !"  he  whispered  in  the  ear 
of  the  passenger  in  the  monkey  paletot,  while 
their  glances  encountered  each  other. 

Hinango  replied  to  the  heart's  greeting  by  an 
expressive  glance. 

"  I  have  some  passengers,  and  all  the  crew  to 
examine,"  answered  the  officer,  "  but  I  will  by 
no  means  decline  your  seaman's  invitation ;  then  : 
Viva  la  Confederacion  Argentina  !  mueran  los 
salvages  Unitarios  '  Viva  Rosas  !  and  the  Emperor 
Nicholas  !"  he  cried,  while  he  raised  his  glass. 

"  Rosas  and  the  Emperor  Nicholas,"  repeated 
the  two  Northmen,  without  particular  emphasis, 
although  mentally  added,  "  may  they  come  to 
the  gallows." 

"  And  our  Queen,  Victoria  !"  exclaimed  Mr. 
Walker. 

"  Her  IVIajesty's,  Queen  Vic-tories'  health  !" 
cried  Mr.  Rossbriick  in  his  overflowing  enthusi- 
asm as  an  Englishman. 

,  "  And  the  illustrious  dynasty  of  the  house  of 
Anhalt-Bernburg,  his  Highness  !  and  all  the 
Princes  of  the  Germanic  Confederation  !  If  you 
are  going  to  drink,  I  will  drink  with  you,"  said 
the  little  beetleman,  taking  the  glass  which  the 
captain  handed  to  him. 

"  And  the  British  Temperance  Society,  and  all 
its  travelling  members  !"said  Mr.  Robert  Walker, 
with  a  smile,  and  looking  at  the  little  man,  who 
did  not  take  it  at  all  amiss. 

"  I  hope  there  is  no  brandy  in  your  cham- 
pagne, captain  !"  he  remarked,  in  reply  to  this 
look,  "  for  1  must  not  drink  brandy  ;  but  a  glass 
of  wine;  I  will  take  a  glass  of  wine,  upon  my 
conscience  !  now  !  gentlemen,  altogether  !"  and 
the  British  temperance  man  drained  his  glass  to 
the  last  drop,  and  then  said,  with  a  satisfied  air, 
"  Captain,  that  was  right  good — 1  have  not  drank 
such  champagneJbr  a  long  time." 

"  I  am  glad  that  you  like  it,"  replied  Captain 
Fingreen,  laughing,  and  replenishing  the  glasses. 

"  But  you  do  not  drink  at  all !"  said  he,  per- 
ceiving a  yet  untasted  glass,  and  near  it  Horatio, 
"  Why  do  you  not  drink  ?  the  wine  will  not  hurt 
vou .'"  said  he. 
'  10 


Horatio  was  just  expressing  his  thanks  and 
excuses,  as  Senor  Codo  suddenly  directed  his 
attention  to  him,  and  then-hastily  looked  at  the 
list  of  passengers. 

"  You  are  Horatio  de  P ?"  he  now  asked 

the  pale  youth,  with  a  look  that  expressed  aU 
the  bitterness  of  a  raging  party  spirit. 

"  My  name  is  Horatio  de  P !"  replied  the 

young  man,  looking  thd  Dictator's   merceuaiy 
"boldly  in  the  eye. 

"  Nephew  of  the  traitor,  Marco  Alphonso, 
who  was  executed  this  morning  ?"  added  the  offi 
cer,  contemptuously,  "  only  son  of  the  rebel 
Hannibal  Sebastian  de  P ?" 

"  1  am  the  son  of  Hannibal  Sebastian,  and  the 
nephew  of  Marco  Alphonso,"  replied  Horatio 
slowly,  and  with  decision,  while  captain  Finn 
green  was  unable  entirely  to  suppress  his  unea 
siness,  and  cast  an  anxious  glance  at  young 
Walker. 

"  My  passport  lies  there,  near  the  others,"  re- 
marked the  youth,  with  assumed  indifference. 

"  You  are  banished  then,  and  disinherited— 
at  least  disinherited  in  part  " 

"  You  seem  to  know  my  situation,"  replied 
the  youth. 

Serior  Codo  continued  the  examination  of  tho 
passports,  while  Horatio  placed  himself  in  a 
solitary  position,  on  the  quarterdeck,  and  fixing 
his  eyes  upon  the  shore,  repeated,  mentally,  the 
following  verses : 

*'  Farewell,  my  dear,  my  nativeland,  farewell  t 

From  which  Pm  exiled  by  a  despot's  curse, 
Farewell !  but  if  forever — who  can  tell  ? 

Beloved  soil,  which  did  my  childhood  nurse, 
Farewell,  my  country — know  thy  destiny  ! 

reople  for  whom  my  kindred  blood  was  shed, 
God  lives  \  who  shall  from  tyrants  set  us  free? 

Though  still  a  youth,  man's  woes  are  on  my  head." 

A  natural  connexion  of  ideas,  or  relation- 
ship of  feeling,  suddenly  called  to  his  mind  a 
stanza  from  Walter  Scott's  "  Lay  of  the  Last 
Minstrel,"  which  Dolores,  had  translated  into 
Spanish  with  many  other  gems  of  English  poe- 
try. Modern  cosmopolitism ,  will  most  assuredly 
consider  the  mental  malady  of  the  enthusiastic 
youth,  and  the  like  poetical  reminiscences, 
quite  superfluous,  as  it  casts  aside  as  useless  bag- 
gage the  terms  "  fatherland"  and  "  patriotism," 
and  makes  of  man  a  "  respectable  vagabond, "who 
with  the  freedom-papers  of  egotism,  without  duty 
towards  his  nation  and  humanity,  wanders  about 
the  world,  and  places  his  marriage  bed  where 
he  makes  money  to  buy  a  mattress  with.  Not- 
withstanding this,  Horatio  repeated  to  himself, 
as  he  would  a  verse  from  a  psalm,  the  following 
lines  : 

"  Breathes  there  the  man,  with  soul  so  dead, 
■Whonevei  to  himself  hath  said, 

'  This  is  my  own,  my  native  land  V 
Whose  heart  hath  ne'er  within  him  burned, 
As  home  his  footsteps  he  hath  turned, 

From  wandering  on  a  foreign  strand? 
If  such  there  breathe,  go,  mark  him  welij 
For  him  no  minstrel  raptures  swell  ; 
High  though  his  titles,  proud  his  name, 
Boundless  his  wealth  as  wish  can  claim; 
Despite  those  titles,  power,  and  pelf, 
The  wretch,  concentered  all  in  self, 
Living,  shall  forfeit  fair  renown, 
And,  doubly  dying,  shall  go  down 
To  the  vile  dust,  from  whence  he  sprung, 
Unwept,  unhonored,  and  unsung.'* 


•k\ 


74 


DOLORES. 


He  now  turned  to  the  captain,  and  his  friends 
Olat'ur  and  Robert  Walker,  raised  the  glass,  and, 
with  tearful  eyes,  said,  in  a  low  voice,  "  Our 
farewell  to  the  shores  of  the  La  Plata  !" 

"  In  the  hope  of  a  speedy  return"  replied 
Captain  Finngreen  taking  his  glass.  If  there  is  a 
city  on  earth  upon  whose  road  the  seaman  who 
has  once  been  there  joyfully  casts  his  anchor 
again,  it  is  Buenos  Ayres ;  the  city  of  hearty 
hospitality  and  true  sociability.  Success  to 
Buenos  Ayres  !  where  a  man  meets  with  men  ! 
Will  you  not  empty  your  glass  with  us,  lieuten- 
ant, to  the  happy  voyage  of  this  young  friend  .'" 
he  now  asked  the  officer  of  the  Caza,  who  ex- 
amined the  passport  of  the  banished  youth  with 
peculiar  strictness,  and  did  not  condescend  to 
reply. 

The  little  beetleman,  who  had  understood  the 
words  of  the  otBcer  in  relation  to  Horatio  and 
his  uncle,  appeared  sunk  in  profound  reflection, 
and  held  his  fourth  glass  motionless  in  his  hand. 

"  Had  ynur  uncle,  the  traitor,  amassed  no  col- 
lection of  beetles  ?"  he  at  length  inquired  of  the 
youth,  in  a  peculiarly  cordial  manner. 

"  I,  myself,  have  on  board  a  little  box  of  bee- 
tles, and  other  natural  productions,  as  a  remem- 
brance of  my  fatherland,"  sighed  Horatio,  an- 
swering, in  all  good  humor,  the  naive  beetle 
inquiry. 

"  Have  you,  indeed  ?  you  would  eternally 
oblige  me  if  you  would  dome  the  favor  to  show 
them  to  me,  when  it  is  convenient ;  perhaps 
there  may  be  duplicates  of  a  singular  species, 
which  might  be  in  the  highest  degree  interest- 
ing to  me." 

"  As  soon  as  I  have  time,  I  will  open  my  little 
collection  for  you  with  great  pleasure,"  replied 
Horatio. 

"  You  will  eternally  oblige  me,  Mr. , 

what's  your  name,  sir .'" 

The  youth  named  his  family  name,  and  the 
little  beetleman  drew  his  eye  brows  up  towards 
his  forehead,  and  repeated  the  name  several 
times  so  inconsiderately  loud,  that  the  officer, 
until  then  sunk  in  thought,  suddenly  became 
observant  of  him,  and  hastily  stepped  up  to  him, 
"  Does  that  name  so  particularly  interest  you  ?" 
he  roared  out ;  the  little  naturalist  shrunk  back, 
trembling  and  terrified,  answering: 

"  The  name  does  indeed  interest  me ;  it  does 
indeed,  it  is  a  famous  name,  from  Peru,  although 
no  such  name  is  known  in  the  whole  nomencla- 
ture of  beetle  science,  either  in  Europe  or  else- 
where." 

"  What  was  your  object  in  coming  to  Buenos 
Ayres  ."'  demanded  the  enraged  officer,  and  be- 
gan the  strictest  investigation  which  he  had  yet 
conducted  to  any  of  the  passengers. 

Mr.  Walker,  stepping  up  to  the  side  of  the 
helpless  voyager,  as  interpreter,  endeavored  to 
explain  that  the  German  savant  concerned  him- 
self very  little  about  the  political  relations  of  the 
country,  but  only  with  its  plants  and  beetles,  all 
which  the  latter  loudly  confirmed,  and  added — 

"  Politics  !  politics  I  what  do  I  care  about  poli- 
tics ?  how  in  all  the  %vorld  do  politics  concern 
me .'  What  do  you  think  of  me,  gentlemen  .'  what 
do  you  particularly  take  me  for  ?  I  consider  this 
examination  here  on  board  very  insulting!  I 
protest  against  all  such  accusations  ;  as  if  I  had 
ever  troubled  myself  with  the  affairs  of  nations, 
whether  in  Europe  or  in  South  America.    I  do 


not  trouble  myself  with  Germany,  to  say  nothing 
of  the  Argentine  republic.  What  is  all  such 
stuff  to  me  ?  I  have  more  important  matters  to 
attend  to,  than  politics.  Do  you  consider  me 
insjne  .'  Do  you  take  me  for  a  conspirator,  that  is 
in  connexion  with  revolutionists,  rebels,  and  the 
like  fanatics.  I  protest  against  all  such  accusa- 
tions, and  refer  you  to  the  Prussian  consul  in 
Buenos  Ayres,  who  knows  me,  and  my  position, 
as  a  member  of  the  Royal  Zoological  Society  in 
Berlin,  if  you  wish  to  know  it." 

Bob  Walker  hastily  rendered  this  exculpation 
as  literally  as  possible  info  Spanish,  whereupon, 
Seiior  Codo,  himself,  could  not  keep  from  laugh- 
ing, and  appeared  quite  convinced  of  the  politi- 
cal innocence  of  the  savant. 

One  of  his  crew  now  appeared  with  the  re- 
port, that  the  vessel  had  been  searched  in  the 
strictest  manner  throughout,  and  no  trace  of  a 
refugee  found,  whereupon,  he  passed  in  review 
Mr.  Daily,  and  then  the  sailors  of  the  Nord- 
stjernan,  and  prepared  to  depart. 

"  Klar  til  at  segla !"  (Prepare  for  sailing!) 
cried  the  captain,  and  then  betookhimself  to  his 
post  upon  the  quarterdeck,  from  whence  he 
issued  his  other  commands,  which  soon  brought 
all  into  order. 

Seiior  Codo,  in  the  highest  degree  dissatisfied 
with  the  result  of  his  expedition,  suppressed  his 
confederative  rage  in  his  farewell  to  the  captain 
and  Hinango.  emptied  several  glasses  more  of 
champagne  at  parting,  while  Horatio,  for  mani- 
fest considerations,  had  withdrawn  himself  from 
his  sight. 

"  A  prosperous  voyage  !"  he  said,  at  last,  to 
the  two  men  on  the  quarterdeck,  and  descended 
the  ladder  into  the  longboat,  which  immediately 
pushed  off,  and  was  set  in  motion  by  the  oar 
strokes  of  the  "  forced  volunteers." 

"  I  might  as  %vell  have  the  mantle  of  the  poor 
drowned  crature,"  whispered  Patrick  Gentle- 
boy,  to  his  next  neighbor,  while  he  struck  out 
lustily  with  his  oar.  It  has  got  wound  around  a 
buoy,  or  a  piece  of  wood,  and  the  poor  drowned 
crature  doesn't  nade  it  at  all,  at  all." 

"  Loose  the  mantle  there  from  the  buoy,  and 
throw  it  here  in  the  stern,"  said  Senor  Codo  to 
one  of  the  men  in  the  boat.  With  these  words, 
he  steered  in  the  direction  indicated.  The  man 
fulfilled  the  order,  and  as  the  relic  of  the  "  infa- 
mous Unitarian "  was  safely  taken  out  of  the 
water,  the  longboat  was  brought  into  a  direct 
course  for  the  Caza,  while  the  sails  of  the  Nord- 
stjernan  were  unfurled  in  the  most  seamanlike 
order. 


CHAPTER   X. 

DENUNCIATION   AND   DISCOVERT. 

In  a  spacious  private  audience  chamber  of  the 
Palaceof  Justice,  in  the  PlazaWe  la  Victoria,  sat 
Seiior  Petrozo,  the  Chief  of  the  Police  Depart- 
ment, dressed  in  black,  with  a  Rosas-red  vest, 
in  a  large  easy  chair,  lined  with  Rosas-red 
velvet,  before  a  table  covered  with  red  cloth. 
Around  him,  on  smaller  chairs,  were  seated 
Father  Ambrose,  the  Catalonian  monk  ;  the  cor- 


DOLORES. 


75 


pulent  father  guardian  of  the  Eeneaictme  monas- 
tery ;  Father  Fernando,  the  Franciscan ;  Senor 
Borrachezo,  the  Commissary  of  Police ;  and 
Senor  Domingo,  the  superintendent  of  the  prison. 

Senor  Petrozo,  a  lean,  decrepid  old  man,  with 
deep  sunken,  dead  looking  eyes,  was  chewing 
the  end  of  a  thick  goosequill ;  he  supported  his 
wrinkled  forehead  upon  his  left  hands,  and 
looked  down  on  a  sheet  of  paper,  which  he  was 
'  laboring,  gradually,  to  fill.  From  the  precau- 
tion of  not  allowing  even  a  secretary  to  be  ini- 
tiated in  so  important  a  secret  as  that  which  had 
occasioned  the  assemblage,  he  wrote  the  protocol 
with  his  own  hand. 

"  Viva  la  Confederacion  Argentina  !  mueran 
los  salvages  Unitarios  !"*  murmurred  Seiior  Pe- 
trozo to  himself,  as  a  priest  would  his  litany, 
and  inquired  aloud,  "  You  abide  by  your  asser- 
tion, reverend  father  guardian,  that  Brother 
Celeste  left  the  monastery  towards  midnight, 
last  evening,  without  attendants ;  and  that  he 
took  no  ciborium  from  the  sacristy  ?  Viva  la 
Confederacion  Argentina !  mueran  los  salvages 
Unitarios !"  he  repeated,  in  the  same  manner  as 
before. 

"  Viva  !"  responded  the  father  guardian,  "viva 
la  Confederacion  Argentina !  mueran  los  salvages 
Unitarios  !  I  repeat  that  I  have  questioned,  in 
the  name  of  our  holy  Saint  Benedict,  the  porter 
of  our  monastery.,  the  brother  overseer  of  the 
garden,  and  Brother  Urbano,  who  carries  the 
keys  of  the  sacristy,  about  this  matter,  and  that 
the  result  of  my  inquiries  is  this — that  the 
reverend  Brother  Celeste  left  the  convent  about 
half  past  ten  o'clock  last  night,  through  the  gar- 
den gate,  alone  and  unattended,  under  the  pre- 
tence of  visiting  the  condemned  sinner  and  arch 
enemy  of  our  lord  and  ruler,  in  his  prison. 
Viva  la  Confederacion  Argentina  !  mueran  los 
salvages  Unitarios!" 

Seiior  Petrozo  wrote  some  lines  on  the  margin 
of  an  already  finished  sentence,  and  turned 
around  to  SeHor  Domingo,  saying,  "  Viva  la 
Confederacion  Argentina  !  mueran  los  salvages 
Unitarios  !  And  so  you  repeat  your  assertion, 
Seiior  Domingo,  that  the  aforesaid  Brother  Ce- 
leste crossed  the  threshold  of  your  prison,  last 
night,  at  eleven  o'clock,  in  company  with  a 
young  monk  of  the  same  Benedictine  order,  and 
a  negro,  or  mulatto,  as  an  ostensible  watchman 
of  the  monastery  .'  Viva  la  confederacion  Ar- 
gentina !  mueran  los  salvages  Unitarios  !" 

"  I  repeat  my  declaration — ^Viva  la  Confedera- 
cion Argentina !  mueran  los  salvages  Unita- 
rios !"  returned  old  Senor  Domingo,  while  he 
took  a  heavy  pinch  from  his  deep  snufi"  box — 
"  that  the  said  Brother  Celeste,  dressed  as  a 
Benedictine  monk,  with  a  crucifix  in  his  hand, 
appeared  last^  evening,  at  the  aforesaid  hour,  in 
the  court  of  the  prison,  attended  by  a  young  monk 
of  the  same  Benedictine  order,  who  carried  the 
ciborium,  or,  at  least,  a  massive  silver  chalice, 
covered  with  black  cloth ;  followed  by  a  negro, 
or  mulatto,  whom  Brother  Celeste  brought  in 
as  one  of  the  watchmen  of  his  monastery,  and 
who,  as  such,  departed  with  the  young  monk. 


*  "  Long  live  the  Argentine  Confederation  t  death  to  the 
cursed  Unitarians."  The  well  known  motto  of  tlie  Rosas 
government,  which  appeared  as  many  as  twenty-five 
or  thirty  times,  and  sometimes  oftener,  in  every  number 
of  the  official  newspaper  at  Buenos  Ayres,  "  La  Gaceta 
Mercantil." 


after  they  had  administered  the  Lord's  Supper 
to  the  condemned,  in  our  chapel.  Viva  la  Con- 
federacion Argentina !  mueran  los  salvages 
Unitarios !" 

Senor  Petrozo  again  wrote  some  lines,  and 
then  stuck  his  pen  behind  his  ear,  put  a  pair  of 
spectacles  on  his  nose,  and  turned  to  Father 
Ambrose.  "  Viva  la  Confederacion  Argentina  ! 
mueran  los  salvages  Unitarios  !  And  what  infe- 
rence do  you,  reverend  Father  Ambrose,  draw 
from  these  thoroughly  contradictory  declarations, 
confirmed  by  the  office  and  dignity  of  the  depo- 
nents, and  affirmed  to  by  oatha  administered 
beforehand .'  Viva  la  Confederacion  Argentina  ! 
mueran  los  salvages  Unitarios  !" 

"  I  maintain,"  said  Father  Ambrose,  rising 
from  his  seat,  and  sticking  his  hands  in  the 
sleeves  of  his  robe  ;  "  I  maintain  that  there  has 
been  deception  practised  here,  wilful  deception, 
on  thft  part  of  Brother  Celeste,  in  favor  of  the 
condemned  traitor." 

■'  Viva  la  Confederacion  Argentina  !  mueran 
los  salvages  Unitarios !  How  dare  you  pre- 
sume  !"  exclaimed  the  father  guardian,  and 

would  have  continued,  when  Senor  Petrozo, 
hastily,  and  loudly  interrupted  him. 

"  Viva  la  Confederacion  Argentina  !  mueran  los 
salvages  Unitarios  !  Silence  !  father  guardian, 
no  exceptions — no  interruption  of  judicial  pro- 
ceedings. You  maintain,"  continued  he,  turn- 
ing again  to  the  Catalonian — "  you  maintain  ?" 

"  Viva  la  Confederacion  Argentina  !  mueran 
los  salvages  Unitarios !  That  a  deception  has 
been  practised  on  the  part  of  the  librarian.  Bro- 
ther Celeste,"  answered  the  Spanish  monk, 
briefly,  and  in  a  decided  tone. 

Seiior  Petrozo  diligently  went  to  writing  again, 
while  Senor  Domingo  passed  around  his  snuflf 
box,  and  bowed  to  every  one  who  "  made  an  in- 
road upon  his  property." 

"  Senor  Borrachezo,"  said  Senor  Petrozo, 
"  send  a  police  officer,  immediately,  to  the  IVIon- 
astery  of  St.  Bento,  to  produce  Brother  Celeste 
here,  without  delay.  But  understand,  send  him 
a  polite  invitation  ;  be  circumspect !  be  circum- 
spect !  and  order  them  to  lock  the  antechamber 
as  soon  as  the  said  brother  Celeste  has  entered 
this  room.  Make  haste ;  we  shall  proceed  no 
farther  until  you  ftturn." 

*'  Viva  la  Confederacion  Argentina  !  mueran 
los  salvages  Unitarios !"  Senor  Borrachezo,  after 
repeating  this  Rosas  rnotto,  bowed  to  his  supe- 
rior officer,  and  departed  with  hasty  steps. 

A  pause  followed,  which  the  president  of  this 
council  of  the  church  and  stat^  employed  not 
only  to  look  at,  but  sound  his  repeater ;  it  struck 
two  slow,  and  three  rapid  strokes  ;  of  course  it 
was  a  quarter  before  three,  in  the  afternoon  ;  he 
counted  the  seconds  and  minutes  of  the  absence 
of  the  police  commissary,  who  did  not  make 
them,  wait  long  for  him,  but  soon  returned  and 
resumed  his  scat. 

"  Viva  la  Confederacion  Argentina  !  mueran 
los  salvages  Unitarios  !"  murmured  the  pater 
guardian,  and  asked,  as  Senor  Petrozo  brought 
his  pen  again  to  his  paper,  "  May  I  put  a  ques- 
tion to  the  reverend  Father  Ambrose  ?" 

"  Viva  la  Confederacion  Argentina  !  mueran 
los  salvages  Unitarios !  Speak — ask  your  ques- 
tion," answered  Petrozo. 

"  Pardon  me,   reverend  Brother  Ambrose," 
said  the  corpulent  father  guardian  to  the  guest  of 


76 


DOLORES. 


his  monastery,  "  pardon  me  the  question  !  vvdat, 
in  the  name  of  all  the  saints !  what  induced  you 
to  make  such  an  accusation  against  our  univer- 
sally honored  librarian.  Brother  Celeste  ?  to  ac- 
cuse him  of  deception,  after  you  had  only  this 
morning,  when  he  was  yet  a  stranger  to  you,  re- 
ceived my  testimony  of  his  worth  .'  what  grounds 
have  you  for  such  an  accusation  ?" 

"  Grounds  that  are  sufficiently  convincing,"  re- 
turned the  monk  from  Barcelona,  and  threw  him- 
self back  in  his  arm  chair,  playing  with  his  rosa- 
ry, and  stretching  out  both  his  feet.  "  Grounds 
of  conviction — after  a  long  interview  with  this 
venerable  functionary,  Senor  Domingo,  con- 
firmed by  much  experience  in  similar  cases  in 
our  monasteries  in  Europe,  where  so  many  of 
the  '  Lord's  anointed,'  like  this  Brother  Celeste, 
walk  before  the  world  in  the  '  odor  of  sanctity,' 
who,  nevertheless,  infected  by  this  cursed  spirit 
of  freedom,  with  the  plasphemous  aim  of  so 
called  enlightenment,  are  long  since  alienated 
in  heart  from  the  only  saving  church,  and  nour- 
ish under  the  tonsure  thoughts  and  ideas,  the 
dissemination  of  which  would  undermine  the 
foundations  of  the  church,  and  lead  to  its  entire 
overthrow,  if  we  did  not  proceed  with  vigor — 
if  we  did  not  seek  to  eradicate  the  spirit  wher- 
ever we  behold  the  poisonous  blossoms  of  such 
a  shoot.  In  the  present  case,  the  poisonous  blos- 
soms have  already  matured  into  poisonous  truit. 

"  I  am  very  certain  in  this  aftair,"  con- 
tinued he,  after  a  pause,  although  at  present  1 
can  neither  see  into  the  particular  object  of  the 
deception,  nor  the  well  chosen  means  of  its  ac- 
complishment. I  assert,  hovv'ever,  that  a  trea- 
sonable and  sacrilegious  connexion  existed  be- 
tween the  librarian  and  the  condemned,  and  now 
executed  rebel ;  and  which  further  examination 
will  manifest.  I  honor  the  faith  and  the  per- 
sonal confidence  of  the  worthy  father  guardian, 
in  relation  to  the  suspected  brother  of  our 
order ;  but  I  also  know  this  spirit  of  freedom, 
this  turbulent  poison  of  thought,  which  in  Eu- 
rope not  only  endangers  the  church,  but  is  even 
brewed  by  those  who  call  themselves  the 
"  anointed  of  the  Lord,"  and,  as  the  true  elixir  of 
the  devil,  pervades  and  infects  the  veins  of  the 
churches.  The  holy  Benedict  forbid,  that  the 
name  of  one  calling  himseli  a  priest,  should 
pass  my  lips,  who,  seduced  and  blinded  by  .Satan, 
has  made  such  use  of  the  abominable  invention 
of  printing  as  even  to  deceive  the  most  tried 
adherents  of  the  only  saving  church.  The  holy 
Benedict  forbid,  that  I  should,  even  in  the  most 
remote  manner^  designate  a  little  book  which  a 
reprobate  priest,  who  will  be  justly  condemned 
to  eternal  punishment,  has  written  in  the  lan- 
guage of  the  'salvages  Franceses,'*  which  has 
been  published  by  hundreds  of  thousands,  in 
the  languages  of  all  the  European  nations,  in 
which  a  priest  receives  the  confession  ot  a 
Christian  !  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you  !"  he 
continued,  in  evident  excitement,  rising  up  and 
leaning  forward,  "  verily  I  say  unto  you,  those 
curse-laden  alid  hell-concocted  words — of  a  so 
called  Believer,t  have  occasioned  greater  evil  in 
'he  kingdom  of  Christianity,  than  the  plague 
in  the  East,  and  the  cholera  morbus  in  Europe, 
and  other  parts  of  the  world  ;  and  a  follower  of 
the  holy   Benedict,   who,   under   the   mask   of 

'French  savages.    |  Paroles  d'lmCroyant 


piety  and  sanctity,  and  under  pretext  of  his 
office  as  librarian,  not  only  tolerates  such  a 
book  inside  the  walls  of  a  monastery,  but,  under 
the  seal  of  secrecy  lends  it  to  a  younger  brother 
to  read,  is  capable  of  desecrating  the  habit  o£ 
our  order — of  desecrating  the  sacrament  of  the 
supper — by  conducting  a  friend  or  confederate 
of  the  rebel,  disguised  as  a  brother  of  our  order, 
into  the  prison  and  prison  chapel,  and  thus 
bringing  upon  himself  the  curses  of  all  the 
saints,  and  the  excommunication  of  the  church  !" 
He  thundered  out  the  last  words  in  convulsive 
citation,  trembling  in  all  his  limbs,  and  sank, 
as  if  exhausted  and  unstrung,  back  into  his  arm 
chair. 

"  Viva  la  Confederacion  Argentina !  mueran 
los  salvages  Unitarios  !  Of  what  book  do  jou 
speak,  reverend  Father  Ambrose  ?"  said  Senor 
Petrozo,  interrupting  the  deathlike  silence  which 
followed  the  loud  speech  of  the  Spaniai-d,  during 
which  the  assembled  associates  of  the  temporary 
inquisition  stared  at  each  other. 

"  I  speak  of  this,"  said  the  monk,  and  drew 
from  under  the  folds  of  his  robe  a  duodecimo 
volume,  bound  exactly  like  a  prayer  book,  which 
he  threw  upon  the  table  of  the  president.  "  I 
speak  of  this  book  !" 

Father  Fernando's  countenance  turned  pale ; 
he  made  the  sign  of  the  cross,  and  was  just  on 
the  point  of  leaving  his  seat  to  avoid  the  neigh- 
borhood of  a  book  burdened  with  so  heavy  a 
curse  of  the  church. 

"  Be  composed — sit  down  !  reverend  brother,* 
cried  Ambrose  to  him  ;  "  I  take  all  the  respon- 
sibility upon  myself." 

Senor  Petrozo  repeated  his  "  Viva  la  Con 
federacion  Argentina  !  mueran  los  salvages  Uni- 
tarios !"  stretched  his  bony  fingers  slowly  and 
hesitatingly  out  towards  the  infectious  little 
book,  ventured,  at  length,  to  take  it  up,  and  read 
the  title  half  aloud  to  himself—"  Palabras  de  un 
Creyente — por  De  La  Menais."  "  Then  a  priest  is 
the  author,  and  is  named  De  La  Menais,"  he  said. 
"  1  have  heard  of  this  book ;  but  our  lord  and  ruler 
takes  no  notice  of  books,  if  they  contain  nothing 
against  him.  He  does  not  read  himself,  and 
does  not  comprehend  how  other  men  can  occupy 
themselves  with  books.  But,  nevertheless,  the 
book  may  be  dangerous,  especially  since  the 
church  so  strictly  forbids  it.  Where  did  you 
find  it  >"  he  then  asked  of  the  Spanish  monk. 

"  In  the  hand  of  a  young  brother  of  our  order, 
the  day  before  yesterday,  early  in  the  morning, 
in  the  garden  of  the  monastery.  The  sinner 
tried  to  steal  away  and  hide  the  book.  I  suc- 
ceeded in  bringing  him  to  confession,  and  in 
getting  possession  of  it.  He  confessed  to  me  that 
the  brother  librarian,  whose  name  1  hardly 
knew,  had  entrusted  him  with  such  forbidden 
fruit,  under  the  condition  of  the  strictest 
secrecy." 

"  Viva  la  Confederacion  Argentina  !  mueran 
los  salvages  Unitarios  !  But  are  you  quite  certain 
that  the  young  brother  of  our  order,  in  whose 
hands  you  found  the  book,  can  read .'"  inquired 
the  father  guardian,  still  firmly  believing  in  the 
integrity  of  Brother  Celeste,  who  stood  m  high 
consideration  with  him,  because  he  was  able  to 
read,  not  only  Spanish,  but  even  books  in  several 
other  languages. 

The  monk  from  Barcelona  replied  to  this  ques- 
tion by  a  look  expressive  of  depreciation,  and 


DOLORES. 


77 


almost  of  contempt.  The  question,  however, 
could  onl\'  appear  singular  to  a  monk  from  Eu- 
rope, since  the  ignorance  and  stupidity  'of  the 
South  American  "  brethren  of  the  cloister  "  is 
universally  knovvn,  and  has  become  a  by-word 
there,  and  for  which  they  will  bear  a  comparison 
with  their  brethren  in  the  monasteries  of  any 
other  country. 

"  Viva  la  Confederacion  Argentina !  mueran 
los  salvages  Unitarios  !"  now  interposed  Senor 
Petrozo.  "  The  crime  of  Brother  Celeste,  which 
can  be  proved  by  tliis  book,  belongs  to  the  tribu- 
-«.nal  of  your  order,  and  can  here  only  serve  as 
presumptive  evidence  that  the  erring  Brother 
Celeste,  who,  according  to  appearances,  has 
been  for  a  long  time  apostate  from  the  church, 
has,  also,  committed  a  crime  against  the  state, 
which  we  shall  inquire  into,  and  then  hand  him 
over  to  the  inquisition  of  the  church." 

Father  Ambrose,  by  a  profound  inclination  of 
the  head,  gave  his  assent  to  this  declaration,  just 
as  a  light  knock  was  heard  at  the  door.  Senor 
Borrachezo  hurried  out,  but  instantly  returned 
with  the  information,  that  one  of  his  private 
agents,  attended  by  a  naval  officer  and  a  third 
person,  desired  to  speak  to  him. 

"  If  it  is  about  the  affair  of  the  condemned,  or 
concerning  the  author  of  the  Elegies,"  said  the 
Chief  of  Police,  "  you  may  let  the  people  come 
in  here ;  if  not,  they  must  wait  until  the  accused 
Brother  Celeste  is  examined,  because  you,  Mr. 
Commissary,  cannot  leave  here. until  then  " 

"  My  private  agent,  without  there,  informs  me 
that  the  trace  of  the  authoress  of  the  '  Elegies  ' 
has  been  discovered." 

"  The  authoress  !"  interrupted  the  Chief;  "  a 
lady,  then .'  I  am  very  curious  to  hear  about  it. 
Let  the  people  come  in  here." 

Borrachezo  opened  the  door,  and  Captain 
Tumble,  in  uniform,  and  well  armed,  stepped 
over  the  threshold,  accompanied  by  Senors  Pere- 
zoso  and  Falsodo.  As  a  precaution,  and  for  his 
own  personal  security,  he  commanded  two  of 
his  marines  to  place  themselves  inside  of  the 
door,  since  he  found  himself  in  an  unknown 
port,  where  various  "  strange  flags  "  met  his  eye, 
which  appeared  connected  with  the  Popedom,  a 
naval  power  which  he  placed  in  the  same  scale 
with  Tunis  and  Tripoli. 

"  Are  you  Serior  Bovrach  -  ezo,  the  Commissary 
of  Police  !"  asked  the  commander  of  the  Caza, 
of  the  officer  who  conducted  him  into  the  apart- 
ment ;  and  as  the  latter  assented,  he  continued, 
pointing  to  Falsodo,  "  And  do  you  acknowledge 
this  man  as  an  agent  in  the  service  of  govern- 
ment, in  the  Police  Department  ?" 

The  Commissary  of  Police  hesitated  with  the 
answer,  for  it  was  a  singular  case  to  be  called  on 
to  acknowledge,  openly,  the  standing  of  a  police 
spy ;  a  case  which  had  never  occurred  to  him 
before  in  his  practice ;  and  the  open  acknowl- 
edgement of  a  secret  agent  would  absolutely 
prevent  his  further  operations,  and,  of  course, 
must  serve  as  a  dismissal  from  secret  service. 
Falsodo  felt  that  his  life  hung  upon  the  con- 
firmation of  the  assertion  which  he  had  made  on 
board  of  the  Caza,  inasmuch  as  he  might  be 
assured  that  Captain  Tumble  would  as  certainly, 
and  more  punctually,  keep  his  word  in  relation 
to  rope  and  yard,  as  the  Regent  in  respect  to  the 
reward  for  the  discovery  of  the  poet ;  and  this 
feeling  was  any  thing  but  comfortable.    A  tiger 


glance  from  the  somewhat  brandy-red  eyes  of  the 
enraged  commander,  during  the  pause  which 
followed  this  question,  forced  out  the  perspira. 
tion  from  the  smooth  forehead  of  the  miserable 
sinner. 

After  a  long  hesitation,  Senor  Borrachezo,  at 
length,  replied — "  If  this  man,  under  peculiar 
circumstances  in  his  service,  has  been  induced 
and  compelled  to  discover  himself  as  commis- 
sioned on  the  part  of  the  police,  and  the  con- 
firmation of  such  a  position,  on  my  part,  can 
promote  the  affair,  I  shall,  by  no  means,  decline 
to  interest  myself  in  the  matter." 

Captain  Tumble,  as  a  seaman  and  captain  ac- 
customed to  the  extreme  of  brevity,  had  expected 
a  decisive  yes  or  no ;  the  ifs  and  ands  of  the 
police  diplomatist  by  no  means  suited  him  ;  he 
crossed  his  arms  over  his  breast,  took  a  firm  po- 
sition, and  said,  tolerably  loud — 

"  I  wish  to  know,  sir,  whether  this  man  has 
heretofore  been  in  your  service  or  not  ?" 

"  In  my  service  .'"  said  Senor  Borrachezo, 
smiling. 

"  In  the  service  of  the  policy"  growled  the 
commander,  as  loudly  as  before. 

"  If  he  is  really  in  the  service  of  the  police,  it 
will  be  easy  for  him  to  prove  his  standing,  by 
documents,"  answered  the  commissary,  and  Fal- 
sodo's  confiscated  visage  again  lost  its  color. 

**  This  man  pretends  to  have  orders  to  observe 
and  apprehend  the  Unitarian  there,  as  this  Uni- 
tarian stands  in  connexion  with  the  friends  and 
confederates  of  an  executed  traitor." 

"  Very  possible  !"  replied  Senor  Borrachezo. 
"  While  the  Unitarian,  on  the  contrary,  claims 
to  be  no  Unitarian,  but  a  zealous  Confederado, 
and  offers  to  name  the  authoress  of  the  infamous 
Elegies  of  the  Plata,  and  to  deliver  her  person 
into  the  hands  of  justice." 

"  Indeed  I  is  it  possible  !"  interrupted  the 
other,  a  little  seriously ; "  that  would  certainly  be 
interesting ;"  and  turned  to  Perezoso  with  the 
question — 

"  Who  are  you?" 

"  I  hope  I  have  the  honor  of  being  long  known 
to  you,  Mr.  Commissary  ?  My  name  is  Perezoso, 
I  am  a  philologist,  as  you  must  know." 

In  the  tone  of  a  man  of  business,  who  seeks  to 
despatch  one  after  the  other.  Borrachezo  now 
addressed  Captain  Tumble,  while  he  pointed 
out  an  arm  chair  to  him. 

"  Take  a  seat,  if  you  please,  sir !  With  whom 
have  1  the  honor  to  speak  ?" 

"With  a  naval  officer  of  the  Argentine  re- 
public, as  you  see,"  returned  Captain  Tumble, 
with  considerable  brevity,  and  threw  himself 
into  the  nearest  armchair — "  with  the  comman- 
der of  the  brig  la  Caza — with  Captain  Tumble." 
"  I  am  rejoiced  to  make  your  acquaintance," 
replied  the  commissioner;  "  you  are  a  foreigner, 
as  I  hear  !" 

"  A  foreigner  !  I,  a  foreigner  ?  you  are  mista- 
ken, sir !  I  am  an  Englishman,  and  you  are  a 
foreigner ;  I  stand  in  the  service  of  the  republic, 
and  desire  that  you  would  despatch  my  prisoners 
without  circumlocation,  without  a  long  introduc- 
tion. I  require  your  decided  declaration, 
whether  this  man  has  heretofore  stood  in  the 
service  of  the  police  or  not  ?  If  you  confirm  it, 
I  will  deliver  him  over  to  your  responsibility ;  if 
you  deny  it,  I  shall  take  him  on  board,  and  have 
him  hung,  for  he  has  tried  to  circumvent  me  ia 


"W 


DOLORES. 


73 

service— In  service  !  on  board  of  my  brig  !  As 
concerns  the  other,  thfe  Unitarian,!  will  leave  it 
with  you  to  obtain  his  contessjon  in  relation  to 
the  Eletries.  I  require,  however,  pen,  ink,  and 
paper,  to  write  down  niy  report,  in  case  Ine  (lis- 
coverv  and  apprehension  of  the  poetess,  or  ot  the 
poet  takes  place,  since  I  have  indirectly  assisted 
m  the  discovery,  and  have  my  interest  therein  ; 
do  vou  understand  ?  my  interest .'" 

Captain  Tumble  seated  himself,  without  cere- 
mony, at  the  table,  helped  himself  to  the  neces- 
sary writing  materials,  and  began  his  report  to 
the"  Minister  of  Justice. 

The  decided  language  of  the  commander, 
confirmed  bv  his  domineering  deportment,  did 
not  fail  of"its  effect  upon  either  Borrachezo 
or  Falsodo;  the  former  appeared  inclined  to 
take  part  with  the  spy,  and  the  latter  begged 
permission  to  throw  himself  into  a  chair,  lor 
his  knees  trembled,  and  his  head  swam  in  antici- 
pation of  the  hanging.  . ,  „  ~     t.  . 

"  Hasten  your  inquiries !"  said  SenorPetrozo, 
"  there  are  ca«;s  in  which  the  police  must  openly 
acknowledge  their  secret  agents,  and  we  are 
here,  moreover,  among  ourselves,  entirely  among 
ourselves.  Lose  no  time,  Mr.  Commissary—  or 
it  is  to  be  hoped  we  shall  soon  begin  an  equal  y 
important  examination.  He  looked  at  his  vvatch, 
and  listened  to  a  noise  at  the  door,  but  it  was 
not  occasioned  by  the  arrival  of  the  Benedictine, 
Brother  Celeste,  but  by  the  movements  of  the 
marines  whom  Captain  Tumble  had  posted  there 
Borrachezo  now  beckoned  to  the  spy,  and 
went  with  him  into  the  recess  window,  where 
they  talked  together  for  a  long  while. 

I'alsodo  disclosed  the  tragical  events  that  had 
happened  to  him  since  their  last  interview  in 
the  office  of  the  superintendent  of  the  prison, 
and  finally  asserted  that  he  had  possessed  him- 
Belf,  in  the  person  of  Perezoso.  of  the  secret  in 
relation  to  the  Elegies. 

"  Sit  down,"  whispered   Borrachezo  to  him 
«'  compose  yourself;"  and  then  beckoned  to  the 
private  teacher,  who   took  the  vacant  place  left 
by   the  spy,  and  made   his  statement,  and  with 
peculiar  confidence.  .    ,     ~        i,  •  r 

"  I  have  ascertained,"  he  asserted,  after  a  brief 
introduction,"  who  has  written  the  infamous  Ele- 
p-ies,  and  will  engage  to  apprehend  the  author. 
If  sovernment  will  place  the  means  at  my  dispo- 
sal; of  which  I  must  avail  myself,  to  attain  my 

°  ■'"The  author  ?  I  thought  it  had  been  a  lady  !" 
interrupted  the  commissary. 

"  Whether  it  be  a  man  or  a  woman,  replied 
the  other,  is  my  aflair,  since  I  only  have  as  yet 
found  the  clue.  If  I  uttered,  in  the  presence  of 
Falsodo,  the  supposition  that  a  lady  wrote  the 
Ele^'ies,  you  will  readily  understand  such  a  pre- 
cauFion,  as  I  suspected  Falsodo's  position,  and 
wished  to  reserve  my  secret  for  myself. 

Borrachezo  appeared  to  find  this  quite  in  order, 
and  bestowed  the  more  confidence  on  the  clever 

'^  ""what  means  do  you  require  at  your  dis- 

^""'immediate  appointment  for  life,  as  custom 
house  officer,  and  unlimited  power,  =«.  ^"'^1>>  '° 
search  every  house  and  every  ship,  without  le- 
Btiiction,  with  armed  attendance,"  replied  the 
private  teacher.  ,„ 

••  And  if  you  do  not  deliver  up  the  author .' 


-  Then  I  will  lay  doWTi  my  office  again,  and 
return  to  my  private  station ;  but  I  require  an 
immediate  private  audience  with  the  Minister  of 
the  Department  of  the  Interior,  and  my  appoim- 
ment  made  out,  that  I  may  proceed  to  the  arrest ; 
I  have  not  a  minute  to  lose."  . 

Borrachezo  hesitated,  for  the  originality  of 
these  stipulations,  surprised  him.  He  perceived 
he  necessity  of  such  a  post,  for  unrestrained 
search  under  the  pretext  of  the  discovery  of 
muggled  goods,  but  he  equally  acknowledged 
the  "clever  fellow's"  presence  of  mmd,  in  thus 
securing  to  himself  a  permanent  situation 

Without  losing  a  word,  he  liurned  to  the 
chief,  in  the  red  armchair  and  laid  before  him 
the  requisitions  of  the  zealous  Confederado 

"  Here  are  my  documents  in  our  prosecuting 
partnership,"  exclaimed  Captain  Tnmbe,  "write 
me  a  receipt,  Mr.  Commissary,  stating  that  1  have 
"elivered  up  to  you  the  secret  for  which  a  re- 
ward is  oflered,  enveloped  m  the  person  of  the 

'"f.^r^.firacta:wledge  the  arrival.of  both  per- 
sons here,  in  the  Palace  of  Justice,  m  your  com- 
pany !"  . 

"  That  is  what  I  require. 

Borrachezo  took  the  pen  which  Captain  Tum- 
ble handed  to  him,  and  had  hardly  written  and 
subscribed  an  attestation,when  there  was  another 
knock  at  the  door.  .  rii„„t„>» 

"  That  must  be  the  librarian,  Brother  Celeste, 
whispered  he  to  the  Chief  of  Police,J' I  will 
bring  him  in,  and  then  accompany  Senor  Pere- 
zoso, in  aU  haste,  to  the  Minister  of  the.lnterior, 
that  the  search  may  proceed  as  speedily  as  pos- 

^'  "ho  30, 1  will,  for  the  moment,  give  the  libra- 

"''Borrachezo'left  the  room,  but  soon  returned 
with  a  lengthened  and  colorless  face. 

"  The  librarian  of  the  Monastery  of  St.  Bento, 
Brother  Celeste,  has  disappeared-there  is  no 
trace  of  him  to  be  found  !  The  habit  of  the  or- 
der, which  he  wore  this  morning,  lay  "P°"  ]\f 
bed  A  box,  purporting  to  contain  books  tor  the 
library,  stood  open,  and  half  .empty,  in  his  cell 
No  one  has  seen  him  since  eight  o  clock,  when 
he  went  into  the  church,  and  returned  to  hi»  tell 
through  the  sacristy ;  he  has  not  been  seen  since. 

"A  miracle!  a  miracle  !"  exclaimed  the  father 
guardian,  addressing  himself  especial  y  to  the 
Franciscan.  "  Did  I  not  say  so  i  did  1  not  tell 
you  so,  this  morning.  Father  Fernando  ?  that  he 
is  endowed  with  miraculous  power  ?  tha  he  can 
double  his  person  .'  as  has  been  proved  m  the  pri- 
son, where  he  appeared  in  a  two-  o  d  form,  and 
as  a  negro  or  mulatto,  besides !  did  not  tell  you 
so  '  And  now  he  has  vanished  bodily  !  vanished 
like   a  bursted   fire  ball  on  the  festival  of  the 

holy  Benedict."  ^    ^     ,  •    ,i,    „„ii 

"  A  half  emptied  book  chest  stood  in  the  cell, 
you  say,  Mr.  Commissary  ?"  inquired  the  Span- 
ish monk,  turning  away,  vexed,  from  the  father 

^""^So  says  the  police  agent,  without,  there, 
who  has  been  in  the  monastery." 

"  What  is  more  probable  than  that  a  complete 

wardrobe  was  in  the  box,  and  the  reprobate  has 

taken  himself  off  through  the  garden  gate,  in 

dis^'uise  1"  , 

"Very  probable,"  affirmed  Senor  Borrachezo 

"  Hlgiily  probable,"  chimed  in  Senor  '^    -zoso 


DOLORES. 


r79 


'    "  Without  doubt — unless  a  miracle  has  occur- 
led  !"  added  old  Domingo. 

"  Is  it  convenient  for  you  to  accompany  me 
»iow  to  tile  Minister  of  the  Interior !"  wliispered 
Perezoso,  in  the  ear  of  the  Commissary  of  Police  ; 
perhaps  I  may  catch  two  heads  with  one  lazo  ; 
out  I  repeat,  I  have  no  time  to  lose." 

Senor  Borrachezo  now  exchanged  a  few  low 
•?vords  with  the  Chief,  and  took  his  hai.  . 

"  Do  not  forget  to  give  in '  my  report,"  cried 
Captain  Tumble  after  him. 

"  It  shall  be  punctually  attended  to,"  returned 
the  other.  "  I  will  add  mine,  verbally,  in  ac- 
knowledgement of  your  official  diligence." 

"  Mr.  Commander,  I  thank  you  for  your  escort 
to  this  place,"  said  Perezoso  to  the  naval  olficer  ; 
'*  perhaps,  and  very  probable,  I  shall  yet  have 
the  honor  to  see  you  on  board  of  your  brig,  or 
even  in  the  stern  of  your  cutter,  if  you  remain 
on  shore  for  an  hour  longer." 

Captain  Tumble  pondered  over  these  words, 
and  endeavored  to  interpret  their  meaning,  but 
did  not  seem  to  arrive  at  the  conne.xion  of  ideas, 
and  so.  let  the  matter  rest,  until  some  official 
order  should  bring  him  in  contact  with  the  vice 
agent  and  future  custom  house  officer. 

"  Come  !  come  !  I  pray  you,  Mr.  Commissary ; 
we  must  hurry,"  said  Perezoso  to  his  companion 
who,  at  length,  answered  the  last  words  of  the 
Chief  of  Police  with  a  "  very  natural !"  and 
the  two  departed,  leaving  the  college,  which 
represented  Church  and  State,  to  ponder  over 
the  twofold  mystery  of  the  authorship  of  the 
"  Elegies,"  and  the  flight  of  the  brother  libra- 
rian from  the  Monastery  of  St.  Bonto. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE    SONS    OF   THE    OCEAN. 

After  Captain  Finngreen  had  given  the 
order  to  prepare  for  sailing,  and  taken  his  place 
upon  tlie  quarterdeck,  while  the  longboat  of  the 
Caza  was  on  its  way,  he,  in  great  haste,  desired 
his  passenger,  Ormur  Olafvu",  to  have  Alvarez 
come  up  into  the  cabin,  and  to  take  care  to  see 
him  refreshed  and  strengthened,  while  he  would 
bring  the  vessel  in  course. 

Ormur  gave  all  the  other  passengers  a  hint  to 
leave  the  deck,  for  he,  as  a  seaman,  knew  the 
moment  when  nothing  is  so  superfluous  upon  a 
Vessel's  deck  as  a  passenger,  and  nothing  so  ne- 
cessary as  a  captain  who  knows  how  to  give  his 
orders,  and  a  crew  that  knows  how  to  execute 
them. 

Captain  Finngreen  attended  to  the  fulfilment 
of  liis  duty  as  captain,  with  as  much  decision  as 
if  he  had  no  passengers,  much  less  refugees,  on 
board,  for  whose  heads  a  reward  was  ofliBred. 
According  to  the  standing  harbor  laws,  each 
captain,  in  Buenos  Ayres,  is  bound  to  take  a 
pilot  to  Point  Indio ;  and  only  in  case  that  no 
pilot  is  to  be  had,  can  he  take  his  vessel  out  him- 
Belf,  and  receive  back  his  pilotage.  Captain 
Finngreen  had  asked  for  a  pilot,  but  all  were 
employed  upon  the  river,  and  he  would  have  to 
wait  some  hours,  until  one  was  placed  at  his 
disposal.  , 


From  the  apprehension  that  cren  a  pilot 
might  bely  his  loyalty  as  a  seaman,  and,  observ- 
ing sometliing  suspicious  on  board  the  Nordstjer- 
nan,  might  betray  him,  he  the  more  readily 
resolved  to  go  to  sea  without  one,  and,  likewise, 
to  renounce  the  pilotage,  since  he  avoided  ap- 
pearing again  in  the  pilot  office  at  the  moment 
of  his  departure.  His  position  was,  conse- 
quently, one  of  great  responsibility,  and  put  in 
requisition  the  head  of  tlie  seaman,  as  well  a3 
the  heart  of  the  man. 

We  leave  him  to  the  performance  of  his  duty, 
and  betake  ourselves  to  the  cabin,  whither  Hora- 
tio, Ormur,  Mr.  Walker,  and  Mr.  Rossbriick, 
had  directed  their  steps,  and  were  just  then 
busied  in  bringing  the  refugee,  Alvarez,  out  of 
his  hiding  place. 

The  latter  related  that  the  sailors  of  the  man- 
of-war  had  crept  quite  near  to  him,  and  nearly 
touched  him ;  but  from  their  low  discourse,  he 
had  remarked  that  they  would  all  have  been 
glad  to  take  his  place,  and  fly  from  a  service  to 
which  necessity  compelled  them.  "  They  were 
more  afraid  of  finding  me,  than  I  was  of  being 
found,"  said  Alvarez,  "  for  the  poor  creatures 
acknowledged  their  equal  in  me,  and  in  misery 
a  rough  heart  often  feels  noble  sentiments." 

Achilles  took  upon  himself  the  office  of  the 
long  Ottar,  who  was  employed  on  deck,  and 
performed  the  services  of  steward  in  the  cabin, 
under  Ormur's  directions,  to  strengthen  tho 
physical  force  of  the  unfortunate  Alvarez,  by 
means  of  nourishment;  while  all,  for  particular 
reasons,  avoided  any  reference  to  the  circum- 
stances of  their  present  situation. 

Horatio  desired  his  friend  Ormur  to  lend  him 
the  "  Paroles  d'un  Croyant"  for  the  moment,  for 
though  he  was  not  in  a  mood  to  occupy  himself 
with  reading,  there  was,  on  the  other  hand,  no 
other  book  within  reach,  that  was  better  adapted 
for  his  consolation.  The  seaman  hastily  toolc 
out  some  books,  to  gratify  the  desire  of  the 
youth,  whereby  another  little  book  accidentally 
fell  to  the  floor,  which  Robert  caught  up. 
Without  looking  at  the  title,  he  observed  the 
heading  of  a  chapter,  "  The  sons  of  the 
Ocean,"  and  excused  himself  to  the  owner 
for  retaining  it ;  he  added,  "  If  you  will  allow 
me,  I  will  read  it,  since  we  must  remain  down 
here  until  our  captain  has  the  Nordstjornan  on 
her  course." 

"  Read  it,  if  you  like  it,"  replied  Hinango, 
and  Robert  threw  liimself  into  a  corner   of  the 
sofa,  and  read  attentively,  to  himself,  the  follow 
ing  pages : 

"  THE    SONS   or   THE    OCEAN." 

"As  men  in  every  station  and  condition  of 
life,  generally  fall  into  particular  divisions,  a 
seafaring  life  admits  of  an  arrangement  of  cap- 
tains of  vessels  in  three  classes,  distinct  in  their 
character  from  each  other.  There  are,  among 
sea  captains,  as  in  all  other  kind  of  business, 
men  who,  from  vocation  and  inclination,  and 
others,  who,  by  chance,  or  a  whim  of  fate,  follow 
the  sea;  and  others,  again,  who  enter  this 
path,  because  no  other  remains  open  to  them. 
For  the  designation  of  these  three  classes,  par- 
ticular generic  names  are  necessary,  which  wa 
shall  here  make  use  of  for  that  purpose.  Thero 
are,  among  ship  captains.  Seamen,  Captains,  and 
Skippers.     Tlie  seaman   feels   himself  born  for 


80 


DOLORES. 


the  ocean,  and  however  the  circumstances  of  his 
childhood  may  shape  themselves,  he  wears  out 
his  boy's  shoes  upon  ship's  deck,  and  already, 
while  a  boy,  obtains,  in  a  manner,  an  elevated 
view  of  life  and  of  the  world,  from  the  main- 
mast top,  where  his  commander  sends  him  in 
storm  and  tempest.  Accustomed  to  the  adverse 
elements,  deprived  of  tranquillity  and  comfort, 
his  moral  powers  are  developed  by  difficulties 
and  dansei's.  Courage  in  him  is  moral  self-reli- 
ance, and  manifests  itself  as  strength  of  mind, 
in  perseverance  and  endurance,  in  self-denial 
and  privation.  This  courage  of  the  seaman  has 
nothing  in  common  with  the  so  called  '  courage" 
of  the  mercenary,  which,  for  a  few  pence,  he 
manifests,  as  the  blind,  wiUess  instrument  of  ab- 
solute despotism.  The  seaman  passes  through 
all  grades  of  service,  from  cabin  boy  to  com- 
mander, and  deports  himself,  in  every  station  and 
situation,  as  a  born  seaman.  The  ocean  is  his 
element ;  the  storm  is  his  companion  ;  the  uni- 
verse his  world  ;  and  the  central  point  of  his 
life,  his  ship.  The  seaman,  in  his  place  as  cap- 
tain, regards  the  ocean  as  his  home,  his  cabin  as 
his  d%veUing,  his  quarterdeck  as  his  promen- 
ade, his  vessel  as  a  part  of  his  own  being.  The 
seaman  on  sliore,  longs  to  be  on  board  again,  as 
the  youth  longs  for  his  beloved  ;  all  his  thoughts 
and  cares  hover  around  his  vessel.  In  conver- 
sation on  different  subjects,  he  is  all  the  while 
thinking  of  his  ship,  and  loves  to  talk  of  nothing 
so  much  as  of  the  dangers  he  has  gone  through. 
He  regards  his  vessel  with  pride,  when  he  is 
leaving  or  returning  to  it; '  it  is  the  joy  of  his 
stormy  life.'  The  retired  loneliness  and  the 
deep  reflection  which  are  at  all  times  peculiar 
to  his  situation,  develop  in  the  seaman  that 
depth  of  contemplation  which  regards  life, 
from  an  elevated  position,  in  accordance  with  the 
unconscious  result  of  his  nautical  studies,  which 
lead  him  into  the  boundless  domain  of  astronomy 
He  considers  our  planet  as  an  imperfect,  insig- 
nificant thing,  in  mathematical  relation,  to  other 
planets — the  universe,  as  a  region  of  eternal  mo- 
tion, where  solar  systems  revolve  around  other 
solar  systems.  In  such  contemplations  of  crea- 
tion, (forced  upon  him,  so  to  speak,  by  his  cal- 
ling,) he  feels  the  nothingness  of  earthly  life, 
while  he  recognises  the  dignity  of  the  human 
mind.  As  a  spirit  in  a  body  of  clay,  he  is 
able  to  fix  the  point  of  his  momentary  exis- 
tence upon  the  ocean,  with  more  or  less  preci- 
sion. Conversant  with  the  orbits  of  the  stars, 
he  arrives  at  the  elevated  degree  of  calculating 
by  seconds  the  distances  of  the  constellations, 
whose  motions  are  as  familiar  to  him  as  the 
course  of  his  own  ship.  Through  naathematical 
demonstration,  faith  becomes  in  him  the  con- 
viction that  a  higher  power  exists,  which  di- 
rects the  universe,  and  reveals  itself  upon  our 
planet,  through  its  works  as  nature,  and  gov- 
erns the  tides the   breathing  of  the  ocean, 

under  the  influence  of  the  moon, ;  the  pulse 
throb  of  a  mysterious  life.  Opposed  to  the  gran 
deur  of  the  universe,  worldly  brilliancy  appears 
to  him  in  its  insignificant  nothingness,  while  his 
spirit  feels  itselt  allied  with  the  all-governing 
primitive  power,  which  reveals  itself  in  the 
daring  elevation  of  human  intellect,  calculating 
the  rotation  of  the  constellations.  He  is  embol- 
dened to  follow  the  path  of  a  comet— to  enter 
the  realms  of  infinitude  ;  and  shrinlis  back,  with 


holy  awe,  before  the  impenetrahle  mystery  of 
the  magnet. 

"  The  seaman  treats  his  crew  as  men,  and  his 
officers  as  friends.  Not  forgetting  that  he  has 
been  a  sailor  himself,  and  borne  the  toils  and 
hardships  before  the  mast,  he  endeavors  to 
lighten  the  lot  of  his  crew.  He  observes  a  rigid 
fulfilment  of  his  duties  as  captain,  while  he 
requires  from  each  man  equal  exactitude  in  ser- 
vice, and  equal  respect  as  a  man,  on  all  occa- 
sions, and  at  all  times.  Beholding  in  his 
otlcers  men  who  may  become  to-morrow  what 
he  is  to-day,  he  treats  them  as  he  desired  to  be' 
treated  by  his  commander  when  in  a  similar 
position.  More  accustomed  to  thinking  than  to 
talking,  the  seaman  is  laconic  in  his  discourse, 
and  likes,  least  of  all,  the  obtrusive  speeches 
and  far-fetched  questions  of  tedious  passengers, 
which  are  as  strange  to  him  as  are  life  and  the 
world  to  them. 

"  If  accident  brings  him  in  contact  with  a  man 
in  whom  he  finds  a  harmony  with  his  own 
feelings,  whether  it  be  with  a  passenger  on 
board,  or  in  social  intercourse  on  shore,  the  po- 
lar crust  of  ice  which  encloses  his  heart  easily 
melts,  and  his  inward  nature  opens,  under  the 
reciprocal  attraction,  to  unrestrained  commu- 
nion. Bountiful  and  generous,  without  extrava- 
gance, in  his  intercourse  on  shore,  he  displays 
his  peculiar  qualities  in  hospitality  on  board  his 
ship.  He  relinquishes  the  details  of  providing 
for  the  crew  to  those  whose  office  involves  this 
duty,  while  he  gives  his  particular  attention  to 
the'supplying  of  pure  water  andsuthcient  stores. 
The  instruments  and  charts  required  by  his  vo- 
cation, are  especially  dear  to  him,  and  his  pos- 
sessions of  this  sort  approach  to  a  luxury  which 
he  displavs  in  nothing  else. 

"  In  his  toilet  he  is  neat  and  cleanly,  as  well  as 
in  his  ship.  He  is  less  observant  of  the  changes 
of  fashion  when  on  shore,  than  of  the  changes 
of  the  moon  when  on  board,  but  takes  care  to 
have  a  wardrobe  suitable  to  the  variations  of  cli- 
mate. He  is  fond  of  reading  on  board,  and  keeps 
on  increasing  a  little  cabinet  library,  though  few- 
authors  serve  him  ;  he  likes  only  those  that  '  sail 
deep,'  and  carry  rich  cargoes  At  sea,  he  longs 
to  see  his  voyage  speedily  ended  ;  on  shore,  he 
wishes  himself  at  sea  again.  His  manly  charac- 
ter is  not  only  evinced  in  imminent  danger,  but 
more  especially  by  his  equanimity  and  patience 
in  calms  and  other  hindrances.  Familiar  with 
the  dangers  of  the  element  from  his  youth  up, 
he  becomes  equally  familiar  with  the  thoughts 
of  death,  with  whi'ch  he  is  threatened  by  every 
cloud  that  disturbs  the  horizon,  and  which  may 
bring  about  his  last  hour.  Although  attached  to 
lil'e  by  the  bonds  of  love  and  friendship,  he  does 
not  fear  death  in  the  moment  of  danger.  Feel- 
ing the  responsibility  which  rests  upon  him,  by 
having  the  lives  of'  other  men  confided  to  his 
charge,  who  are  placed  under  his  unrestricted 
authority,  and  vi-ho,  in  a  measure,  are  involved 
in  his  fate,  within  a  limited  space,  are  in  depen- 
dance  upon  him,  he  maintains  his  firmness 
and  presence  of  mind  in  decisive  and  critical 
moments.  Without  expecting  miracles  of  a 
supernatural  character,  where  human  help  fails, 
he  sustains  himself  as  man,  upon  the  elevation 
of  strength  of  mind,  the  greatest  miracle  on 
earth,  since  '  man,  revealed  in  the  seaman,* 
dares  to  brave  and  contend  against  the  destruc  ■ 


DOLORES, 


81 


live  power  of  the  elements ;  '  a  worm  of  the 
dust'  floating  upon  the  raging  ocean,  allied,  as 
spirit,  to  the  primitive  power,  whose  breath 
pervades  all  nature,  and  roars  in  the  storm  and 
the   hurricane. 

"In  churchyards  and  burial  places,  we  seldom 
see  tile  memorial  of  a  seaman.  Born  on  the  sea- 
Bliore — as  a  boy,  growing  np  on  board — as  a  youth, 
only  on  shore  to  go  to  sea  again — the  seaman,  for 
the  most  part,  ends  his  life  in  the  waves — 
whereby  the  owners  lose  nothing,  because  ship 
and  cargo  are  insured.  The  ocean  on  which  his 
life  was  developed,  most  generally  becomes  his 
grave,  and  the  storm  which  raged  about  his  path 
and  proved  his  courage  and  hardihood,  becomes 
the  only  witness  of  his  death  hour.  But  storm 
and  tempest,  raging  above  him  in  his  last  mo- 
ments, offer  no  organ  of  renown.  The  murmur 
ot"  the  waves  tells  not  to  his  people  the  last  strug- 
gles of  the  seaman.  No  whispering  of  the  bil- 
lows in  a  calm,  on  the  shore  of  his  home,  brings 
his  last  farewell  to  the  objects  of  his  affection, 
nor  the  last  sigh,  which,  in  the  dismal  distance  of 
the  raging  elements,  or  within  sigiit  of  the  coast 
of  his  destination,  is  lost  amid  the  howling  of 
the  storm,  and  the  roaring  of  the  breakers  in 
whose  companionship  death  embraces  him. 
Tlie  fury  of  the  tempest  which  caused  his  end, 
closing  his  bursting  eyes  in  eternal  night,  and 
his  heart  in  everlasting  silence,  is  appeased, 
and  has  died  away.  The  sunbeams  which 
tanned  the  seaman's  cheeh,  shines  upon  no 
flower,  sparldes  in  no  dew  drop,  upon  the  grassy 
sod  of  the  seaman's  grave.  His  fame  disappears 
as  tracklessly  as  the  wake  which  he  leaves  be- 
hind him  in  circumnavigating  the  globe, while  his 
name  lives  in  the  recollection  of  kindred  hearts, 
which  knew  and  acknowledged  him  in  his  worth, 
as  a  man.  This  is  the  '  seaman,'  developed  in 
struggles,  braving  every  danger,  in  the  con- 
sciousness of  his  mental  power  and  manly 
dignity. 

"  Opposed  to  the  Seaman,  we  see  the  '.Skipper.' 
The  skipper  has  entered  upon  a  seafaring  life, 
because  he  was  good  for  nothing  on  shore ;  h( 
ran  away  from  his  apprenticeship  to  a  tailor,  and 
Was  not  strong  enough  for  a  blacksmith  or  car- 
penter. He  sails  ten  years  before  the  mast,  and 
at  length  becomes  mate,  because  there  is  no  one 
else  who  can  write  the  account  in  a  table  of 
reckoning,  and  call  'stop!'  when  casting  the 
log.  He  arrives,  in  twelve  years,  as  second 
mate,  so  far  that  he  can  keep  a  '  log  book,'  and 
come  tolerably  near  to  the  latitude  by  means  of 
the  sextant,  when  the  horizon  is  not  too  uncer- 
tain, and  the  ship  too  '  crank.'  At  length  he  finds 
a  captain  who  makes  him  first  mate,  and  keeps 
him  in  his  employ  for  years  because  he  is  as 
stupid  as  himself,  and  tolerates  him  because  he, 
as  mate,  falces  no  notice  of  the  captain's  blun- 
ders. He  becomes  captain  by  his  good  name  as 
a  manager,  by  his  marriage  with  a  widow,  by 
the  caprice  of  an  old  woman,  by  tlie  death  of  a 
captain,  or  by  the  influence  of  a  sister  or  niece 
in  the  service  of  a  merchant,  and  gets  a  ship,  to 
repair  the  rigging,  patch  the  sails,  and  take  a  crew 
over  the  sea  on  'he  '  starving  system.'  Having 
completely  fulhlled  the  expectations  of  the 
stingiest  of  owners  in  this  respect,  a  better  ves- 
sel, with  a  more  numerous  crew,  is  confided  to 
his  '  hunger  cure.'  He  is  now  captain,  and  re- 
mains so,  and  lays  up  money,  that  he  may  retire 
H 


as  soon  as  possible.  He  traffics  and  cheats  on 
board  and  on  shore,  and  sells  his  own  clothes  to 
a  sailor,  in  payment  of  his  monthly  wages.  In- 
stead of  the  '  Nautical  Almanac,'  he  carries  an 
old  Low  Dutch  reckoning  book.  He  knows 
nothing  of  the  distances  of  the  constellations,  and 
has  no  acquaintance  with  any  star  in  the  heavens 
but  the  evening  star,  which  once  caught  his 
attention,  because  it  sparkled  alone.  He  carries 
no  chronometer,  for  he  does  not  know  how  to 
use  it.  On  a  long  course,  he  relies  upon  the  acci- 
dental meeting  of  a  ship  which  knows  the  longi- 
tude, and  then  boasts  to  his  mate  of  his  preci- 
sion, if  he  has  not  made  a  mistake  of  more  than 
1°.  He  treats  his  crew  like  slaves,  and  his  officers 
like  servants  ;  drinks  a  glass  of  wine  or  grog  him- 
self, but  enjoins  '  temperance'  upon  all  besides, 
for  he  maintains  that  '  spirits  and  much  meat 
are  real  poison  at  sea.'  The  provisions  are  given 
out  to  the  crew  in  his  presence,  and  he  strictly 
controls  the  weight.  If  the  ration  is  short  by  a 
half  pound,  he  thinks  it  is  '  very  well !  the  next 
time  more  can  be  given.'  His  favorite  seat  is 
the  water  butt,  upon  the  afterdeck,  where  he 
observes  the  clouds.  The  least  unfavorable 
change  in  the  wind  sets  his  blood  in  a  ferment, 
and  in  a  contrary  wind,  or  even  in  a  calm,  he 
loses  his  senses ;  he  raves  about  like  a  madman, 
looks  up  the  cabin  boy,  to  find  some  fault  with 
him,  and  seizes  the  nearest  rope  to  cool  his 
wrath  ]upon  him.  If  the  wind  becomes  favor- 
able, he  chats  with  the  man  at  the  helm  and 
with  the  cook,  and  promises  the  mate  his  influ- 
ence to  procure  him  a  ship.  In  the  neighbor- 
hood of  the  coast,  he  is  thrown  into  a  feVer  of 
anxiety,  because  he  does  not  know  where  he  is  ; 
he  climbs  the  mast  ten  times  a  day,  and  insists 
that  a  sailor  must  see  land  where  there  is  none. 
If  he  should,  at  length,  find  a  pilot  boat,  he  gets 
intoxicated  for  joy,  gives  over  his  ship  to  the 
pilot,  and  lays  himself  down  in  his  berth. 

"On  land  he  is  a  sea  hero,  and  relates  miracles  ot 
his  ability  as  seaman.  He  is  fond  of  associating 
with  the  captains  with  whom  he  once  sailed  be- 
fore the  mast,  and  allows  himself  to  be  treated  by 
them  at  the  ship  chandler's  and  in  hotels.  As 
the  time  approaches  for  him  to  put  to  sea  again, 
he  becomes  cross  and  discontented,  for  he  fears 
the  sea  *  as  a  miserable  sinner  does  the  devil. 
He  keeps  no  mate  with  him  for  more  than  one 
voyage,  and  m  sailor  will  hire  with  him  wlio 
iias  ever  met  with  any  one  who  has  sailed 
with  him  before.  He  cheats  his  owners,  and 
knows  how  to  save,  in  provisions  and  in  the 
inventory,  for  tliem  and  for  himself,  and  retains 
their  good  opinion  of  him  as  an  'able  captain.' 
When  he  has  raked  money  enough  together,  he 
retires  to  repose,  and  becomes  a  grocer  or  tavern 
keeper  in  the  neighborhood  of  a  harbor,  fre- 
quented by  sailors.  He  shudders  at  the  thought 
of  the  sea,  but  allows  himself,  nevertheless,  to  be 
called  '  captain,'  and  keeps  a  picture  of  the  ship 
which  he  last  had  charge  of,  in  a  frame  and  glass. 
.Such  is  the  '  skipper,'  as  contrasted  with  the 
'  seaman.' 

"  The  third,  or,  properly,  the  middle  class, 
is  represented  liy  the  '  Captain.'  He  is  neither 
seaman  nor  skipper,  and  there  is  nothing  further 
to  be  said  of  him,  than  that  he  is  'captain  of  this 
or  that  ship.' 

It  is  self-evident  that  the  true  seaman  is  to 
be  found  in  all  ranks ;  among  the  sailors  of 


DOLORES. 


merchant  vessels,  as  well  as  amona;  the  mid- 
shipmen of  the  navy ;  although  many  a  skip- 
per and  captain,  favored  by  fortune,  commands 
a  frigate,  which  the  seaman,  who  stands  at  the 
helm  as  a  sailor,  would  be  more  capable  of 
guiding.  In  respect  to  the  three  above  appella- 
tions, we  remark,  in  conclusion,  that  the  word 
'  seaman'  is  often  used  where  a  skipper  or  captain 
is  meant,  and  in  English  may,  perhaps,  be  re- 
placed by  the  word  '  sailor.'  But  our  notion  of  a 
good  seamen  is,  evidently,  something  difi'erent 
from  that  of  a  good  sailor,  for  every  skipper  and 
captain  can  be  a  good  sailor — '  if  he  has  a  good 
wind.' " 

Bob  Walker  had  finished  reading,  and  still 
held  the  book  in  his  hand,  as  if  unwilling  to  part 
with  it,  when  Captain  Finngreen  hastily  entered 
the  cabin,  and  unrolled  a  chart.  He  marked  his 
course,  and  called,  through  the  open  skylight, 
"  Northeast  by  east !" 

"  Northeast  by  east !"  repeated  the  man  at  the 
helm,  and  the  captain  left  the  cabin  as  hastily 
as  be  had  entered  it. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

EETROSPECT   AND   REVELATION. 

The  brig  Nordstjernan  had  got  under  way 
about  noon,  and  was  favored  by  a  moderate  south 
breeze,  for,  like  many  other  vessels,  she  sailed 
proportionably  better  before  a  half  wind. 

Four  and  twenty  hours  had  passed  away,  and 
as  the  seaman  expresses  if,  ninety  miles  "  had 
altered"  in  respect  to  the  distance  between  her 
starting  place,  and  the  place  where  she  now 
floated." 

Many  ships  and  fishing  boats  had  sailed  past 
her,  in  opposite  direction,  and  this  and  that  flag 
had,  from  far  and  near,  saluted  the  Swedish 
colors.  Among  the  various  sails,  was  likewise 
seen  an  Argentine  man-of-war  brig,  easily  to  be 
distinguished  as  such,  by  the  red  stripe  under 
the  black  bulwarks.  She  passed  up  the  stream, 
and  seemed  to  take  little  notice  of  any  merchant 
vessel,  whatever  flag  it  bore,  while  she  sought 
to  take  advantage  of  the  wind,  and  was  probably 
under  special  instructions  to  reach  the  place  of 
her  destination  as  speedily  as  possible. 

The  Nordstjernan  had  safely  passed,  in  the 
aboye  distance,  by  the  "  Bank  of  Ortiz"  and 
"  Point  Espinilla,"  and  was  now  distant  from 
Monte  Vicdo  some  thirty  miles,  in  the  direction 
of"  Memory  Point,"  when  the  south  breeze  gra- 
dually became  lighter,  and  at  last  almost  died 
away.  The  weather  was  remarkable  fine,  and 
oll'ered  the  passengers  the  most  agreeable  prome- 
nade, or  at  least  a  beneficial  airing  on  deck,  if 
their  legs  had  not  acquired  the  seaman's  step  for 
walking  about. 

Excepting  a  cloudbank  in  the  southwe3t,which 
appeared  to  contain  the  materials  of  a  thunder 
storm,  the  heavens  displayed  the  deep  blue  so 
peculiar  to  that  zone,  and  through  whose  in- 
describable purity,  the  air  itself  becomes  an  ele- 
ment of  invigoration,  a  balsam  of  life  to  the  breast 
which  inhales  it. 

Friendly    "  Cape  pigeons,"    dazzling  white 


gigantic  seagulls,  and  yet  larger  brownish  grey 
fishhawks,  circled  around,  and  flew  above  the 
Swedish  brig  in  all  directions,  from  time  to  time 
dipping  down  into  the  "  keel  water,"  the  exten- 
sion of  which  became  constantly  narrower  in 
the  decreasing  breeze,  and  the  foam  of  which 
constantly  lessened. 

"  We  have  now  one  thing,  above  all  others,  to 
fear,"  said  Captain  Fingreen,  in  a  low  tone,  to 
Ormur,  who  walked  at  his  side  with  hasty  steps, 
up  and  down  the  quarterdeck;  "I  mean  the 
chance  that  the  secret  police,  notwithstanding 
all  the  precautions  on  the  part  of  Mr.  Walker, 
may  discover  the  trace  of  Senora  Dolores,  sus- 
pect her  flight  here  on  board,  and  that  we  shall 
yet  have  that  cursed  man-of-war  after  us." 

"  The  chance  is  possible  returned  Ormur, 
"  and  not  improbable,  although  that  officer 
searched  the  ship  thoroughly,  and  let  the  young 
lady  in  your  cabin,  pass  for  '  Miss  Walker.'  I  can 
by  no  means  deny  my  own  anxiety  in  this  res- 
pect ;  but  we  have  at  present  a  light  wind, 
almost  a  calm,  and  must  abide  our  fate." 

"And  the  miserable  brig-of-war,  if  she  should 
really  be  sent  after  us,  will  probably  have  the 
current  with  her,  and  make  her  four  or  five  miles 
an  hour,  with  even  as  light  a  wind  as  we  now 
have,  while  we  lie  here  in  a  calm  and  contrary 
current,  as  if  at  anchor  ;  that  is  the  misfortune, 
lieutenant." 

"  Lay  aside  that  disagreeable  Russian  naval 
title,"  interrupted  Ormur.  Call  me  Ormur,  Ola- 
fur,  or  Hinango,  whichever  you  prefer,  but  not 
by  an  imperial  title,  which  was  once  forced  upon 
me." 

"  It  seems  always  like  a  dream  to  me,  that 
you  are  here  on  board  with  me,"  said  Captain 
Finngreen,  who  was  acquainted  with  Ormur's 
position  as  a  patriot,  without  having  seen  him 
personally.  "  No  one  at  home  has  heard  a  syl- 
lable about  you  in  years  We  knew  no  more 
than  that  you  were  sent  off  to  Kamtschatka, 
Siberia,  or  the  Caucasus." 

"  And  at  present,  hardly  any  one  in  my  father- 
land knows  where  I  am,  except  some  officers  of 
the  Russian  secret  police,  for  a  man  in  my  cir- 
cumstances is  deprived  of  even  the  last  conso- 
lation of  correspondence  with  friends  and  rela- 
tions. I  would  as  little  write,  and  compromise 
my  friends  at  home,  by  any  communication  with 
them,  as  a  letter  would  be  likely  to  reach  them 
through  the  barriers  of  the  secret  police." 

"  You  were,  then,  while  '  Chef  de  Bureau'  in 
the  Marine  Department,  suddenly  escorted  to 
Circassia  ?"  asked  the  captain,  after  a  pause. 

*'  I  was  stripped  of  my  office  and  rank,  de- 
graded to  a  common  soldier,  and  placed  for  life  in 
a  cavalry  regiment,  which  had  talcen  the  field 
against  the  Circassians." 

"  And  the  sole  cause  of  this  degradation,  lay 
in  your  position  as  associate  in  a  conspiracy  ?" 

"  If  you  choose  to  call  it  so,  captain,  certainly, 
as  far  as  an  extensive,  restless,  and  efficient  con- 
spiracy excites  the  heart  of  nearly  all  the  na- 
tions of  Europe,  against  the  present  arrogance 
of  despotism.  Strictly  speaking,  however,  the 
cause  lay  in  myself,  in  my  inward  being,  in  my 
nature  as  a  man.  You  know  the  predilection 
of  my  race,  or  our  national  talents  as  some 
call  it,  for  poetry  and  music — the  intellect  of  our 
people,  which  not  even  the  knout  of  the  Czar 
can  suppress    or  eradicate.     And  Providence 


DOLORES. 


63 


has  also  entrusted  a  pleilge  to  me,  of  which  I 
shall  some  time  ^ive  an  account — I  mean  the 
glowing,  irrepressible  impulse  of  tlie  mind  to 
express  itself  in  the  weight  of  word,  in  the 
great  contest  of  our  centurt.  I  was  born  with 
this  impulse,  it  dwells  within  me  as  a  part  of 
my  exislence,  and  can  as  little  be  separated  from 
me,  as  I  can  think  of  being  separated  from  myself. 

"  It  was  sufficient  to  be  known  as  a  7nan,  by  the 
government,  to  draw  upon  me  the  closest  ob- 
servation of  tlie  secret  police.  I  ]>assed  several 
years  as  an  officer,  in  service,  on  board  of  a  cor- 
vette in  the  Bosphorus,  entered  into  connexion 
with  some  young  Greeks  in  Constantinople,  and 
indirectly  into  correspondence  with  patriots  in 
Italy.  By  such  means,  some  of  my  poetical 
manuscripts  reached  Paris.  Promoted  as  lieu- 
tenant commanding  of  a  small  brig,  the  Kam- 
schatka,  of  t%velve  guns,  I  found  my  station  as  a 
cruiser  in  the  Grecian  Archipelago.  When  the 
Kamschatka  returned  in  the  Neva,  1  was  called 
from  her,  and  jilaced  in  an  office  of  the  Marine 
Department,  undea'  the  strictest  supervision.  The 
revolution  broke  out  in  Poland,  and  the  sympathy 
of  our  Scandinavian  race  in  this  cause  of  hu- 
manity was  closely  watched  in  each  individual 
man,  for  it  was  feared. 

"  i  came  under  examination,  respecting  so  cal- 
led '  treasonable'  corresjKindence  with  '  rebels' 
in  Italy  and  France,  and  was  then  degraded.  I 
served  two  years  as  a  hussar  in  the  war  against 
the  Circassians,  and  took  an  opportunity  to  go 
over  to  them,  when  1  was  wounded,  and  fell  into 
their  hands.  I  was  cured,  and  treated  by  them 
as  a  man.  They  assisted  me  in  my  flight  to- 
wards the  Black  Sea,  and  I  escaped,  by  the  way 
of  Constantinople  and  Malta,  incognito,  to  Mar- 
seilles. Italian  refugees,  young  men  of  the  first 
rank,  in  a  social  and  intellectual  respect,  had 
found  a  temporary  asylum  there,  and  1  discov- 
ered amongst  them  some  of  my  early  confiden- 
tial correspondents. 

"  At  the  close  of  the  year  IS31 ,  a  political  as- 
sociation, '  Young  Italy,'  was  formed  at  Mar- 
seilles, whose  committee,  however,  were  ex- 
pelled from  France,  and  obliged  to  betake  them- 
selves to  Geneva. 

"  The  revolution  in  Italy  was  suppressed,  as  the 
Poles  were  disarmed ;  but,  neverthless,  that  spirit 
prevailed,  and  fermented  throughout  Europe, 
which  neither  chains  nor  dungeons  were  able 
to  bind  or  eradicate. 

"  Oh  !  Captain  Finngreen,  it  was  an  exalted 
epoch  !  It  was  a  time,  captain,  in  which  a  man 
might  feel  proud  of  his  dignity  as  m.iui — when 
the  mind  of  the  nations,  the  mind  of  all  the 
nations  of  Europe,  when  all  mankind,  was 
aroused  and  in  movement,  in  longing  faith  in  a 
higher  destiny,  in  faith  in  themselves,  in  faith 
in  God  !" 

Ormur's  eye  sparkled  with  inspiration ;  he 
remained  standing,  and  looking  up  into  the 
azure  of  the  heavens — pursuing  a  thought  which, 
for  the  moment,  led  him  away  from  earth  !  "  It 
was  a  great  period,"  continued  he;  "  and  who- 
ever has  lived  through  it,  in  open  struggle 
against  the  '  confederates  of  tyranny,  by  the  grace 
of  God,'  who  have  stained  the  thrones  of  Europe 
with  the  martyr  blood  of  the  noblest  sons  of  all 
nations — whoever  ha.s  lived  through  that  time,  as 
I  have  fought  through  it,  will  never  more  despair 
of  tile  cause  of  humanity — never  more  despair  of 


the  uprising  of  the  nations  in  the  spirit  of  hu- 
manity ! 

"  Once  more,  in  regard  to  the  peculiar  ap 
pearances  of  that  epoch,"  he  continued,  as  he 
again  walked  up  and  down  with  Captain  Finn- 
green.  "  I  am  telling  you  now  of  that  spirit 
of  truth  and  freedom,  which  we  acknowledge  in 
the  history  of  the  development  of  mankind,  and 
which  has  revealed  itself  in  the  eternal  struggle 
of  the  idea,  so  far  as  we  can  look  back  into  the 
past.  This  spirit,  which  shone  around  me  in  its 
reality,  and  penetrated  the  hearts  of  all  the  na- 
tions of  Europe,  awaked  simultaneously  in  Italy, 
in  Poland,  in  Switzerland,  in  Spain,  in  Germany, 
and  in  France — after  it  had,  for  years  before, 
manifested,  in  these  nations,  symptoms  of  its 
workings  and  strivings.  It  appeared  in  the  bar- 
ricades of  July,  in  Paris ;  it  extended  from 
thence,  arousing,  as  if  by  an  electric  shock,  the 
strength  of  the  people,  through  all  those  coun- 
tries of  Europe ;  contended,  in  all  forms,  in  word 
and  deed,  with  blood  and  life,  through  neai-ly 
four  years,  until  treachery  succeeded  in  disarm- 
ing it,  in  Savoy,  where  it  sought  to  concentrate 
its  last  forces,  as  the  advanced  guard  of  the 
future,  Europe's  sons,  out  of  five  nations " 

"  Now,  captain,  about  what  time  shall  we  be 
at  Rio  de  Janeiro .'"  inquired  the  little  beetle 
man,  as  he  stepped  in  between  Ormur  and  the 
captain,  and  stuck  his  hands  into  the  wide 
pockets  of  his  inexpressibles. 

"  When  we  shall  have  the  '  Sugar  Loaf  be 
hind  us,  and  pass  the  fortress  of  Santa  Cruz," 
returned  the  captain,  with  a  side  glance  at  the 
seaman  ne.xt  him. 

"  1  knew  nearly  as  much  as  that  myself,"  said 
the  savant,  who  appeared  a  little  embarrassed  at 
having  uttered  the  inquiry.  "  See  there  !  there 
comes  our  young  Englishwoman;  she  has  made 
her  appearance  at  last !"  he  exclaimed,  as  Seiiora 
Dolores,  in  a  black  mantilla,  led  by  Corinna, 
ascended  the  cabin  steps,  and  took  a  seat  in  th» 
shadow  of  a  sail. 

"  She  looks  as  if  she  was  a  little  sea-sick. 
Advise  her,  captain,  to  take  some  gammon,  with 
mustard,  and  then  a  little  '  schnapps'  after  it. 
That  is  a  good  preventive  of  sea-sickness ;  I 
know  that  by  experience." 

Horatio  and  Robert  Walker  approached  the 
ex-lieutenant  of  the  Russian  navy,  to  conduct 
him  to  Dolores  at  her  request,  in  consequence 
of  the  written  introduction  of  Seiior  Testa. 

Dr.  Merbold  was  curious  to  listen  to  the  sal- 
utations of  the  voyagers,  and  was  following  at 
their  heels,  when  Horatio's  presence  of  mind, 
supplied  him  with  a  means  of  attraction  to  draw 
away  the  German  savant  for  an  instant. 

"  I  will  now  show  you   my  collection  of  bee 
ties,  doctor  !"  said   he,  "  if  you  will  accompany 
me  to  the  cabin." 

"  With  the  greatest  pleasure,"  replied  the 
zealous  entomologist,  who  almost  leaped  for  joy, 
and  liurried  to  the  cabin  steps,  without  casting  a 
glance  back  at  the  "  young  English  woman," 
and  the  two  passengers. 

Dolores  gazed  long,  with  a  penetrating  look, 
upon  the  "  friend,"  who  had  been  led  to  her, 
by  so  mysterious  a  union  of  events  and  of  inter- 
nal relationship,  as  the  companion  of  her  fate- 
ful voyage.  Incapable,  for  the  moment,  of  find- 
ing words  by  which  to  express  her  excite<j 
feelings,  she  held  out  her  hand  to  the  Scaudiua- 


1^ 


DOLORES. 


vian,  and  while  she  sought  for  utterance,  she 
seemed  to  derive  support  and  consolation  in  her 
grief,  from  the  consciousness  that  a  spiritual  as- 
sociation existed  in  a  distant  part  of  the  world, 
whose  confederates,  striving  after  the  same  goal 
of  the  future,  in  the  spirit  of  love  which  ani- 
mated her,  also  found  the  strength  to  act,  to  en- 
dure, and  to  suffer. 

"  I  hear,  through  Horatio,  and  indirectly 
through  our  friend  Testa,  on  what  mission  you 
have  come  to  us,"  she  began,  after  this  silence. 
"  1  thank  you  for  the  sympathy  and  the  sacri- 
fices, which  you  offer  to  the  cause  of  my  father- 
land ;  may  your  own  consciousness  say  more  to 
you,  than  these  weak  words  are  able  to  express. 

"  Horatio  has  explained  to  me  that  you  brought 
particular  communications  from  our  associates  in 
Europe  and  in  IVIonte  Video,  to  two  of  our 
countrymen,  both  of  whom — are  no  more  !"  She 
ceased  for  a  moment,  pursuing  the  contempla- 
tions which  this  retrospect  awakened  in  her, 
and  then  continued :  "  The  most  confidential 
colleague  of  my  friend,  Alphonso,  became  a 
Sacrifice  before  him,  to  the  bloodthirsty  tyranny 
which  the  foreign  journalists  (in  the  pay  of  Ro- 
sas) praise  as  a  mild   and  liberal  government. 

Alphonso  followed  him "  She  broke  off  again, 

evidently  struggling  with  herself,  and  then  cast 
a  glance  at  Robert  Walker,  who  had  gone  aside 
some  paces,  and  leaned  over  the  bulwark,  from 
the  discreet  desire  of  not  disturbing  the  inter- 
view. 

"  Did  you  not  learn  yesterday  morning,  from 
our  young  friend,  iMr.  Walker,  the  particular's  of 
Alphonso's  death — of  his  last  moments .'"       _ 

"  I  observed,"  returned  Ormur,  "  that  Senor 
Testa,  spoke  to  Wr.  Walker,  in  all  haste,  at  the 
moment  of  embarkation,  as  he  handed  him  the 

letter  for  me "  He  hesitated  to  proceed  further. 

Dolores  manifested,  by  the  expression  of  her 
countenance,  that  she  had  attained  sufficient 
fi.rmness  to  receive  the  particulars  of  the  execu- 
tion, for  which  she  had,  in  so  elevated  a  spirit, 
Sought  to  prepare  lier  beloved. 

"  Mr.  Walker  will  communicate  to  you,  what 
Seiior  Testa  whispered  in  his  ear,"  said  Ormur. 
"  Every  inquiry  on  his  part,  after  the  condemned, 
would  naturally  be  suspicious.  He  appears, 
however,  to  have  made  out  to  learn  that  Alphon- 
so  "     He   stopped  again. 

**  Proceed — you  see  1  am  composed." 

"  He  appeared,  however,  to  have  learned  that 
Alphonso  left  the  earth  with  the  strength  of 
mind  which  was  expected  of  him.  He  had  re- 
quested the  '  favor  of  meeting  his  death  with 
nnbandaged  eyes.  The  moment  of  his  departure 
to  another  sphere  did  not,  at  least,  aggravate  his 
pliysical  sutli?ring3 — many  balls  struck  him,  and 
one  the  heart." 

"  The  heart  I"  repeated  Dolores,  with  an 
emphasis  which  no  words  can  express  ;  and  al- 
though, she  had  thought  herself  sufficiently 
strong  to  receive  this  last  account  of  the  end  of 
Alphonso  without  agitation,  nevertheless,  the 
bloody  picture  of  the  martyr's  death  appeared  to 
have  made  a  painful  impression  upon  her  soul. 
Grief  overpowered  her.  Her  countenance  be- 
came deathly  pale  ;  the  convulsion  which  seized 
her  heart,  seemed  to  vibrate  through  her  whole 
being  ;  her  lips  quivered,  but  spoke  not,  and  her 
tearless  eyes  were  fixed  on  vacancy. 

Oimur  agaiu  found  himself,  as  before  with 


Horatio,  in  the  most  painful  sifuafion,  agi?atei 
by  compassion  for  suffering,  for  which  he  had, 
at  his  command,  no  expression  of  sympathy. 

After  ?ome  moments,  Dolores,  by  the  exertion 
of  all  her  moral  force,  succeeded  in  overcoming 
the  anguish  that  pervaded  her  spirit ;  she  looked 
calmly  in  the  face  of  Onnor,  and  said  :  *'  You  are 
on  a  mission  to  my  people,  and  were  sent  to  Al- 
phonso— it  would  be  a  consolation  to  me — a 
powerful  consolation,  if  you  would  transfer  to 
me  the  sacred  trust  with  which  our  associates  in 
Europe  and  in  Monte  Video  honored  Al- 
phonso— 1  believe  I  have  a  right  to  make  this 
request." 

"  As  valid  as  is  yom-  right,  so  sacred  is  my 
duty  to  make  the  revelation  to  you,"  With  these 
words,  Ormur  took  his  seat  on  the  bench  next  to 
Dolores,  that  he  might  be  able  to  speak  lower,  and 
said :  "  I  will,  at  another  time,  take  the  liberty 
of  communicating  to  yon  a  review  of  the  internal 
movements  of  Europe,  of  latter  years,  in  case 
many  particalars  should  be  still  strange  to  you. 
I  say  internal  movements,  as  the  spirit  of  pro- 
gress for  the  deliverance  of  the  nations,  as  op- 
posed to  despotism,  works,  as  it  were,  in  sub- 
terranean intrenchments,  and  the  faithful,  who 
rely  upon  the  uprising  of  mankind,  must  assem- 
ble in  catacombs,  as  was  done  at  the  time  of  the 
dissemination  of  Christianity,  to  escape  secret 
and  open  persecution.  After  the  people  of 
Europe  were  roused  anew  to  the  consciousness 
of  their  sacred  rights,  by  the  overthrow  of  the 
legitimacy  in  France,  in  the  year  1S30,  there 
succeeded,  as  you  know,  a  quasi  legitimacy, 
whose  operations  sought  to  suppress  the  cause 
of  the  people,  by  means  of  treachery,  in  France, 
as  well  as  in  the  other  countries  of  Europe. 

"  The  nations,  however,  were  aroused,  and 
fought ;  but  the  treachery  of  particular  men,  who 
formerly  wore  tlie  mask  of  patriotism,  and,  here 
and  there  usurped  the  rulership,  sustained  by 
the  despicable  venality  of  their  fellows  in  all 
classes  of  the  struggling  nations,  imdermined 
the  cause  of  freedom  ;  and  '  peace  was  re-estab- 
lished in  Poland,'  as  in  Italy  and  France ;  and 
only  in  Spain,  until  the  present  time,  do  the 
people  contend  against  absolutism  and  the  Inqui- 
sition— to  find,  nevertheless,  under  the  control 
of  the  '  holy  alliance'  of  legitimate  and  quasi 
legitimate  powers,  the  much  praised  '  just  me- 
dium,' which  offers  power  to  despotism,  and 
liberty  to  the  people,  upon  a  piece  of  paper 
called  a  '  constitution.' 

"  Men  from  five  nations,  for  the  most  part 
condemned  and  banished  on  account  of  their 
patriotism,  sought  an  asylum  in  France  and 
Switzerland ;  drew  together,  led  by  the  spirit 
which  animated  them,  and  united  to  make  a  de- 
cided armed  insurrection,  for  the  manifestation 
of  the  idea  of  the  future,  of  the  deliverance  of 
Europe,  of  the  establishment  of  an  offensive  and 
defensive  union  of  the  nations  of  Europe  for 
mutual  support,  upon  the  basis  of  nationality,  in 
the  spirit  of  humanity. 

"  The  association,  '  La  Giovine  Italia,'  has 
existed  since  the  year  1831.  The  Italian  refugees 
and  exiles,  particularly  numerous,  and  more  or 
less  penetrated  by  the  exalted  spirit  which  strives 
to  confirm  words  by  deeds,  lingered,  for  the  most 
part,  in  Switzerland  and  in  the  south  of  France, 
and  sought  from  thence  to  maintain  their  connex- 
ion with  their  country,     The  struggle  in  Italy 


DOLORES. 


85 


was  resolved  upon  and  prepared.  Polish,  French, 
and  German  refugees,  more  or  less  numerous, 
united  with  the  Italians  in  Switzerland,  and  the 
Polish,  German,  and  Spanish  refugees,  confede- 
rated in  France. 

"  Scandinavians,  also,  but  few  in  number, 
and  without  claiming  to  represent  our  national- 
ity, made  themselves  known  to  the  exalted 
society  whicli,  at  that  time,  had  a  spirit,  but  not 
a  name. 

"  The  city  of  Chambery,  in  Savoy,  was  to 
have  been  our  Jerusalem,  from  whence  we  hoped 
to  send  forth  our  gospel  of  freedom,  written  with 
the  blood  of  martyrs,  to  all  the  nations  of  Europe. 
The  insurrection  was  fixed  for  the  1 2th  of 
November,  1833,  and  we  considered  that  we 
should  be  favored  by  the  time  of  the  year,  as  it 
would  be  difficult  for  the  troops  of  legitimacy  to 
pass  the  Alps  and  smaller  mountains  around  us, 
whose  valleys  and  gorges  would  make  our  de- 
fence more  easy  ;  at  the  same  time,  the  Austrian 
troops  stationed  in  Italy,  would  infallibly  have 
put  themselves  in  motion  against  us,  vacating 
the  garrisoned  towns,  and  thereby  giving  the 
Italians  an  opportunity  to  rise. 

"  The  committee  of  '  La  Giovine  Italia,' 
under  the  presidency  of  Mazzini,  (whose  name 
and  position  are  known  to  you,)  was  stationed  at 
Geneva,  in  Sw"itzerl%nd. 

"  Military  prejudices,  which  prevail  in  the  ar- 
mies of  all  monarchies,  had  forced  upon  us,  as 
General  in  Chief,  a  man  who  bore  a  great  name 
in  the  gazettes,  although  in  his  office,  as  general 
in  Poland,  he  had  already  conducted  himself 
very  ambiguously.  This  was  Ramorino,  born  in 
Savoy,  and  formerly  a  French  cavalry  officer. 
He  was  then  in  Paris,  and  was  to  arrive  in  Ge- 
neva on  an  appointed  day.  He  came  not !  and 
sent  a  so  called  adjutant  to  us,  with  the  excuse, 
tliat  he  hoped  to  gain  a  still  great  number  of  as- 
sociates in  France  ;  and  postponed  the  insurrec- 
tion to  an  indefinite  time  Tliere  exists  a  work 
in  the  French  language,  which  gives  an  expla- 
nation of  the  delay,  as  well  as  of  the  commence- 
ment and  issue  of  the  expedition.*  I  will  give 
it  to  you  in  Rio  de  Janeiro. 

"  We  waited  for  Raniorino's  determination  with 
painful  expectation.  He  had  received  from  the 
treasury  of  our  expedition  an  advance  of  40,000 
francs,  and  was  amusing  hjmseif  in  Paris, 
sufficiently  notorious  as  a  bon  vivant,  and  a  pas- 
sionate gambler. 

"  You  will  find  it  conceivable  that  the  commit- 
tee of 'La  Giovine  Italia,'  did  not  begin  tlie  insur- 
rection without  Ramorino.  Tliure  are  rela- 
tions and  circumstances,  however,  in  such  asso- 
ciations, which  cannot  be  investigated  during 
the  lifetimes  of  many  individuals  who  were 
involved  in  them.  A  strong  protest  against  the 
nomination  of  tlie  chief,  was  by  no  means  want- 
ing, but  a  great  part  of  tlie  considerable  contri- 
butions to  the  expedition, which  amounted,  in  all, 
to  nearly  two  millions  of  francs,  was  sent  from 
Italy,  under  the  express  stipulation  that  Ramo- 
rino, should  lake  the  command,  since  his  news- 
paper reputation  secured  to  him  the  necessary 
influence  and  consequence,  especially  amongst 
the  military." 


•Memoires  sur  La  Jeune  Italic,  et  sur  les  derniers 
ftivenemena  en  Savoye,  Par  Harro-Harring,  2  7ol.  Dijon 
tt  Paris :  clu:z  Dcrivaux,  ia34. 


Mr.  Ilabakliuk  Daily,  who  stood  at  a  distance, 
and  evidently  was  not  intentionally  listening,  had 
accidentally  caught  the  sound  of  the  words, 
"  two  millions,"  without  any  connexion  with 
the  rest,  and,  from  commercial  instinct,  could 
not  help  looking  around,  as  the  sound  of  such  a 
sum  had  electrified  him  for  the  moment ;  it  was 
the  most  interesting  thing  that  he  had  ever 
heard  from  Ormur's  mouth  ;  he  recovered  him- 
self, however,  as  suddenly,  and  again  looked 
over  at  the  waves. 

Ormur  continued  :  "  After  long  delay,  the  day 
of  insurrection  was  at  length  appointed,  for  the 
last  of  February,  1&33.  We  endeavored  to  con- 
centrate our  associates  in  Switzerland  on  the 
Lake  of  Geneva,  and  to  advance  from  Grenoble, 
in  France,  towards  Pont  d'Echelles,  in  the  moun- 
tains of  Savoy.  Our  number  was  nearly  SOO, 
mostly  men  and  youths  of  the  higher  classes, 
well  armed  and  equipped. 

"  0,  Seiiora  !"  he  sighed,  after  a  pause,  "those 
days  of  insurrection  were  the  most  fatally  event- 
ful, but  the  most  glorious  days,  of  my  desolate 
life.  The  present  moment,  however,wiil  not  per- 
mit any  lengthy  account  of  them.  All  the  diffi- 
culties which  treachery  and  intrigue  could  lay 
in  the  way  of  our  enterprise  were  adapted,  with 
the  nicest  calculation,  to  lame  our  strength,  to 
nullify  our  plans,  and  to  suppress  a  struggle,  the 
consequences  of  which  would,  undoubtedly,  have 
broken  the  neck  of  despotism  in  Europe,  have 
dismembered  Old  Europe  with  its  bloodstained 
throne,  overthrown  the  prerogatives  of  tyranny, 
and  called  to  life  a  Young  Europe  from  the  ruins 
of  the  sweat  and  blood  drinking  monarchies — 
a  Young  Europe  that  would  have  found  its  asso- 
ciates in  the  young  unions  of  the  United  States 
of  the  transatlantic  world. 

"  The  princes  of  Europe  trembled,  and  their 
diplomatists  hid  themselves  in  secret  confer- 
ences ;  they  recognised  the  danger,  and  it  was 
necessary  to  overthrow  our  work  ;  but  this  over- 
throw could  not  be  effected  by  an  open  contest, 
for  in  the  armies  of  many  monarchies  lay  the 
germs  of  revolution,  as  in  the  nation  itself,  and 
Old  Europe  trembled  at  the  thought  of  our  en- 
trance into  Savoy  We  could  only  be  disarmed 
by  treason." 

"  And  you  advanced  to  Chambery  ?"  asked 
Dolores,  hastily,  with  eager  anticipation. 

"  Not  without  shame  must  I  answer — No," 
returned  Ormur;  and  he  related  further,  with 
increasing  animation  :  "  I  have  seen  nations  at 
war,  and  survived  the  destruction  of  battles,  but 
never  did  I  witness  such  an  appearance  as  that ! 

"  The  spirit,  which,  in  spite  of  all  the  treach- 
ery, favored  our  insurrection,  appeared  like  the 
uprising  of  the  united  strength  of  the  European 
nations.  The  banner  of  La  Giovine  Italia,'  bore 
well  known  inscription,  '  Liberia,  Equagli- 
anza,  Umanita  !' " 

"  The  same  device  which  Monte  Video  has 
adopted,"  interrupted  Dolores. 

"  The  same,"  continued  Ormur.  "  One  of 
the  noblest  ladies  of  Italy,  one  of  whose  sons 
ended  his  life  in  a  dungeon,  and  whose  two 
others  marched  in  the  advanced  guard  of  our 
corps,  had  embroidered  this  banner  with  her  own 
hands ;  the  banner  was  unfurled  in  Savoy,  and 
treachery — treachery  undermined  our  enterprise. 

"  I  saw  a  phalanx  with  the  tlowers  of  the 
youth  and  manhood  of  five  nations,  in  their  glit- 


S6 


DOLORES. 


tering  columns,  and  my  heart  was  near  to  burst- 
ing ;  Ijut  the  treachery  was  made  more  easy  by 
the  spirit  of  resignation,  and  sacrifice,  and  repiib 
lican  self-denial,  which  inspired  each  individual 
among;  us. 

"  None  of  the  spirited  leaders  of  the  cause  of 
the  people  were  wiUini;  to  assume  a  rank  ;  the 
noblest  men  of  each  nation  entered  the  columns 
as  simple  volunteers.  Men  who  had  singly  sac 
rificed  from  thirty  to  forty  thousand  francs  on 
equipments,  marched  with  tiieir  muskets  in  the 
ranks  of  the  advanced  guard,  and  left  their 
equipages  to  follow  the  rear  guard,  for  the  ser- 
vice of  the  wounded. 

"  Mazzini  himself,  the  founder  and  chief  of 
the  Association  of  '  La  Giovine  Italia,'  entered 
the  columns,  and  betook  himself  to  an  outpost  of 
the  advanced  guard.  But  this  republican  unpre- 
tendinguess  assisted  treachery." 

"  The  self-denial  and  absence  of  pretension 
was,  undoubtedly,  exalted  in  itself;  a  singular 
phenomenon  of  our  time,  in  opposition  to  the 
spirit  of  many  republics,  in  which  self  interest 
seeks  after  office,  and  parvenues  press  forward 
to  the  highest  stations,"  observed  Dolores. 

"  Excuse  me  for  to-day,"  continued  Ormur, 
"from  the  details  of  that  night  at- the  foot  of 
Mont  Blanc,  when  the  watchfires  of  the  betrayed 
cause  of  the  people  blazed  upon  the  hills — when 
our  numbers  were  increased  by  men  and  youth 
from  far  and  near — when  women  sent  us  weap- 
ons, and  children  brought  us  the  muuitions  of 
their  fathers. 

"  The  cunningly  planned  and  well  adapted 
treachery,  which  had  been  weaving  for  three 
months,  rendered  our  enterprise  impossible  ;  the 
half  of  our  columns  were  detained  in  Switzer- 
land, so  also  in  France.  False  orders  of  the 
infamous  chief,  even,  divided  our  strength  in 
Savoy.  And  he  himself  fled — -fled  like  a  coward, 
for  he  jumped  out  of  a  window  at  the  moment 
when  the  bayonet  of  vengeance,  which  should 
have  pierced  him  through,  went  into  the  wall 
near  him.  He  fled,  and  with  him  confidence 
from  many  hearts.  We  returned  back  to  Swit- 
zerland, And  the  same  fate  overtook  the  column 
near  Pont  d'£chelles.  Their  chief,  Volontiere, 
was  wounded,  taken  prisoner,  and  soon  after- 
wards shot  at  Chambery." 

"  Shot !  like  Alphonso,"  sighed  Dolores ;  and 
a  long  pause  ensued. 

At  length,  Ormur  continued  :  "  A  new  asso- 
ciation has,  however,  grown  out  of  this  enter- 
prise, the  spirit  of  which  has  extended  through- 
out Europe,  and,  flying  across  the  Atlantic  ocean, 
has  shown  itself  on  the  Rio  de  La  Plata.  The 
founders  of  this  expedition,  betrayed  and  sold, 
wandered  about  in  Switzerland,  while  hundreds 
of  its  numbers  were  apprehended,  and  exiled 
from  the  continent  to  England,  the  Botany  Bay 
of  the  Holy  Alliance. 

"  And  many  of  these  men,  of  different  nations, 
Tinited  themselves  in  an  association  for  the  future, 
at  Bern,  in  Switzerland,  founded  upon  the 
bloody  ruins  of  the  other  destroyed  edifice — the 
'  Association  of  Young  Europe.' 

*'  For  your  perusal  hereafter,  and  for  commu- 
nication to  Horatio,  I  hand  you,  as  a  historical 
document  in  my  rel-i*ion,  our  '  Act  of  Frater- 
nity ;'  and,  at  another  time,  will  disclose  to  yoTj 
upon  what  particular  mission  I  have  come  to 
South  America  the  second  time."     With  these 


words,  Ormur  delivered  to  Dolores  an  envelope, 
just  as  Dr.  Merbold  appeared  on  deck  v/ith 
Horatio. 

"  Be  sure  you  do  not  forget  the  name,"  said 
the  entomologist :  Simplex  Aferbo/di-nsis — Sim- 
plex Mer-bol-den-sis!  I  have  called  it  so,  be- 
cause it  appears  extremely  simjile,  and  because 
I  discovered  it,  and  my  name  is  Dr.  Merbold, 
as  you  know.  I  have  already  written  down  my 
report  to  the  committee  of  the  Society  of  Natural 
History,  in  Berlin,  that  1  may  send  it  from  Rio ; 
and  you  will  know,  by  and  by,  from  the  news- 
papers, what  a  sensation  my  discovery  makes. 
It  is  one  of  the  most  important  beetles,  and  the 
most  interesting  discovery  in  the  entomology  of 
our   century ;  of  that  I  am  firmly  convinced." 

With  these  words,  the  savant  followed  Horatio, 
who  had  only,  with  the  greatest  eflbrt,  separated 
himself  from  Dolores  and  Ormur,  whose  dis- 
course was  equally  interesting  to  him,  as  his  new 
discovery  was  to  the  little  beetleman. 

"  Sit  down  by  me,  Horatio,  and  let  us  read 
togetlier  a  document,  the  origin  of  which  I 
will  afterwards  explain  to  you,"  whispered 
Dolores  to  the  youth ;  and  both  now  gave  their 
undivided  attention  to  the  perusal  of  the  "  Act 
of  Fraternity  of  Young  Europe." 

YOUNG  EUROPE. 

LIBERTY EQUALITY HtTMANTrr. 

^ct  of  Brotherhood. 

We,  undersigned,  men  of  progess  and  liberty, 
believing  in  the 

Equality  and  brotherhood  of  men,  and  the 

Equality  and  brotherhood  of  nations : 

Believing  also : 

That  the  human  race  is  destined  to  advance  in 
a  course  of  continual  progress,  and  under  the  em- 
pire of  the  universal  moral  law,  in  the  free  and 
harmonifius  development  of  its  powers,  and  the 
accomplishment  of  its  mission  in  the  universe  : 

That  this  can  only  be  effected  by  the  active 
concuiTence  of  all  its  members  in  free  associa- 
tions : 

That  free  associations  can  only  exist  among 
Equals,  since  all  inequality  implies  a  violation 
of  indejiendence,  and  every  violation  of  indepen- 
dence impairs  the  freedom  of  concert : 

That  Liberty,  Equality,  and  Humanity,  are 
equally  sacred  :  that  they  are  the  three  necessary 
elements  in  every  satisfactory  solution  of  the 
problem  of  society  :  and  that,  wherever  any  one 
of  them  is  neglected  from  regard  to  the  two 
others,  the  attempt  to  solve  this  problem  must 
prove  a  failure : 

Being  satisfied  : 

That  although  the  objects  which  the  different 
branches  of  the  human  race  aim  at,  are  necessa- 
rily the  same,  and  the  general  prin:iples  which 
direct  their  progress  essentially  similar — ^there 
are,  nevertheless,  a  thousand  difl'erent  ways  by 
which  the  common  purpose  may  be  effected  : 

Being  satisfied  : 

That  each  man  and  each  nation  has  a  peculiar 
mission,  in  which  individuality  consists,  and 
through  which  it  concurs  in  accomplishing  the 
mission  of  the  race  in  general : 

Being  satisfied,  finally  : 

Tliat  associations  of  men  and  nations  ought  to 
combine  security  for  the  full  accomplishment  of 


DOLORES. 


87 


the  individual  m'ission  with  certainty  of  concur- 
ring in  that  of  the  general  mission  of  the  race  : 

Strong  in  our  rights  as  men — strong  in  our 
consciences^  and  in  the  duty  which   God  and 
Humanity  impose  upon  every  one,  who  is  willin, 
to  devote  his  arm,  his  mind,  his  whole  being,  to 
the  sacred  cause  of  the  progress  of  nations : 

We  have  formed  ourselves  into  national 
associations,  free  and  independent  of  each  other, 
intended  as  the  germs  of 

Young  Poland,    Voung    Italy,   and    Young 
Germany .' 

Having  met  together  in  council  to  promote 
the  general  good,  v/ith  our  hands  placed  on  our 
hearts,  and  in  full  confidence  of  a  successful 
result,  have  agreed  upon  the  following  declara- 
tion: 

I. 

Y'oung  Germany,  You7ig  Pol  and,  and  Young 
Italy,  republican  associations,  intended  to  effect 
the  same  general  object,  and  having  a  common 
belief  in  Liberty,  Equ.ility,  and  Progress,  hereby 
unite  themselves  into  one  brotherhood,  now  and 
forever,  for  all  purposes  belonging  to  the  com- 
mon object 

n. 

A  declaration  of  the  principles  that  constitute 
the  moral  law,  as  applied  to  nations,  shall  be 
drawn  in  common,  and  signed  by  the  three  na- 
tional committees.  It  shall  sijecify  the  belief, 
the  object,  and  the  general  course  of  proceeding 
of  the  three  associations  ;  and  no  association  can 
act  otherwise  than  in  conformity  to  this  declara- 
tion, without  a  culpable  violation  of  the  Act  of 
Brotherhood. 

m. 

In  all  matters  not  concerning  the  declaration 
of  principles,  and  not  of  general  interest,  the 
three  associations  are  severally  free  and  inde- 
pendent of  each  other. 

IV. 

An  alliance,  offensive  and  defensive,  is  hereby 
established  among  the  three  associations,  as  rep- 
resentatives of  the  nations  to  which  they  respect- 
ively belong ;  and  each  of  them  shall  be  author- 
ized to  claim  the  aid  and  cooperation  of  the  others 
in  every  important  enterprise  for  the  promotion 
of  the  common  object. 

V. 

The  assembling  of  the  three  committees,  or 
their  delegates,  shall  constitute  the  Committee 
of  Young  Europe. 

VI. 

The  members  of  the  three  associations  shall 
regard  each  other  as  brothers,  and  discharge 
towards  each  other  the  duties  belonging  to  that 
relation. 

VII. 

The  Committee  of  Young  Europe  shall  agree 
upon  a  badge  to  be  worn  by  the  members  of  the 
tliree  associations,  and  a  motto  to  be  placed  at 
the  head  of  the  proclamations. 

VIII. 

Any  other  nation,  which  may  desire  to  unite 
in  this  alliance,  may  do  so  by  agreeing  to  and 
signing,  through  its  representatives,  the  present 
Act. 

itonc  at  Berne,  (Swilzerland,)  .ipril  \blh,  1834. 
Lilere  follow  the  signatures.) 


CHAPTER   XIII. 


THE    PURSUIT. 


Four  and  twenty  hours  more  had  passed  over, 
and  the  fatal  calm  had  only  been  occasionally 
interrupted  by  the  variable  caprices  of  the  airy 
element,  while  the  current  in  the  distant  mouth 
of  the  basin,  round  Point  Piedras,  was  more  like 
a  whirlpool,  which,  delayed  the  voyage,  rather 
than  favored  it. 

Under  such  circumstances,  the  Nordstjernan 
had  altered  her  distance  very  little,  and  had  only 
approached  a  few  miles  nearer,  to  the  coast  of 
Monte  Video,  whose  mountain  top  had  now  be- 
come visible,  and  fixed  the  attention  of  the  pas- 
sengers, if  only,  as  land,  interrupting  the  uni- 
formity of  the  voyage. 

Dolores,  however,  as  well  as  Ormur,  Horatio, 
and  Alvarez  observed,  with  other  sentiments 
than  those  of  curiosity,  a  country  whose  his- 
tory assumes  so  important  a  page  in  the  annala 
of  nations,  in  the  sacred  book  of  mankind. 

"  Men  have  their  sacred  missions  here  on  earth, 
And  nations  have  their  mission — men  there  be, 
Impressed  with  selX-consciousnessof  strength, 
In  IreeUom's  path,  who  break  the  people's  way. 
And  there  are  nations,  by  tlieir  station  urged, 
And  through  their  sad  and  dreadiul  fate  impelled, 
To  talte  the  lead  in  manliind's  bloody  path 
Of  reformatiun — patterns  to  the  world. 
Loosing  themselves  from  slavery  and  disgrace 

Only  by  union  and  the  consciousness, 
Of  nationality  in  freemen's  hearts, 
Can  any  nation  raise  itself  in  strength. 
Long  as  the  world  endures  this  truth  shall  stand- 

Kob  nations  of  their  nationality. 
The  high  consciousness  of  spiritual  strength. 
And  down  they  sink  to  vilest  slavery, 
Without  the  power  to  act  as  freemen  do, 
In  manhood's  bonds,  and  in  the  fear  of  God." 

We  distinguish  Monte  Video  by  the  above 
lines,  the  South  Americans  of  la  Banda  Orien- 
tate, of  Uruguay,  their  position  and  their  strug- 
gle in  our  century  ;  and  even  from  the  beginning 
of  our  century  up  to  the  present  time. 

We  admire,  in  reading  the  annals  of  antiquity, 
the  strength  and  opposition,  the  courage  and 
sacrifices  of  the  jVIaccabees,  and  the  Lacedemo- 
nians, in  contending  against  an  external  foe. 
And  many  nations  of  the  earth,  who  glory  in 
their  civilization  and  freedom,  appear  little  in- 
clined to  acknowledge  a  nation  which  lies  nearer 
to  them  in  geographical  position,  than  any  other 
nation  in  historical ;  a  people  whose  blood 
moistens  the  shores  to  which  every  day  heavily 
freighted  ships  from  different  parts  of  the  world 
are  wafted,  and  for  half  a  century  have  taken 
home  with  them  superficial  intelligence  of  the 
uninterrupted  struggle  of  this  people,  "  which 
disturbs  commerce,  and  interferes  with  mercan- 
tile speculation." 

As  in  Asia,  the  Circassians  have  contended 
for  thirty  years  against  the  lust  of  conquest  of  a 
barbarian  despotism,  which,  under  the  Jesuitical 
pretext  of  "  civilizing  the  people,"  endeavors  to 
introduce  the  knout  there,  in  a  savage  war  of 
extermination,  and  to  subjugate  the  spirit;  ao 
have  the  people  of  the  Bumla  Oriental  strug- 
gled, for  nearly  half  a  century,  against  the  asso- 


*  Moses  zu  Tanis,  von  Harro-Harring.     Second  vol 
ume  of  his  works,  New  York  edition. 


DOLORES. 


ciated  despotic  power  of  two  hemispheres,  first 
freeing  themselves  from  the  Spanish  yoke,  then 
against  the  iiginterrupted  assaults  of  English 
lust  of  conquest,  as  against  the  monarchical  pre- 
tensions of  Brazil,  and  against  a  tyrannic  power, 
for  which  the  history  of  the  nations  has,  as  yet, 
no  name,  since,  in  itself,  it  stands  without 
example — a  people  governed  by  a  murderer, 
who,  long  ago,  in  the  judgement  of  sound  reason, 
deserved  death  by  the  hand  of  the  executioner. 

Much  has  been  written  and  prated,  by  diplo- 
matists and  political  tinkers,  (with  and  without 
orders  in  their  buttonholes,)  upon  the  right  and 
the  system  of  the  intervention  and  the  non- 
intervention, of  legitimate  and  quasi  legitimate 
powers,  in  the  contest  of  one  or  another  nation, 
against  outward  enemies,  and  against  the  despot- 
ism of  the  Church  and  State  witliin  their  bounda- 
ries ;  and  nation  upon  nation  contends  for  its 
most  sacred  rights,  and  sheds  its  noblest  blood, 
and  the  question  of  intervention  is  decided  by 
the  "  right  of  the  strongest,"  through  the  brutal 
power  of  tyranny. 

If  we  consider  the  struggle  for  freedom  of  the 
South  American  people  of  the  Banda  Oriental,  we 
do  not  see  a  petty  sti-ife,  induced  by  boundary 
questions,  as  the  archives  of  a  decayed  vice- 
royalty  designate  it;  nor  some  shepherds'  feud, 
about  wells  and  pastures  for  their  flocks.  The 
contest  appears  to  us  as  a  "  hereditary  war"  on 
the  part  of  a  usurper,  who  first  learned  to  read 
and  write  when  the  anarchy  made  use  of 
his  scourge  and  butcher  knife  in  the  war  of  ex- 
termination against  the  natives  of  the  counti-y, 
against  the  hardy  tribes  of  the  pampas  of  Pata- 
gonia, and  against  the  "  rebels"  of  the  Banda 
Oriental,  which  proudly  disregarded  the  docu- 
ments of  the  archives  of  the  Spanish  vice- 
royalty. 

We  behold,  in  this  exterminating  war  of  the 
"  usurper  from  the  stable,"  the  "  principle  of  the 
antiquated  letter,"  which  was,  perhaps,  originally 
new  to  his  ignorance,  but  wliich,  in  the  history 
of  national  development,  is  sufEciently  known, 
and  repudiated  with  sufficient  contempt. 

Tlie  usurper  fights,  with  the  scourge  and  axe, 
to  sustain  and  reinstate  a  confederation  of  the 
Spanisli  hereditary  provinces  of  La  Plata,  after 
the  letter  of  the  archives  and  the  provisionary 
statutes,  without  regard  to  tlie  mighty  demand's 
and  progress  of  the  spirit  which  tumbles  into  a 
heap  crowns  and  thrones,  together  with  their 
archives,  and  breaks  its  way  to  the  goal  of  en- 
noblement, from  century  to  century. 

Monte  Viedo  contends  against  the  usurper, 
and  contends  at  the  sacrifice  of  life,  for  the  prin- 
ciple of  freedom  as  the  basis  of  all  political,  mo- 
ral, and  religious  development ;  for  the  idea  of 
unity  as  an  mdependent  state  in  itself,  and  for 
the  unity  of  all  the  South  American  States  un- 
der the  form  of  the  United  States  of  South  Amer- 
ica, in  the  spirit  of  humanity,  as  opposed  to  the 
letter  of  the  archives  of  the  United  Provinces  of 
La  Plata,  under  the  axe  of  the  usurper. 

This  is  the  position  of  the  two  foes.  This  is 
the  war  of  extermination  and  of  conquest  of  the 
Gaucho,  the  war  of  despair  of  Monte  Video,  of 
the  Unitarians  of  South  America.  And  this 
struggle  of  Monte  Video  against  enemy  upon 
enemy,  now  the  Spaniard,  now  the  Briton,  now 
the  Brazilian,  now  the  mercenaries  of  Rosas — 
this  struggle  ol  a  people,  so  small  in  numbers. 


during  half  a  century,  for  a  principle,  for  an  ex- 
alted idea,  is  unexampled  in  the  history  of  na- 
tions, and  of  all  times,  from  the  graves  of  the 
last  of  tlie  Maccabees,  up  to  the  present  day  * 

"  Monte  Video !"  exclaimed  Dolores,  in  the 
circle  of  her  travelling  companions  and  spiritual 
associates,  and  stretched  her  arms  towards  the 
blue  promontory,  which  rested  like  a  cloud  upon 
the  horizon.  Soon,  however,  she  pressed  her 
right  hand  to  her  forehead,  and  depressed  her 
head,  while  she  supported  herself  by  the  bul- 
wark, and  ^sank  into  a  revery  ;  the  feelings 
which  gnawed  at  her  heart  were  incapable  of 
rhetorical  efi'usion.  She  sank  into  contempla- 
tions, similar  to  those  which  have  just  been  pre- 
sented to  us,  and  then,  looking  into  the  future,  at 
length  sought  words  for  the  alleviation  of  her 
griefs,  and  said,  in  a  low  voice,  turning  to  her 
surrounding  friends.  "How  singularly  that  moun- 
tain projects,  isolated,  as  if  placed  by  nature,  as 
a  significant  waymarli  of  navigation,  at  the  en- 
trance to  the  river  La  Plata  ;  and  so  does  Monte 
Video  stand  forth,  as  a  state,  as  an  isolated,  sepa- 
rated people,  as  if  appointed  by  Providence,  as 
a  waymark  of  civilization — in  the  pure  sense  of 
the  word,  as  a  waymark  to  the  nations  of  the 
earth,  who  contend  for  their  sacred  rights. 
Monte  Video  rises  above  the  blood  polluted 
waves  of  the  age,  an  eternal  example  of  the 
power  of  the  people,  of  steadfastnes,  and  of  re- 
sistance to  conquest  and  subjugation." 

"  1  hear  you  have  been  in  Rio  de  Janeiro," 
said  Mr.  William  Rossbriick,  interrupting  the 
observation  of  the  poetess  of  La  Plata,  as  he  ap- 
proached the  group  with  Mr.  Robert  Wallier, 
and  addressed  himself  to  Ormur  Olafur,  in  his 
German  dialect ;  "  do  you  know,  perhaps,  one 
of  your  countrymen — I  believe  he  is  from  a  Rus- 
sian, province,  like  yourself — a  certain  Louis 
Closting?  He  is  quite  a  celebrated  man,  and  is 
shortly  to  become  Brazilian  C/iargi  d'jlffairea 
somevere  in  Europe.  He  is  genealogist,  or 
geologist,  or  mineralogist,  or  someting  of  te 
sort." 

"  Louis  Closting!"  repeated  Ormur,  irritated 
by  this  interruption  ;  "  1  have  heard  of  the  man, 
although  he  was  not  in  Rio  at  the  time  of  my 
arrival.  1  have  known  one  Louis  Closting  from 
my  youth." 

"  Indeed  !  I  am  verry  glad  of  tat,"  continued 
Mr.  Rossbriick ,  "  ve  are  interested  in  great 
business  negotiations  vit  him,  respecting  ex- 
tensive   colonization,  in  an    undertaking    vich 

*  The  humane  institutlona  of  the  Banda  Oriental,  in 
opposition  to  the  self-will  of  the  despoiic  sovereign  of 
Bueuos  Ayres,  have  been  in  existence  since  the  year 
l53U,  and  are  as  follows  : 

"  An  elective  gobernador  (president)  and  two  cham- 
bers, the  one  nine  senators,  and  the  other  twenty-nine 
representatives. 

"  Freedom  of  religion  and  the  press.  Freedom  of  speech 
and  of  protest.  Education  at  the  expense  ol  tiie  govern- 
ment. Trial  by  jury.  Public  justice.  A  citizen  militia 
in  all  the  nine  departments  of  the  repuldic.  No  standing 
army.  Only  a  garrison  of  five  hundred  men  in  the  cap- 
ital. Code  S'apoleon  as  tlie  law,  with  alterations  in  rela- 
tion to  local  circumstances.  Each  foreigner  who  settles 
in  the  country,  has  the  privilege  of  citizenship.  Who- 
ever is  inclined  to  builj  there,  receives  si\ty  acres  of 
land  free  from  all  taxes,  for  twenty  3ears,  and  provisions, 
free  of  expense,  until  the  ne.xt  harvest.  After  the  exjii- 
ration  of  twenty  years,  a  yearly  tax  often  dollars  at  the 
utmost,  is  imposed  upon  the  si'xty  acres.  Atwlishment 
of  the  slave  trade  and  of  slavery.  Freeing  of  negro 
slaves,  with  indemnihcation  on  the  part  of  the  state  to 
their  former  owners,  etc.,  etc. 


( 


DOLORES. 


89 


rjll  bring  millions  in  circulation ;  a  colony  upon 
Santa  Catharina." 

Mr.  Bob  Walker  had  followed  the  pseudo 
gentleman  from  curiosity,  as  he  had  hastily  ad- 
vanced to  Ormur,  and  could  not  suppress  a  secret 
smile  at  such  mistimed  talkativeness,  but  he  sud- 
denly became  extremely  attentive. 

"  Indeed!"  replied  Ormur,  to  this  undesired 
communication.  "  Then  I  hope  that  we  do  not 
mean  the  same  person,  or  tliat  Mr.  Louis  Clos- 
ting  has  '  put  on  the  new  man '  since  his  de- 
parture from  the  North." 

"  How  so .'"  inquired  the  young  merchant, 
apparently  surprised  at  this  remark. 

"  The  only  question  is,  as  to  the  identity  of  the 
person  of  whom  we  ai-e  both  speaking.  About 
Louis  Closting,  whom  1  knew  but  too  well  in 
my  youth,  you  can  obtain  sufficient  information 
from  a  man  whose  address  I  will  give  you,  in 
case  you  desire  it." 

"  1  tank  you  verry  kindly,  beforewai-d,  for  your 
obligingness,"  interrupted  Mr,  Rossbriick.  "  You 
can  verry  veil  understand  how  important  it  must 
be  to  our  house  to  obtain  information  respecting 
Mr.  Closting's  former  standing  in  Europe,  espe- 
cially ven  te  undertaliing,  of  vich  he  has  com- 
municated to  us  te  plan,  vill  bring  some  mil- 
lions in  circulation." 

"  I  can,  certainly,  very  well  imagine  such  a^ 
circumstance,"  rejoined  Ormur ;  "  but  I  still 
doubt  the  identity  of  the  person  of  whom  we 
speak." 

"  May  I  beg  you  to  tell  me,  vitout  circum- 
stances, vat  you  have  learned  of  te  character  and 
honesty  of  tis  Louis  Closting,  hom  you  mean. 
Excuse  te  question  ;  I  have  a  peculiar  interest 
in  tis  ting,  especially  as  it " 

"  Concerns  some  millions,"  added  Robert 
Walker,  with  a  peculiar  glance  at  Ormur. 

"  I  have  no  occasion  to  make  any  secret 
about  facts  in  relation  to  a  man  who  very  little 
interests  me,  and  whoml  should  not  wish  to  con- 
sider among  my  acquaintance,"  replied  Ormur. 

"  Did  he  play  some  tricks  in  his  yout  ?" 
inquired  Mr.  Rossbriick,  evidently  suflering 
from  curiosity,  until  he  received  the  expected 
information. 

"  When  I  arrived  in  Rio  de  Janeiro,  two  years 
and  a  half  since,"  related  Ormur,  "  1  found  tliere 
an  acquaintance  of  my  youth,  a  certain  ilenry 
Fitz — an  optician,  and  teacher  of  astronomy — 
whom  I  had  been  very  fond  of  when  a  boy ;  he 
was  brought  up  by  a  relation,  in  my  native 
place.  In  after  years,  I  met  him,  here  and  there, 
in  foreign  countries.  Tlie  first  word,  so  to 
speak,  that  I  heard  from  him  in  Rio  de  Janeiro, 
was  the  name  of  Closting,  since  he  probably 
thought  it  would  be  very  interesting  to  me  to 
hear  something  about  him." 

"  And  vat  did  he  tell  you  about  him,  if  I  may 
inquire  ?" 

"  That  he  lived  in  Brazil;  and,  to  my  question, 
who  this  Closting  was,  whom  I  had  nearly  for- 
gotten, he  reminded  me  of  a  certain  prank, 
'  a  la  Cartouche,'  as  he  called  it,  which  Mr. 
Closting  had  played  in  a  Northern  capital." 

"  I  am  verry  curious." 

"  Mr.  Henry  Fitz  asserted  that  this  was  the 
same  Mr.  Closting  who  once  disguised  himself  as 
adjutant  of  his  king,  and  as  such,  presented  a 
forged  requisition  for  a  certain  sum  in  the  war 
department,  or  upon  some  officer  of  the  royal 
12 


treasury,  received  the  money,  and  took  himselt 
oil'  with  it." 

"  Vat  do  you  say  .'  can  tat  be  te  same  Mr.  Clos- 
ting, ho  is  negotiating  vit  our  house,  in  re- 
spect to  an  undertaking  tat  vill  bring  some  mil- 
lions in  circulation  ?" 

"On  that  point,  you  can  receive  ample  informa- 
tion from  the  person  I  spoke  ol",  in  Rio  de  Ja- 
neiro, w'nose  address  I  will  give  you.  If  he 
should  have  changed  his  residence,  it  will  be 
easy  to  inquire  it  out,  for  he  is  sufficiently  well 
known." 

"  As  an  honorable  man,  I  presume  ?"  interrup- 
ted Mr   Rossbriick. 

"  He  is  a  man  of  great  talent,  but  poor  as  a 
church  mouse,  and  from  thence  it  may  easily  be 
inferred  that  he  makes  no  money  at  the  expense 
of  others.  So  far  as  1  know  him,  he  is  incapa- 
ble of  trickery,  or  deceit ;  but  he  is  improvident 
in  the  highest  decree,  and  does  not  know  the 
worth  of  money,  like  a  merchant.  He  lived  a 
long  time  in  Paris,  is  more  of  a  Frenchman, 
than  a  Scandinavian,  and  likes  to  pass  for  a 
Frenchman." 

"  I  shall  be  exceedingly  tankful  to  you,  if  you 
vill  give  me  his  address,"  said  the  young  gentle- 
man, taking  out  his  letter  case,  "  tat  it  may  not 
be  forgotten,  if  1  may  ask  it."  Ormur  took  a 
silver  pencil,  wliich  was  suspended  from  his 
neck,  and  asked  permission  to  write  the  address 
of  his  countryman  with  his  own  hand ;  it  was 
granted,  and  Mr.  Rossbriick  then  went  into  the 
cabin,  to  his  writing  desk,  sunk  in  profound  re- 
flections upon  the  important  discover^'  which 
he  had  just  made. 

"  That  young  man,  may  be  the  representative 
of  a  mercantile  house,"  remarked  Mr.  Walker, 
"  but  he  is  not  a '  merchant.'  If  such  a  coloniza- 
tion project  as  he  speaks  of,  is  not  yet  deci- 
dedly concluded,  this  young  man  may  be  sorry 
that  he  has  babbled  here,  what  was  by  no  means 
necessary.  Henry  Fitz,  optician,  and  astron- 
omer," said  he  to  himself,  in  a  low  voice,  with 
a  stolen  glance  at  Ormur,  while  he  drew  out  a 
miniatuure  memorandum  book,  and  took  into  his 
hand  a  heavy  gold  pencil. 

"  You  desire  to  get  to  the  windward  of  this 
gentleman's  house,  it  seems,"  said  Ormur,  with 
a  smile,  in  reply  to  the  glance  of  the  young  Eng- 
lishman. 

"  I  only  wish  to  endeavor  to  give  a  sample  of 
my  abilities,  as  a  man  of  business,  to  make  my 
debut  as  a  merchant. 

"  I  wish  you  good  luck,  Mr.  Walker,"  re- 
joined the  Northern  marine  officer,"  if  you 
know  how  to  handle  your  instruments,  and  as  I 
have  little  doubt,  understand  your  trade  a  little 
better  than  our  fellow  voyager,  you  may  easily 
cast  anchor  before  the  intended  colony,  some 
hours  sooner  than  the  other;  and  it  requires  no 
more  time  than  that  to  get  the  start  of  any  one, 
in  order  to  plant  your  British  flag  any  where." 

"  If  this  Mr.  Closting  is  really  so  thoroughgo- 
ing a  fellow  as  his  '  youthful  pranks'  would  lead 
one  to  expect,  remarked  Mr.  Walker,  "  I  do 
not  doubt  but  that,  alter  his  long  residence  in 
the  country,  he  may  be  very  well  able  to  give 
good  counsel  concerning  colonization  and  the 
like,  especially  as  1  hear  that  he  is  a  geologist. 
Perhaps  he  has  even  discovered  mines  ;  and  for 
such  a  chance,  1  would  infallibly  seek  to  maka 
his  acquaintance,  and " 


do 


DOLORES. 


"  Take  care  of  yourself,  Mr.  Walker,"  inter- 
rupted Ormur. 

"  That  he  does  not  cheat  me,  do  you  mean  ? 
that  he  does  not  outwit  me  ?  Oh  ?  there  is  no 
dm?er  of  that.  And  besides,  I  do  nut  trade 
alone,  but  have  business  friends  in  Rio — experi- 
enced people  !" 

"  That  he  will  not  cheat  you,  that  you  will 
take  care  of,  I  have  less  anxiety  about  that 
than — than  in  an  entirely  different  respect." 

"  How  so,  Mr.  Hinango?  what  do  you  mean 
by  that  ?" 

"  Yon  may  have  occasion  to  become  acquaint- 
ed with  Madame  Clostins;,  his  wife  '." 

"  Is  she,  then,  a  dangerous  person  ?" 

"  Dangerous  !  not  at  all !  she  is  dazzlingly 
beautiful !  and  has  a  pair  of  Brazilian  eyes — per- 
haps you  have  seen  such  eyes — their  glances  can 
kindle  flames " 

"  You  jest,  Mr.  Hinanso  ;  but,  jesting  aside, 
does  the  lady  stand  a  little  in  the  shade .'  not 
particularly  liright  ?  you  understand  me  .'" 

"  Oh,  no  !  by  no  means — so  far  as  I  know  I 
have  onlv  casually  met  her  a  few  times — a  year 
and  a  half  ago — and  she  struck  me — not  so  much 
by  the  undeniable  beauty  of  her  face  and  her 
form,  as  by  a  certain  expression  of  suffering — 
and  that  sort  of  suffering  women — ^beautiful, be- 
sides, is  dangerous,  and  often  brought  in  dan- 
ger, itself,  bv  meeting  with  a  youth  like  you,  Mr. 
Walker!" 

"  There  is  a  brig  in  sight,  behind  us.  Captain!" 
cried  the  man  at  the  helm,  through  the  open 
skylight. 

All  eyes  were  now  turned  in  the  direction  in- 
dicated, and  Captain  Finno;reen  appeared  upon 
the  deck  with  his  telescope  in  his  hand. 

"  She  has  a  better  wind  than  we,"  said  the 
mate,  "  but  we  shall  soon  obtain  the  same  1 
breeze." 

Oi-mur,  who  had  not  observed  the  vessel  at  the 
horizon,  owing  to  his  conversation  with  Ross- 
briick  and  Mr.  Walker,  threw  a  seaman's  glance 
in  the  distance,  and  hurried  to  the  cabin  to  get 
his  own  telescope.  In  a  second,  he  sprung  up- 
on deck  again,  and  clambered  to  the  mainmast 
top,  without  even  looking  at  any  one.  Deep  si- 
lence reigned  on  deck,  and  the  distant  approach- 
ing rustle  of  an  increasing  westerly  breeze  made 
itself  heard  in  the  loud  murmur  of  the  waves. 

Dolores,  standing  beside  Horatio,  observed  the 
point  indicated  with  a  fixed  gaze,  and  uncon- 
sciously leaned  upon  the  arm  of  the  youth,  as  if 
in  reality  she  required  support,  while  her  lips 
spoke  nought  of  the  fears  which  agitated  her 
breast.  Horatio  dared  as  little  express  his  anxie- 
ties and  surmises,  and  both  looked  up  to  their 
friend  in  the  mainmast  top,  as  if  they  longed  to 
receive  the  confirmation  of  their  trembling  sur- 
mises by  a  hint  on  his  part,  little  expect- 
ing that  their  anxiety  would  prove  to  be  un- 
founded. 

Capt.  Finngreen  gave  the  telescope  to  Mr. 
Storhjelm,  the  first  mate,  without  uttering  a 
word.  Mr.  Walker  and  Mr.  Rossbriick  each 
used  his  own  telescope,  while  Alvarez  ap- 
proached Dolores  and  Horatio,  and  said  more 
witli  a  look  than  both  could  have  answered  in 
words. 

Mr.  Daily's  attention,  in  his  "  between  decks," 
was  attracted  by  the  sudden  silence,  and  he  had 
dime  upon  deck,  likewise,  without  disturbing 


his  companion.  Dr.  Merhold,  who  wa.o  so  ab- 
sorbed in  the  classification  of  his  beetles,  that  he 
neither  saw  nor  heard  any  thing  in  the  outward 
world  around  him. 

Old  Achilles  and  his  daughter,  busied  with 
the  preparations  for  dinner,  remarked  upon  all 
countenances  the  peculiar  expression  of  anxious 
expectation,  but  did  not  venture  a  syllable,  and 
looked  with  mute  inquiry  at  each  other. 

After  some  ten  minutes  of  portentous  silence, 
Ormur  again  found  himself  upon  the  quarter- 
deck. He  answered  the  glance  of  Dolores, 
which  had  sought  his,  and  she  understood  its 
expression,  which  was  not  in  the  least  calculated 
to  relieve  her  apprehensions.  She  leaned  more 
heavily  upon  Horatio's  arm,  and  kept  her  eyes 
fixed  lipon  Ormur,  whom  Capt.  Finngreen,  just 
then,  beckoned  to  follow  him.  The  two  seamen 
now  stood  opposite  each  other  by  the  helm,  and, 
as  yet,  had  not  spoken  a  word. 

"  It  is  the  man-of-war,  friend  Hinango  !"  at 
length  said  Capt.  Finngreen. 

"  I  am  convinced  of  that,"  replied  Ormur. 
"  She  probably  came  out  with  the  tide,  yester- 
day, and  has  now  a  good  breeze." 

"  And  which  will  soon  bring  her  up  with  us." 

"  But  she  does  not  sail  as  we  do,"  remarked 
Hinango. 

"  She  did  not  appear  as  if  she  could,  there  ic 
the  road." 

"  And  now  we  shall  certainly  have  a  breeze, 
also  ;  but  the  brig  has  a  cutter  that  sails  faster 
than  we  ;  we  cannot  outsail  it,"  remarked  Capt. 
Finngreen. 

"  Impossible,  captain ;  that  is  not  to  be  thought 
of,  and  we  shall  soon  see  it."  A  long  pause  again 
ensued. 

"  Captain  Finngreen,"  at  length  continued 
Ormur,  "  I  have  sometliing  to  propose  to  you." 

"  I  am  r-eady  for  it.  Speak,  friend  Hinango — 
speak  as  a  seaman  to  a  seaman.  There  stands 
the  South  American  lady  ;  she  is  of  more  value 
than  my  ship  and  cargo.     Speak  Hinango." 

"  I  understand  your  meaning,  captain,  in  rela- 
tion to  Senora  Dolores  ;  you  meet  me  there  half 
way.  But  your  ship  and  your  cargo  is  lost,  if 
once  the  cutter  comes  alongside,  and  an  otficer 
steps  upon  your  deck." 

"  I  feel  that.  The  brig  would  not  chase  us  if 
she  did  not,  certainly,  know  that  we  had  eluded 
her  visitation." 

"  Well  then,  captain,  now  for  my  question. 
You  know  me  as  a  naval  officer,  as  a  seaman 
who  has  trod  the  gangway  for  fourteen  years; 
can  and  will  you  justify  yourself  to  your  owners, 
for  relinquishing  to  me,  for  some  hours,  the  com- 
mand of  your  brig  .'  and  I  will  take  it  upon  me 
to  get  rid  of  the  cutter,  and  if  the  breeze  does 
not  leave  us  in  the  lurch,  to  bring  her  safely  off." 

"  Friend  Hinango,"  returned  the  captain, 
"  you  know  my  position  as  captain.  Among  a 
thousand  cases,  not  one  occurs  in  which  a  captain 
should  relinquish  the  command  in  danger. 
Never !  never  !  But  i  confess  to  you,  honestly 
and  freely,  I  know  no  means  of  saving  our- 
selves ;  none  at  all.  Do  you  know  of  any  ?  1 
will  take  upon  myself  responsibility  to  my  own- 
ers, for  the  half  of  the  Nordstjeruan  belongs  to 
me,  and  there's  an  end  of  that.  I  accept  your 
offer ;  I  am  your  first  mate  from  this  moment ; 
command  the  Nordstjernan.  Mr.  Storhjelm  !" 
cried  he  to  the  fii-st  mate,  "  this  is  Lieutenant 


DOLORES. 


91 


Hinango,  a  Russian  naval  officer.  Lieutenant 
Hinango  commands  the  Nordstjernan  from  this 
moment,  until  we  shall  have  lost  sight  of  the 
brig  there.  Inform  the  crew,  and  direct  them  to 
obey  every  order  with  thorough  punctuality." 

Hinango  now  hurried  to  Dolores  and  Horatio, 
who  had  from  a  distance  observed  eacli  expres- 
sion of  the  two  seamen's  faces,  greatly  strength- 
ened by  tile  inconceivable  calmness  and  self- 
possession  which  they  displayed. 

The  sense  of  the  Swedish  words  which  the 
captain  addressed  to  the  mate,  in  a  tolerably 
loud  tone,  was  sufficiently  clear  to  all  tlie  pas- 
sengers, under  the  existing  circumstances,  al- 
though  none  of  them  understood  Swedish. 

Ormur  spoke  a  few  tranquillizing  words  to  Do- 
lores and  Horatio,  hastily  pressed  a  hand  of 
each,  as  if  to  take  a  short  farewell  of  them, 
since,  for  the  present,  as  a  seaman  upon  his  post, 
he  must  be  thoroughly  apart  by  himself.  He 
now  gave  the  orders  necessary  for  profiting  the 
most  by  the  favorable  breeze,  which  became 
stronger  and  stronger,  although  he  would  gladly 
'  have  laid  the  brig  by  the  wind,'  to  await  the 
cutter's  approach,  if  he  could  have  been  certain 
that  the  Caza,  would  not  have  gained  upon  him. 

Hardly,  had  he  put  the  telescope  again  to  his 
eye,  when  he  called  out  to  the  captain,  "  The 
cutter  is  under  sail !" 

"  1  see  it,  likewise,"  an.swered  the  vice  cap- 
tain of  the  Nordstjernan  ;  "  she  comes  after  uS  as 
if  she  had  steam  aboard." 

"  The  sooner  here,  the  sooner  decided,"  re- 
marked Ormur. 

The  Nordstjernan  was  what  would  be  called 
"  a  heavy  brig,"  of  full  three  hundred  and  fifty 
tons  burthen,  she  had  been  in  use  but  a  few 
years,  and  was  built  on  the  modern  plan,  sharp 
at  the  bow  and  keel,  and  widest  at  about  three- 
fourths  of  her  length,  towards  the  bow,  a  con- 
struction which,  with  corresponding  rigging, 
generally  makes  a  good  sailer.  Hinango  ob- 
served, with  a  technical  eye,  the  sailing  of  the 
brig  on  the  preceding  day,  and  had  carefully 
marked  her  good  properties.  He  now  observed, 
for  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  almost  without  turning 
away  his  eyes,  the  sailing  of  the  brig  and 
the  cutter,  which  became  the  easier,  as  he  could 
nearly  calculate  the  relative  difference  in  their 
sailing,  in  proportion  as  the  latter  left  the  ter- 
mer behind  her. 

Besides  a  short  interview  between  Captain 
Finngreen  and  Mr.  Walker,  little  was  spoken. 

The  unfortunate  Alvarez,  approached  these 
two,  and  sought  to  express  the  disconsolateness, 
which  burdened  him,  since  he  did  not  yet 
know  but  that  the  pursuit,  on  the  part  of  the 
man-of-war,  was  occasioned  entirely  by  his 
presence  on  board,  and  that  he  was  the  sole 
cause  of  bringing  the  brig  into  .such  danger. 
The  sincerity  of  his  sorrow,  and  the  grief  which 
he  manifested,  moved  the  good  Captain  Finn- 
green  to  such  a  degree,  that  he  proposed  to  Mr. 
Walker,  in  English,  to  ask  '  his  sister'  if  she 
would  consent  to  inform  the  Unitarian,  .for  his 
consolation,  who  she  was,  as  no  treachery  was  to 
■  be  feared  from  him. 

Mr.  Walker,  having  no  objection,  spoke  to 
Dolores,  led  Alvarez  to  her,  and  whispered  to 
him  the  name  of  the  poetess  from  whose  Elegies, 
lie  had  sung  those  verses  on  board  the  Caza. 
A  scene  followed,  which  it  would  be  difficult 


to  describe,  since  no  language  can  express  the 
emotions  and  sensations  experienced  by  the  ar- 
dent admirer  of  the  South  American  poetess, 
which  are  as  indescribable  as  a  symphony 
and  its  effects. 

"  The  surprise  which  followed  this  an- 
nouncement was  so  great,  that  Alvarez  cast  an 
indignant  glance  at  Captain  Finngreen,  under 
the  impression  that  he  had  given  a  hint  to  the 
young  Englishman  to  indulge  himself  in  ajoke, 
and  announce  his  sister  as  the  authoress  of  the 
Elegies,  whose  name  neither  he  knew,  nor  any 
one  else  out  of  the  circle  of  her  immediate 
friends.  It  was  only  when  Dolores,  herself,  as- 
sured him  that  all  was  trje  which  had  been 
revealed  to  him,  that  he  believed  it,  and  then 
he  scarcely  knew  how  to  contain  himself  He 
thanked  Providence,  with  tearful  eyes,  that  it 
was  permitted  him  to  share  the  lot  of  the  poet- 
ess. He  desired,  as  he  expressed  it,  nothing 
more  than  to  be  a  seagull,  to  hover  around,  and 
attend  upon  her  from  that  time  to  her  death, 
and  then  to  die  upon  her  grave.  Dolores  ac- 
knowledged the  sincerity  of  such  profound  ven- 
eration, but  remarked  that  the  gift  of  poetry, 
the  power  of  words,  was  no  merit  of  hers, 
which  heightened  her  inward  worth,  but  a 
spiritual  gift,  which  Providence  had  intrusted  to 
her,  as  the  property  of  the  nation.  In  the  ensu- 
ing conversation,  Alvarez  related  that  he  had 
been  to  Spain,  to  obtain  all  possible  informa- 
tion concerning  the  fate  of  an  uncle,  (his 
mother's  brother.)  who  had  disappeared  in  a 
mysterious  manner,  in  his  youth. 

"  What  was  the  family  name  of  your  mother  ?" 
inquired  Dolores. 

"  Garringos,"  returned  the  other. 

Dolores  appeared  suddenly  agitated  by  the 
mention  of  this  name,  but  exerted  herself  to  con- 
conceal  its  effects  upon  her  mind.  "  Do  you 
know,"  said  she,  at  length,  "  at  about  what  time 
your  uncle  disappeared  in  Spain?" 

"  Preciselv,"  was  the  reply,  "  on  the  24th  of 
May,  lSl-2,  at  Madrid." 

Dolores  was  shocked,  and  sought,  by  a  glance 
at  the  approaching  cutter,  to  conceal  the  work- 
ing of  her  features,  which  the  announcement  of 
this  date  appeared  to  have  produced. 

"  The  secret  has  gone  to  the  grave  with  my 
mother !"  whispered  she,  partly  to  herself, 
partly  turning  to  Horatio,  and  was  about  to  say 
a  word  to  Alvarez,  just  as  Ormur  approached 
the  group  ;  who,  after  continued  consideration 
of  the  hostile  sail,  had  spoken  in  a  low  tone  to 
the  captain  and  Mr.  Walker. 

The  tranquillity  which  manifested  itself  in  Or- 
mur's  countenance,  was  less  remarkable  than 
conceivable  to  all,  since  something  of  his  stir- 
ring and  eventful  life,  was  known,  which  was 
certainly  calculated  to  develop  in  him  such 
firmness  and  moral  strength  in  encountering 
danger.  On  the  other  hand,  the  plan  or  means 
of  defence  which  he  intended  to  employ  for 
their  deliverance,  were  unknown,  even  to  the 
captain.  The  more  each  puzzled  himself,  and 
turned  the  question  over  in  his  mind,  what  he 
would  do  in  a  similar  situation,  the  less  able  was 
he  to  answer  it. 

The  brig  carried  four  guns,  which  were  nicely 
polished,  and  stood  upon  well  painted  carriages, 
intended  more  for  ornament  and  for  salutes, 
than  for  defence  in  cases  similar  to  the  present. 


92 


DOLORES. 


*'  I  do  not  believe  that  I  shall  require  the  can- 
non," remarked  Ormur,  to  Captain  Finngreen, 
"  but  nevertheless,  I  wish  them  to  be  loaded, 
and  our  friend  Alvarez,  here,  will  be  just  the 
person  to  serve  as  gunner,  and  to  load  them. 
After  some  words  in  Spanish  to  his  comrade  of 
the  Bataillon  de  la  Blouse,  the  men  required, 
were  placed  in  readiness  to  fulfil  the  gunner's 
directions. 

"As  concerningyour  Swedish  flag,"  continued 
Ormur,  "  I  will  not  compromise  it,  but  will 
carry  a  flag  which,  to  be  sure,  has  never  been 
displayed  on  any  fleet,  but  whose  associates  we 
may  very  likely  meet  upon  these  waters."  He 
gave  orders  to  have  his  trunk  brought  on  deck, 
and  set  himself  to  work,  to  lace  together  some 
flags,  out  of  the  before  mentioned  strips  of  bunt- 
ing. 

Dolores  went  up  to  him,  and  appeared  to  ob- 
Gerve,  with  especial  attention,  this  fastening  to- 
gether of  the  different  strips,  to  which,  after  a 
w^hile,  she  lent  a  helping  hand. 

"  The  flag  viU  really  be  laced  togeter,  like  a 
lady's  corset,"  said  Mr.  Ros.sbriick ;  "  te  method 
pleases  me." 

"  And  signals,  without  number,  may  be  made 
after  tliis  manner,  by  altering  the  strips,"  re- 
marked Mr.  Walker.  "  Probatjly  you  have,  also, 
a  flag  dictionary  .'"  said  he  to  Ormur. 

"  One  that  is  not  yet  published,"  he  replied, 
and  looking  at  his  watch,  he  added  to  the 
captain : 

"  It  is  now  one  o'clock,  captain  ;  we  can  go  to 
dinner  in  peace.  It  will  be  three  or  four  hours 
before  the  cutter  will  overhaul  us,  perhaps  even 
later,  as  we  are  getting  more  of  th's  breeze  every 
moment.  We  make  five  knots  now,  and  I 
reckon  that  the  cutter  makes  seven.  It  is  nearly 
six  miles  from  us,  and,  consequently,  vi-ill  re- 
quire three  or  four  hours  to  overhaul  us,  if  we 
held  this  breeze,  which,  it  seems  to  me,  is 
increasing.     The  man-of-war  brig  has  a  better 


wind  than  we,  and  rather  hangs  back ;  sho 
seems  to  sail  six  knots  an  hour  at  the  most; 
with  the  same  wind,  that  would  carry  us  eight, 
and  we  shall,  of  course,  gain  two  knots  on  her 
every  hour.  We  have,  then,  only  to  deal  with 
the  cutter,  and,  God  willing,  I  hope  to  be  pre- 
pared for  her." 

"  She  appears  strongly  manned,"  remarked 
the  captain,  "  and  vfill  carry  a  sufliciency  of 
bayonets." 

"  Is  that  a  schooner  or  a  fishing  sloop,  there 
in  the  distance,  lieutenant  ?"  inquired  the  man 
at  the  helm. 

Without  replying,  yet  evidently  not  disagree- 
ably surprised,  Ormur  left  the  composition  of  his 
flag,  and  hurried  again  to  the  mainmast  top, 
while  a  conflict  of  contending  emotions  began  in 
the  minds  of  those  on  board  the  Nordstjernan, 
and  none  dared  to  inijuire  vs-hat  this  new  appear- 
ance might  be,  or  whether  it  drew  near  for  their 
benefit,  or  to  hasten  their  destruction. 

"  That  seems  to  be  a  little  devil !"  said  Capt 
Finngreen,  partly  to  himself,  with  the  telescope 
at  his  eye.  "  By  her  rig,  she  is  a  Baltimore 
schooner,  but  a  little  thing,  and  far,  far  distant ; 
and  the  cutter  will  reach  us  first,  at  all  events." 

After  some  moments,  Ormur  descended  to 
the  quarterdeck,  and,  with  his  telescope  un- 
der his  arm,  walked  to  and  fro  with  hurried 
steps,  wrapped  in  reflection,  and  without  look- 
ing  at   any  of  those   present. 

He  then  again  observed  the  now  sail  and  th; 
cutter,  once  more  directed  his  telescope  to 
wards  the  schooner,  reflected  again,  and  thei 
stepped  hastily  to  the  open  ti'unk,  beside  vrhicl 
lay  the  prepared  flags. 

"  0R.\  K  SEMPKE,"  said  he,  half  aloud,  and 
took  up  a  green,  red,  and  white  flag,  and  handed 
it  to  the  first  mate,  with  the  order,  "  To  the  fore- 
mast with  this  !" 

"  To  the  foremast !"  repeated  the  other,  sailor- 
wise,  and  obeyed  the  command. 


I 


DOLORES. 


BOOK   III 


CHAPTER    I. 

ENCOUNTER   AND  DEFENCE. 

Some  hours  had  again  passed  away,  and  the 
brig  Nordstjernan,  with  her  passengers,  was 
like  a  floating  deaf  and  dumb  institute,  except 
that  it  wanted  the  signs. 

The  breeze  had  freshened  more  and  more,  and 
with  the  approach  of  the  cutter,  the  eventful 
moment  drew  nigh  that  must  deliver  Dolores 
and  Alvarez  to  the  fury  of  ruthless  party 
ipirit,  unless  their  good  genius,  in  the  person  of 
the  northern  ex-naval  officer,  should  carry  out 
some  master-stroke  of  presence  of  mind,  the 
plan  of  which  he,  like  a  true  seaman,  still  kept 
io  himself. 

The  air  was  clear  and  pure,  and  the  grey-green 
waves  spattered  about  the  vessel,  as  if  she  floated 
there,  only  to  interrupt  the  uniformity  of  their 
rustling  motion,  and  to  serve  them  as  a  toy,  th.it 
the  eccentric  dwellers  of  the  earth  had  resigned 
to  their  consideration  and  discretion,  notwith- 
standing they  had  already,  in  their  ill  humor, 
tossed  about  and  destroyed  a  thousand  Similar 
orittle  playthings. 

The  same  Cape  pigeons  which  had,  with  de- 
moted adherence,  attended  the  vessel  from  Point 
India,  circled  and  flew  in  all  directions  about 
the  stern,  and  conspicuously  dipped,  from  time 
to  time,  in  the  wake,  the  foam  of  which  appeared 
to  delight  them,  the  longer  the  vessel  by  its 
rapid  course  preserved  its  fleeting  existence. 

The  man-of-war,  "  La  Caza,"  had  long  since 
hoisted  her  lee-sails,  in  order  to  follow  the  cut- 
ter as  speedily  as  possible,  which,  however, 
gained  a  considerable  advance,  and  seemed  to 
fly  along  more  swiftly,  the  shorter  the  distance 
became  between  the  three  vessels,  whose  sailing 
propensities  were  gradually  manifested,  as  the 
skilful  seaman  had  calculated  and  pointed  out. 

The  lee-aails  of  the  Nordstjernan  lay,  by  Hi- 
nango's  order,  ready  upon  deck  ;  but  he  defe'Ted 
the  order  to  hoist  them.  He  awaited,with  a  sort  of 
painful  impatience,  the  contact  with  the  cutter, 
and  allowed  the  Caza  an  approach,  which  could 
bring  him  into  no  particular  danger,  so  soon  as 
he  should  succeed  m  despatching  the  cutter. 

The  Baltimore  schooner,  which  had  been  ob- 
served in  the  far  distance,  had  evidently  got 
sight  of  the  Nordstjernan,  and  seemed  to  hold  a 
course  which  was  calculated  to  contact  with 
both,  (the  cutter  and  the  Nordstjernan,)  at  a  re- 


mote point,  since  she  could  take  no  other  course 
if  she  did  not  wish  to  give  up  the  Swedish  brig. 

Hinango,  with  the  glass  at  his  eye,  watched 
with  increasing  expectation,  for  the  moment 
that  would  enable  him  to  recognise  the  schooa 
er's  flag,  which  fluttered  at  the  mainmast. 

The  minutes  became  hours  to  all  on  board  the 
Nordstjernan  ;  the  hours  appeared  as  if  they 
would  never  terminate. 

Uolnres,  Horatio,  and  Alvarez,  formed  an  in- 
separable group,  as  if  the  danger  would  become 
less,  if  they  awaited  it  together,  and  this  notion, 
in  a  moral  point  of  view,  might  be  very  well 
founded.  Hinango  stepped  up  to  them,  from 
time  to  time,  to  strengthen  within  them,  by  some 
words,  the  faith  in  a  possible  deliverance,  which 
became  fainter  the  nearer  the  cutter  approached, 
and  Under  surrounding  circumstances  and  rela- 
tions, might  very  well  waver  in  hearts  less  pen- 
etrated by  a  confidence  in  Divine  Providence, 
than  were  those  of  Dolores  and  her  two  com- 
panions. 

But  the  want  of  well  founded  sources  of 
consolation,  increased  in  Hinango  the  oppres- 
sion and  uneasiness  with  which  these  endless 
hours  burdened  him,  since,  after  all  his  expres- 
sions of  confidence,  he  sav/  himself  flung  back 
upon  the  deceitful  element  of  *'  hope,"  upon 
which  his  designed  plan  of  defence  was  built,  and 
only  too  closely  resembled  the  sea,  since  it,  ab- 
stractly from  his  manly  self-reliance,  aflbrded 
no  guarantee  for  the  success  of  any  enterprise, 
until  the  end  itself  was  attained. 

Robert  appeared  to  regard,  with  a  certain  sto- 
ical indiflerence,  the  approach  of  a  crisis, 
which,  at  all  events,  might  endanger  his  life,  if 
an  indiscreet  bullet  should  be  directed  from  the 
gun  of  a  Confederado  towards  liim,  and  pierce 
some  vital  part  of  his  body.  Endeavoring  to 
await  the  decision  of  the  matter,  as  comfortably 
as  possible,  he  had  stretched  himself  out  upon  his 
cloak  on  the  (juarterdeck,  smoking  one  cigar 
after  another,  and,  from  time  to  time,  looking 
over  the  "  Private  Instructions"  of  his  worldly 
wise  father,  many  passages  of  which  especially 
pleased  him,  at  least  he  could  not  suppress  his 
entire  assent,  at  times,  by  a  covert  smile,  and  a 
half  loud  "  Very  good  ;  very  good,  indeed!" 

IVIr.  William  Rossbriick  sat  in  the  cabin,  ab- 
sorbed in  his  colonial  speculation,  "which  was 
to  put  some  millions  in  circulation,"  not  a  little 
provoked  at  being  placed,  by  a  fatal  chance, 
with  passengers  who  ought  not  to  have  shipped 


94 


DOLORES. 


on  board  the  same  vessel  with  respectable  peo- 
ple, since  their  suspicious  position  excluded 
them,  as  well  from  the  society  ol'business  people, 
of  any  consideration,  as  from  the  higher  circles 
of  the  social  world,  who  did  not  trouble  them- 
selves with  similar  sacrifices  for  patriotism,  and 
the  like  "  unwarantable  phantasiw^." 

Dr.  Merbold,  had  at  length  feciarked  some- 
thino;  wrong,  and  asked  the  captain  what  the 
singular  .silence  of  the  passengers  signified,  and 
the  thoiightfnl  mien  with  which  they  had  so 
long  observed  the  "  little  fishing  boat,"  an,d  the 
vessel  in  the  distance."  When  he  learned  that 
this  cutter  would  probably  institute  another 
visitation  on  boai'd,  and  inquire  after  the  refugee 
whose  life  they  sought  to  save  since  they  had 
drawn  him  out  of  the  water,  the  savant  lost  his 
phlegmatic  inditference. 

"  How  could  you  have  undertaken,  captain,  to 
keep  a  man  on  board  who  was  reclaimed  by  the 
police,  or  even  by  the  olBcers  of  justice  1  You 
suspected,  or  knew,  then,  without  doubt,  that  the 
man  would  be  pursued .'  you  knew  it  before  the 
shallop  returned  back  to  the  city,  and  you  kept 
him  on  board  ?  Hark  you,  captain  !  this  is  not 
only  unpardonable,  but  it  is  contrary  to  police 
regulations,  and  is  treasonable,  besides,  and  if  I 
had  suspected  that  you  were  capable  of  doing 
that,  of  taking  demagogues,  or  patriots,  or  the 
like,  on  board,  and  keeping  them  on  board, 
I  certainly  would  not  have  gone  to  sea  witli 
you.  I  will  write  a  letter  to  the  Prussian  consul 
at  Buenos  Ayres,  with  my  own  hand,  for 
having  sent  me  in  such  a  vessel,  with  such  a 
captain.  And  1  will  do  it  on  the  spot !  The 
boat  tliat  is  coming  there,  will  take  away  the 
fool,  the  demagogue — good  !  I  will  then  em- 
brace the  opportunity,  and  send  back  a  letter 
to  the  Prussian  consul  in  Buenos  Ayres,  and 
give  him  a  piece  of  my  mind.  .U  is  enough  to 
craze  one,"  he  muttered  to  himself,  while  he 
crept  down  to  his  berth  :  "  Has  the  captain  gone 
cra/.y  under  the  line?  that  he  undertakes  in  the 
face  of  day,  to  act  so  in  opposition  to  the  police  ? 
to  compromise  all  of  us,  as  if  we  had  even  as- 
sisted in  taking  a  suspicious  fellow  to  sea,  who 
has  meddled  with  politics  .'" 

The  two  captains  of  the  Nordstjernan  ob- 
served the  cutter  and  the  schooner  with  equal 
attention.  The  first  had  gradually  approached 
so  near,  that  the  persons  which  she  carried, 
were  distinguishable. 

Two  officers  appeared  in  the  stern,  and  near 
them  a  man  in  a  civil  dress,  besides  a  crew  of 
twelve  men. 

The  sending  of  the  cutter,  in  itself,  must,  in 
any  case,  be  regarded  only  as  a  provisory  inti- 
mation that  the  Caza  followed  behind,  and  had 
a  word  to  say  to  the  Nordstjernan,  since  the  cut- 
ter, unattended  liy  the  Caza,  would  hardly  be  in 
a  condition  to  take  the  Swedish  brig  by  force, 
as  it,  like  many  European  vessels  upon  the 
Southern  Atlantic  Ocean,  carried,  besides  sev- 
eral cannon,  a  well  filled  arrn-chest,  and  an 
abundance  of  ammunition. 

It  would  certainly  have  been  possible  to  pre- 
vent the  stepping  of  even  a  single  man  from  the 
cutter  upon  the  deck,  considering  the  difficulty 
of  climbing  up  from  a  small  craft  on  board  of  a 
large  vessel,  well  supplied  with  weapons  of  all 
sorts.  Rut  such  a  method  of  escape  did  not  en- 
ter into  Uiuango's  plan,  who  would  not  put  the 


peaceful  crew  of  the  Nordstjernan  to  such  a  testi 
which,  if  it  failed,  would  bring  the  most  fearful 
punishment  upon  them. 

Capt.  Finngrecn  had,  long  since,  perceived 
that  Hinango  had  not  prepared  for  such  a  de- 
fence, without,  on  the  other  hand,  having  dis- 
covered what  was  his  particular  design — what 
means  he  intended  to  adopt  for  the  deliverance 
of  the  Nordstjernan.  After  all  that  he  had 
learned,  however,  of  the  life  and  character  of 
his  countryman,  (whose  fate  and  misfortunes 
lived  in  the  mouths  and  in  the  hearts  of  his  peo- 
ple,) there  arose  within  him  an  almost  un- 
bounded reliance  upon  him,  a.s  a  tnan  and  as  a 
seaman ;  and  he  looked  forward  with  confidence, 
although  not  without  painful  expectation  and 
disquiet,  to  the  decisive  moment. 

Hinango  took  the  best  axe  from  the  carpenter'3 
chest,  examined  the  edge,  and  finding  it  in  suf- 
ficiently good  order,  laid  it  upon  the  windward 
side  of  the  quarterdeck,  and  again  observed  the 
schooner  with  his  telescope.  Hardly  had  he 
caught  sight  of  it,  than  he  exclaimed,  in  joyful 
tones,  "  It  is  the  Mazzini !  Look,  captain ! 
the  tlag  is  green  and  yellow,  without  the  Brazil- 
ian emblem  of  the  solar  system.  It  is  the  revof 
lutionary  flag  of  Rio  Grande,  and  on  the  foremast 
is  the  flag  of  'La  Giovine  Italia' — green,  vei 
and  white." 

"  The  same  which  we  carry — I  recognised^' 
immediately,  when  you  unfolded  it.  It  is  desig 
nated  upon  a  flag  chart  as  the  Italian  nationj, 
flag ;  but,  alas  !  it  is,  as  yet,  borne  by  no  flee)? 
remarked  Capt.  Finngreen. 

"  Not  at  this  time ;  but  I  assure  you,  captain, 
that  there  are  many  Italian  naval  officers  who 
would  gladly  carry  it,  and  maintain  it  with  their 
lives." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  of  it,  and  in  the  future  they 
will  verify  its  power." 

Hinango  now  brought  forward  two  flags,  which 
he  had  previously  arranged,  and  threw  one  to  the 
mate,  with  the  order,  "  Take  down  the  flag  from 
the  foremast,  and  put  this  in  its  place ;  and 
this,"  throwing  the  other  flag  to  him,  "  on  the 
mainmast." 

"  The  Mazzini  has  answered  the  Italian  flag," 
and  I  know  now  where  I  am  ;  perhaps  he  already 
suspects  who  we  are,"  remai'ked  Hinango.  "  We 
will,  however,  make  him  understand  it  more 
plainly." 

"  Bravo  !"  cried  Capt.  Finn^een,  noticing  the 
flag  at  the  foremast ;  "  that  is  the  flag  of  our 
Scandinavian  Union — blue,  white,  and  yellow— 
with  the  polar  stai-  in  the  blue  field.  I  know  it 
from  prohibited  books ;  and  if  a  spy  were  now  to 
see  my  Nordstjernan,  I  should  never  dare  to  go 
back  through  the  sound  again." 

"  I  believe  you,  indeed,  captain  ;  but  you  have 
relinquished  to  me,  for  the  present,  the  command 
of  the  Nordstjernan,  that  it  may  not  be  taken 
back  as  a  prize  to  Buenos  Ayres ;  and  as  the 
proverb  says,  *  despair  has  no  law.'  If  we  suc- 
ceed in  despatching  the  cutter,  it  will  not  be  easy 
to  prove  that  you  have  carried  the  Scandinavian 
flag,  here  in  the  mouth  of  the  river  La  Plata." 

The  mate,  Storhjelm,  delivered  to  Hinango 
the  flag  of  "  La  Giovine  Italia,"  cast  a  glance 
upon  the  Scandinavian  flag,  and  observed,  "  The 
Danes  and  Norwegians  would  miss  their  red 
from  the  flag  above  tliere." 

"  They  are  the  colors  from  the  three  crosses  of 


DOLORES. 


95 


the  ancient  flags  of  our  countries  ,"  saiJ  Hinango ; 
"  the  Swedisli  yellow,  the  Norwegian  blue,  and 
the  Danish  wliite,  with  the  polar  star,  the  sym- 
bol of  the  future  unity  of  Scandinavia.  Blood 
red  lias,  however,  too  often  stained  the  history  of 
our  monarchies,  and  our  race  has  been  stirred  up 
to  tight  against  itself  by  tlie  crimes  of  a  tyrant, 
like  Clu'istian  tlie  Second.  May  the  remem- 
brance tliereof  vanish  from  the  hearts  of  the 
people,  and  the  symbolic  colors  of  the  three 
crosses,  likewise  the  colors  of  our  Nortliern 
starry  heavens,  elevate  our  spirits  to  faith  in  the 
future  destiny  of  nations." 

Dolores,  Horatio,  Alvarez,  and  Robert  Walker, 
had  stepped  up  to  the  two  captains,  just  as  tlie 
name,  iVIazzini,  was  mentioned,  and  seemed 
now,  more  than  ever,  solicitous  about  the  issue 
of  the  eventful  encounter 

"  It  is  a  pity  that  the  schooner  was  not  a  sin- 
gle mile  nearer  to  us,"  said  Robert  Walker  ;  "  it 
will  be  impossible  for  her  to  reach  us  before  the 
cutter." 

"  Certainly,  she  cannot,"  replied  Hinango ; 
"  but  she  will  be  as  little  able  to  attack  the  cut- 
ter before  she  overhauls  us." 

"  I  see  that  well !  Her  commander  is  said  to 
be  an  Italian  bandit,"  continued  Robert  Walker, 
with  an  ironical  smile  ;  "  he  mmst  be  a  famous 
fellow." 

"  Certainly !  the  Austrian  gazettes  call  all 
the  Italian  patriots  banditti,  no  matter  how  high 
their  social  position.  Barigaldi,  who  commands 
this  schooner,  is,  to  be  sure,  an  Italian — con- 
demned to  death  as  a  rebel — but  he  is  a  gentle- 
man, who  formerly  moved  in  the  great  world  as 
much  as  any  courtier  of  Modena  or  Tuscany," 
replied  Hinango. 

Dolores  attentively  considered  the  flag  at  the 
mainmast.  It  consisted  of  three  dark  blue 
stripes,  forming  a  surface — in  the  middle  of 
which  was  a  golden  yellow  star,  surrounded  by 
an  oval  liglit  blue  halo,  which  nearly  filled  the 
breadth  of  the  centra]  stripe.* 

Hinango  now  broke  off  from  his  conversation 
with  Robert  Walker,  and  looked  with  an  unde- 
niable expression  of  inward  emotion  upon  Do- 
lores, and  tlien  upward  upon  the  flag. 

"  May  I  ask,  or  guess,"  said  Dolores,  inter- 
rupting the  deathlike  silence  of  the  moment^ 
"  may  I  guess  what  sort  of  flag  this  is — what 
this  symbol  signifies  .'" 

"  You  suspect,"  said  Hinango,  looking  with 
sympathy  in  the  eyes  of  Dolores,  and  seeing  into 
hor  heart. 

"  It  is  the  flag  of  Humanity  ;  the  golden  star 
is  the  dawning  star  of  the  religion  of  the  future, 
wliich  sends  down  its  rays,  tj-irough  the  misty 
circle  of  the  materialism  of  our  century,  into  tlie 
bleeding  human  heart;"  sighed  she,  again  rais- 
ing her  tear-dimmed  gaze  to  tlie  significant  sym- 
Dol  of  a  despised  faith. 

"  It  is  the  flajj  of  Humanity,"  said  Hinango  ; 
*  you  are  not  mistaken  ;  and  I  hope  that  all  of 
as  do  not  err,  when  we  believe  in  a  resurrection 
of  the  human  race  out  of  this  night  of  infidelity, 
of  indifi'erence,  of  sectarian  hatred,  and  of  the 
fanaticism  of  forms  without  religion.     The  star 


*  The  above  symbol,  with  the  addition  of  others,  was 
later — in  1341 — engraved  upon  a  seal  ring,  which  the 
committee  of  "La  Gio  vine  Italia"  in  London,  sent  to  their 
Bpii'itual  associate,  Dc  Lamenais,  in  his  prison,  in  Taris. 


of  the  future,  whose  rays  illuminate  our  hearts 
with  foreboding  faith,  will  arise  in  the  firma- 
ment of  the  path  of  the  nations,  and  the  religion 
of  Jesus  will  shine  forth  as  a  higher  idea  than 
the  church  has  heretofore  recognised  in  it — a 
higher  idea  tlian  the  oriental  dualism — the  dis- 
pute between  tlie  evil  and  the  good.  Mankind 
will  be  elevated  by  the  knowledge  of  the  unity 
of  all  strength,  and  Satan  will  no  more  give 
men  free  leave  to  sin  on  his  account,  and  at  his 
instigation.  The  star  of  humanity  will  go  be- 
fore, to  light  the  way  of  progress  to  mankind." 

Dolores  followed  this  inspired  efi'usion  with 
her  whole  soul,  and  reached  her  hand  to  her 
friend  and  champion,  with  a  wordless  glance 

"The  cutter  comes  near  !"  said  Hinango  ;  "  we 
shall  now  see  whether  our  flag  of  humanity  floats 
here  under  God's  protection.  Retire  to  your 
cabin,  and  do  not  tremble  ;  and  all  of  you,  gen- 
tlemen, will  leave  the  quarterdeck  for  a  short 
time."  With  these  words,  he  led  Dolores  to  the 
cabin  stairs,  and  all  followed  him,  and  went 
below. 

Hinango  now  ordered  the  first  mate  to  summon 
"  all  hands  on  deck  !"  and  immediately  the  whole 
crew  stood,  expectantly,  by  the  mainmast. 

"  Countrymen  !  Scandinavians  !"  said  he  to 
them  ;  "  a  sliort  sea  manoeuvre  is  about  to  take 
place,  under  the  Scandinavian  flag.  Upon  the 
punctuality  with  which  you  execute  my  orders, 
depend  our  own  lives,  and  the  lives  entrusted  to 
the  care  of  your  brave  captain.  Hear,  then,  and 
mark  wliat  I  say.  The  cutter  will  give  a  signal 
that  we  should  '  lay  by  the  wind.'  1  will  give, 
through  the  trumpet,  the  necessary  orders — you 
must  fulfil  them ;  but  do  not  let  go  of  the  tacks 
and  sheets.  Remain  at  your  posts,  and  at  the 
moment  when  I  command,  witliout  the  trumpet, 
'  brace  full !'  bring  the  foremast  yard  in  the  di- 
rection in  which  it  now  stands,  and  fill  the 
mainsail,  likewise.     Have  you  understood  me  ?" 

"  We  understand  !  we  understand  !"  cried  all. 
with  one  voice. 

"  Captain,"  said  the  seaman,  now  turning  tc 
Capt.  Finngreen,  "  cut  ofl'a  rope  there,  and  keep 
one  end  of  it  in  your  hand  when  you  tlirow  it  to 
the  cutter,  at  my  command  through  tlie  trumpet : 
and  let  the  rope  go  entirely,  when  I  give  the 
order  :  *  Lat  go  for  !' " 

"  I  understand  you,"  replied  Capt.  Finngreen, 
and  just  then  a  round  of  musketry  was  fired  from 
the  cutter,  fo.-  want  of  a  cannon. 

The  cutter  was  now  near,  and  had  lowered 
one  sail,  as  she  steered  round  the  after  part  of  the 
brig,  to  come  under  her  lee.  Hinango  hastily 
ordered  the  "  boom  over  to  the  windward," 
which  the  commander  of  the  cutter  probably 
took  as  a  civility,  as  if  done  to  enable  him  to  ap 
proacli  nearer,  and  to  come  alongside  more  con- 
veniently, without  endangering  his  masts. 

"  Brace  back  the  head  yards  !  throw  out  a 
rope !"  cried  Hinango,  through  the  trumpet ; 
then,  throwing  it  aside,  he  seized  the  axe,  and 
stationed  himself  on  the  windward  of  the  boom- 
sheet,  directing  his  eye  towards  the  cutter's 
masts.  Availing  himself,  with  calculation,  of  the 
moment  when  the  masts  of  the  cutter  passed  the 
bulwark,  he  now  cut  loose  the  sheet.  The  co- 
Icssal  boom,  loaded  with  sails,  and  driven  by  tba 
wind,  obeyed  the  laws  of  gravity,  and  slung  over 
to  the  leeward,  breaking  botli  tfie  cutter's  inasfa 
like  Cologne  pipe  stems,  which,  together  viitii 


96 


DOLORES. 


their  sails  and  rigging,  plunged,  with  a  crash, 
into  the  waves. 

"  Lat  go  for  !"  (let  go  !)  he  now  cried  to  the 
captain,  v.'ho  let  go  the  vope,  which  a  sailor  in 
the  cutter  had  already  seized  to  fasten  on  to  the 
brig. 

"  Brace  full !"  thundered  he  to  the  sailors, 
who  punctually  carried  out  the  required  order. 

"  Keep  on  your  conrse  !"  he  said,  in  a  low 
voice,  to  the  man  at  the  helm,  when  all  the 
orders  were  complied  with.  He  now  looked,  for 
the  first  time,  upon  the  dismasted  cutter,  in 
which  the  confusion  appeared  so  great  tliat  no 
one  seemed  to  tliink  of  sending  a  bullet  at  the 
commander  of  the  brig. 

The  whole  affair  was  the  work  of  a  moment, 
and  the  rapidity  of  its  execution  allowed  no  man 
to  come  to  his  recollection,  or  to  reflect  upon 
what  was  likely  to  happen,  until  the  whole 
Was  executed,  and  the  cutter  dismasted.  Sur- 
prised to  the  utmost,  officers  and  crew  now  gazed 
Upon  each  other,  and  then  looked  at  Hiuango, 
unable  to  find  words  to  express  their  astonisl)- 
meat. 


CHAPTER    II. 


COURSE   AND   DISTANCE. 


"  We  are  saved !"  Hinango  exclaimed,  and 
then  hastened  to  convey  to  the  South  American 
lady  the  assurance  of  her  safety,  and  returned 
to  the  deck  with  her,  accompanied  by  all  the 
cabin  jjassengers. 

The  expression  of  each  countenance  offered, 
for  the  moment,  an  indescribably  rich  field  for 
observation,  in  case  some  psychologist  on  board, 
had  found  time  and  leisure  to  consider  them. 

All  could  now  be  convinced  of  a  deliverance, 
which,  notwithstanding  the  confidence  in  Hi- 
nango, no  one  had,  until  now,  thought  probable, 
since  the  dinger  had  become  so  imminent.  All 
could  now  believe  in  their  personal  security,  af- 
ter tlieir  minds  had  been  racked  for  nearly  five 
hours,  by  a  painful  uncertainty,  which  must 
have  paralyzed  all  their  powers. 

This  sudden  transition,  from  fear  and  anxiety 
to  tranquillity  and  joy,  wrought  in  many  minds  a 
similar  convulsion,  as  did  the  first  moment  of 
the  man-of-war,  like  a  s(>eck  in  the  horizon. 

"  There  is  my  letter,  captain  !"  cried  the  Ger- 
man savant,  from  his  hole,  while  he  clambered 
Up  with  effort,  assisted  by  Mr.  Daily,  and  hold- 
ing in  his  hand  a  sealed  envelope.  "  There  is 
my  letter,  the  shallop  will  now  soon  be  here." 

"  I  am  very  sorry,"  replied  Captain  Finngreen, 
that  the  opportunity  has  escaped  you  of  sending 
your  report  to  Buenos  Ayres  1  There  lies  the 
cutter,  and  cannot,  with  the  beat  intentions,  take 
charge  of  your  despatches." 

"  How  so :  Not  take  charge  of  them  .'  Will 
she,  then,  no!  t.ike  charge  of  the  fellow — the  po- 
litical fanatic — the  fool  there  ? 

"  Doctor  !''  interrupted  Hinango,  spare  tlie 
titles  with  which  your  German  royally  privi- 
leged erudition  insults  the  patriots  of  all  na- 
tions, especially  of  your  own.  You  are  here, 
ou  board  of  the  Nordstjernan.     Doctor,  keep 


within  the  limits  of  your  own  narrow  science, 
and  remain  within  your  beetle  world.  Insult 
no  one  with  your  servility.  Consider  that  this 
vessel  carries  human  beings,  who  are  morally 
and  mentally  as  far  above  the  horizon  of  your 
learned  perceptions,  as  men  are  above  beetles. 
Greet  your  Prussian  consul  in  Buenos  Ayres, 
and  at  Rio,  and  every  servant  of  the  king  of 
Prussia,  who,  under  the  title  of  a  savant,  re- 
ceives a  report  from  you." 

"  Do  not  fly  in  o  passion  with  a  man  who  is,  in 
the  highest  degree,  deserving  of  our  comparison, 
for  his  deadne.ss  and  insensibility  to  the  cause  of 
the  people,"  said  Dolores,  interrupting  the  ve- 
hement speech  of  Hinango,  who,  for  the  first 
time  since  he  had  been  on  board,  allowed  an 
ebullition  of  anger  to  appear. 

"  Forgive  me,  iVIiss  Walker !"  he  replied, 
while  he  left  the  insect  man,  and  walked  aside 
with  Dolores,"  excuse  this  weakness,  this  bit- 
terness, towards  a  man  who  can  as  little  insult 
either  you  or  me,  as  he  can  understand  us,  in 
case  he  should  ever  learn  our  position.  My 
anger,  however,  does  not  extend  to  him  alone, 
but  to  the  whole  class  of  servile  literati,  be  they 
entomologists,  or  philologists,  or  theologists, 
who,  for  a  breakfast  from  some  creature  of  the 
court,  not  to  mention  a  professorship,  an  order, 
or  a  pension,  would  betray  and  sell  their  own 
nation,  and  all  the  nations  of  the  earth,  if  it 
were  possible,  and,  in  fact,  be  proud  of  such  an 
action." 

"  I  believe  I  know  the  man  next  to  the  ofEcer 
in  the  stern  of  the  cutter,"  said  Horatio,  who, 
using  Hinango's  telescope,  had,  until  now,  with 
the  captain  and  Robert  Walker,  been  viewing 
the  cutter.  "  I  must  be  very  much  mistaken, 
or  it  is  the  private  teacher  of  languages,  Pere- 
zoso." 

"  That  is  very  possible,  and  even  probable," 
interrupted  Robert  Walker,  "  for  the  same  per- 
son shewed  himself  very  zealous  in  a  little  no- 
torious coffee-house,  on  the  evening  beforh  our 
departure,  with  respect  to  the  discovery  of  the 
author  of  certain  Elegies,  as  Seiior  Testa  in- 
formed me,  who  observed  him  there." 

Dolores  and  Hinango  went  up  to  their  two 
companions,  to  give  their  attention  likewise  to 
the  cutter ;  surprised  by  his  last  words,  she  in- 
quired of  young  Walker  : 

"  You  appeiu:  to  have  known  more  respecting 
our  danger  than  you  have  imparted  to  me." 

"  I  learned  from  Seiior  Testa,  that  they  were 
upon  the  point  of  discovering  your  incognito  as 
a  poetess,  and  that  a  certain  Perezoso,  whose 
name  he  learned  in  this  famous  colTee-house, 
was  much  to  be  feared." 

"  The  wretch  !"  exclaimed  Dolores ;  "  here  13 
another  man  who  has  the  reputation  of  great 
learning,  who  understands  a  half  dozen  lan- 
guages, and  lowers  himself  to  become  a  spy,  that 
he  may  obtain  some  office  under  government." 
"  It's  the  old  story,"  said  Hinango,  laughing, 
"but  there  he  floats  now,  thank  God!  andean 
do  us  no  more  harm  for  the  present." 

Until  his  colleagues  in  Rio  de  Janeiro  are 
informed,"  sighed  Dolores  again ;  "  then,  where- 
ever  I  may  hereafter  find  an  asylum,  the  ven- 
geance of  despotism  will  follow  me,  though  I 
went  to  the  antipodes.  I  am  prepared  for  any 
future  fate." 
"  Singular !  but  perhaps  easy  to  be  explained," 


DOLORES. 


97 


intemijjted  Hinango,  "that,  in  this  moment 
of  deliverance,  such  gloomy  despondency  should 
come  over  you." 

"  How  seldom  are  we  able  to  account  for  even 
the  lightest  of  our  internal  emotions,"  replied 
Dolores;  "  it  is  not  fear  that  oppresses  me,  but 
rather  a  presentiment  that  I  am  only  saved  to 
encounter  greater  dangers." 

"  It  is  so  with  me,  also,"  aSirm*i  Hinango  ; 
"  but  with  the  consciousness  of  our  calling,  our 
mission,  we  are  pervaded  by  a  divine  strength 
to  brave  danger,  to  bear  our  lot.  A  life  like 
ours  is  good,  when  it  is  ended." 

Dolores  replied  with  a  glance  at  the  flag  of 
"  Humanity,"  and  remained  silent. 

The  Mazzini  altered  her  course  the  moment 
when  the  masts  of  the  cutter  were  shivered,  and 
steered  directly  for  the  latter,  while  the  Caza 
had  nearly  vanished  behind  the  horizon,  with 
all  her  canvass  given  to  the  wind,  to  support 
the  cutter,  and  to  take  her,  together  with  her 
crew,  on  board. 

For  the  understanding  of  the  course  and  dis- 
tance of  the  three  sails,  the  following  nautical 
explanation  may  be  requisite. 

The  Caza  might  have  been  about  five  miles 
Irora  the  object  of  pursuit,  when  she  was  per- 
ceived by  Hinttngo,  and  sent  out  the  cutter.  Al- 
though she  had  a  better  wind  than  the  Nord- 
stjernan,  her  average  progress  might  be  taken  at 
about  six  miles  an  hour,  while  the  latter  sailed 
about  seven,  and  the  cutter  eight.  The  Nord- 
stjernan  had  then  made  thirty-five  miles  in 
about  five  hours,  the  cutter  forty,  and  reached 
the  Swedish  brig,  with  the  addition  of  the  five 
miles'  variation  in  the  distance,  while  the  Caza 
had  made  thirty  miles,  and,  of  course,  remained 
ten  miles  behind  the  cutter. 

All  the  endeavors  of  the  Caza  to  save  the  cut- 
ter would,  of  course,  be  nautically  impossible, 
as  the  Mazzini,  at  the  time  of  this  catastrophe, 
was  at  the  utmost  three  miles  from  the  place  of 
encounter,  where  the  cutter  still  lay,  endeavor- 
ing to  put  up  jury  masts,  in  which,  however, 
from  want  of  sufficient  materials,  she  was  not 
likely  to  succeed. 

The  Mazzini  had  constantly,  in  her  diminished 
course,  a  half  wind,  and  might  reach  the  cutter 
in  twenty  minutes — a  space  of  time  which,  with 
reference  to  the  arrival  of  the  Caza,  was  not  to 
be  taken  into  consideration. 

Hinango  observed  the  movements  of  the  Maz- 
zini with  redoubled  interest,  as  an  associate 
under  the  before  mentioned  flag,  and,  also,  be- 
"ause  he  wished  to  enter  into  communication 
with  the  commander  of  the  schooner,  whom  he 
had  not  met  when  he  was  at  Monte  Video. 

Although  since  the  fortunate  issue  of  the  en- 
counter with  the  cutter,  he  had  ceased  to  con- 
sider himself  in  command  of  the  Nordstjcrnan, 
he  intimated  to  Capt.  Finngreen  that  he  should 
prefer  "  laying  the  brig  under  the  wind,"  to 
await  the  result  of  the  meeting  between  the  two 
vessels,  of  which  one  only  carried  sails.  Capt. 
Finngreen  was  entirely  willing  to  comply  with 
this  request,  and  the  Nordstjernan  now  lingered 
"  under  the  wind,"  some  two  miles  distant  from 
the  hull  of  the  cutter,  just  as  the  Mazzini  dis- 
charged a  shot — expecting,  as  a  reply,  the  signal 
of  a  "  surrender  at  discretion." 

Before,  however,  we  consider  more  nearly  the 
encounter  of  the  cutter  and  the  Mazzini,  we  must 

13 


seek  the  requisite  explanation  of  the  despatcn  of 
the  Caza  from  Buenos  Ayres,  and  of  the  part  oc- 
cupied bv  the  Mazzini  in  the  history  of  our  time 


».****^*#**— 


CHAPTER    III. 


THE    EXPEDITION' 


The  Police  Commissary,  Borrachezo,  hurried 
from  the  Palace  of  Justice,  to  conduct  Perezoso 
to  the  bureau  of  the  statesman  who  was  entrusted 
with  the  office  of  Minister  of  the  Interior. 

The  importance  of  tlie  affair  required  a  private 
audience,  and  Perezoso's  offers  and  stipulations 
for  the  apprehension  of  the  person  to  whose  head 
the  oft-mentioned  price  was  affixed,  were  well 
received,  and  immediately  accepted,  without  his 
having  in  the  least  allowed  it  to  be  perceived  in 
what  direction  he  would  institute  his  investiga- 
tions. 

His  conditions  and  stipulations  were  confirmed 
in  writing,  and  he,  thereupon,  required  an  au- 
thorization to  have  a  man-of-war  at  his  disposi- 
tion, and,  if  possible,  the  brig  La  Caza,  in  case 
there  should  be  any  necessity  for  him  to  make  an 
excursion  upon  the  river  La  Plata.  The  zealous 
spy,  of  course,  desired  to  be  sent  as  a  personified 
despatch,  whose  contents  the  naval  officer  (as  is 
often  the  case)  should  first  learn  when  he  was  on 
board,  and  under  sail — a  wise  precaution,  for  he 
still  feared  that  he  might  be  anticipated  in  this 
important  and  enticing  affair. 

This  expedition  upon  the  river  La  Plata  had, 
nevertheless,  its  difficulties,  as  it  required  a  con- 
ference of  the  Minister  of  the  Interior  with  the 
Minister  of  the  Marine  Department,  which 
could  not  be  so  suddenly  and  hastily  arranged,  as 
the  speculative  office  hunter  desired,  who  was 
placed  in  a  very  critical  position  by  the  unavoid- 
able delay  of  his  voyage. 

Earnestly  as  he  endeavored  to  induce  his  pro- 
tector, Borrachezo,  to  use  all  possible  haste,  he 
felt  himself  exposed  to  the  danger  of  directing 
his  attention,  by  a  single  inconsiderate  intima- 
tion, to  the  Swedish  brig,  and  hazarding  his 
secret.  Perezoso  now  found  himself  in  the 
critical  position  of  every  traitor  and  intriguer, 
who  can  only  conduct  his  secret  business  with 
his  equals,  and  know,  beforehand,  that  the  men 
with  whom  he  operates  are  as  cunning  and  un- 
principled as  himself,  and  would  not  hesitate,  for 
a  moment,  to  outwit  him,  and  turn  his  secret  ta 
their  own  advantage. 

The  high  functionaries,  who  had  to  pass  upon, 
this  matter,  considered  it,  from  their  own  par- 
ticular point  of  view,  as  a  business  transaction  of 
the  government,  and  very  naturally  desired  a 
moral  (or,  rather,  an  immoral)  guarantee  in  re- 
gard to  the  person  who  so  zealously  oflered 
"  to  serve  the  state." 

Those  of  them  who  had  acted  the  spy  on  former 
occasions,  to  arrive  at  their  present  post3,just  as 
zealously  as  Perezoso  now  did,  as  office  holders 
inwardly  despised  and  detested  the  "  traitor," 
while,  at  the  same  time,  they  were  willing  to 
make  use  of  the  "  treachery"  for  the  mainte- 
nance of  the  so  called  public  order,  for  the  secu- 
rity of  the  state,  or  for  their  own  security  and 
the  security  of  Kosas, 


98 


DOLORES. 


Under  such  circumstances,  four  and  twentj- 
tours  elapsed  before  Perezoso  had  obtained  his 
full  powers,  and  was  handed  over  to  the  com- 
mander of  the  Caza,  as  Envoy  Extraordinary 
for  no  Court,  to  be  sure,  but  temporarily,  upon 
the  La  Plata  river,  as  Cfiargi  d'affaires  de pour- 
suite  et  d'arrestation,  &c.,  &c. 

Capt.  Tumble  received  his  guest  and  passen- 
ger on  board  with  all  respect,  as  he  was  in  duty 
bound,  by  the  high  order  of  the  Minister  of  the 
Marine  Department,  which  obliged  him  to  search 
strictly  every  vessel  that  the  envoy  should  point 
out  to  him. 

Perezoso  did  not  disclose  to  him  upon  which 
vessel  his  attention  was  directed,  until  the  Caza 
was  under  sail,  to  go  down  the  river.  And,  even 
then,  his  prudence  kept  him  silent  as  to  what 
person  he  was  in  pursuit  of,  and  what  was  the 
nation,  sex,  and  standing  of  the  individual. 

Capt.  Tumble  was  the  more  vexed  at  this  mys- 
terious reserve,  as  he  had  honored  the  Swedish 
brig  with  all  the  attention  which  the  strictest 
official  duty  could  require  of  him. 

He  ran  over  the  passenger  list  with  Senor 
Codo,  which  the  latter  had  handed  over  to  him, 
and  after  long  consultation  and  fruitless  exami- 
nation, the  suspicion  of  "  revolutionary  poetry," 
fell  as  well  upon  Robert  Walker  as  upon  his 
sister ;  upon  William  Rossbriick  and  Habakkuk 
Daily,  and  finally  upon  Dr.  Merbold,  who,  as 
a  "  literary  gentleman,"  had  protested  against 
that  title,  and  was,  therefore,  the  most  suspicious 
person  in  the  eyes  of  the  commander  of  the 
Caza ;  so  much  so,  that  he  resolved,  beforehand, 
to  bring  him  on  board  as  a  prisoner,  on  his  own 
responsibility,  let  the  Envoy  Extraordinary  ap- 
prehend whom  he  would. 

The  man-of-war,  under  the  varying  contra- 
rieties of  the  wind,  and  favored  by  the  current, 
went  forward  as  fast  as  it  well  could,  for  the 
Caza  had  by  no  means  thereputation  of  a  "  fast 
sailer,"  but  rather  served  as  a  guardship  to  an- 
chor at  some  appointed  station.  Many  other 
vessels  of  the  Rosas  navy  would  have  done 
better  service  in  this  case,  but  Perezoso  had 
more  "  reference"  to  the  character  of  the  com- 
mander and  officers,  with  whom  he  had  already 
become  acquainted,  than  to  the  deficiencies  of 
the  vessel,  (unknown  to  him,)  while  from  his 
past  intercourse  with  Capt.  Tumble  and  Senor 
Codo,  he  regarded  them  as  furious  Confederados. 

As  soon  as  the  Caza  had  the  Swedish  brig  in 
sight,  which  appeared  as  if  fettered  by  flawing 
wmds,  the  cutter  was  lowered  and  despatched, 
under  Senor  Codo's  command.  One  midship- 
man and  Senor  Perezoso  took  their  places  like- 
wise in  her  stern,  and  twelve  of  the  strongest 
and  most  robust  men  of  the  crew,  and  among, 
them  Pat  Genthboy,  all  well  armed,  served  at 
the  same  time  as  mai'ines  and  as  sailors. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

HISTORICAL   RETROSPECT. 

The  appearance  of  the  Mazzini,  which  was 
now  approaching  the  cutter,  was  no  phantom 
of  the   imaginatioa,   brought  dowu  from  the 


clouds  and  fixed  on  the  La  Plata  river,  still  les* 
was  it  a  "  flying  Italian,"  (step-brother  to  the 
"  Flying  Dutchman,")  but  "a  real,  personal  ves- 
sel," (as  Pat  Gentleboy  appropriately  expressed 
himself,)  and  as  such  it  had,  like  other  vessels, 
its  origin  and  history,  which,  however,  are  so 
intimately  connected  with  the  historical  events 
of  South  America,  that  we  cannot  recount  the 
one  without  taking  a  retrospect  of  the  other. 

All  the  political  movements  of  South  Ame- 
rica, as  of  the  whole  transatlantic  "  New  World," 
are  the  fruits  of  the  spirit  which  was  deve- 
loped in  Europe.  As  yet,  the  New  World  has 
broached  no  new  idea — no  idea,  the  origin  of 
which  cannot  be  traced  to  the  spiritual  develop- 
ment of  some  one  or  other  European  nation. 
Many  ideas  of  European  intellect  have,  how- 
ever, been  realized  (and  either  ennobled,  or  dis- 
figured and  degraded)  in  the  New  World,  whose 
political  soil,  less  encumbered  by  the  unfruitful 
stoneheaps  of  ancient  monarchy,  offers  a  cer- 
tain youthful  vigor  of  nature,  for  the  reception 
of  spiritual  seed,  accelerating,  as  it  were,  with 
miraculous  rapidity,  the  blossoming  of  a  trans- 
planted idea. 

The  foundation  of  the  United  States  of  North 
America  (one  of  the  most  exalted  phenomena  in 
the  history  of  mankind)  is  not  the  work  of 
transatlantic  originality,  but  the  consequence 
and  fruit  of  European  intellect,  which,  as  it  were, 
in  its  strivings  for  development,  flew  across  the 
ocean,  to  seek  an  asylum  in  the  New  World  ;  and 
caused  an  explosion  of  strength  there,  which,  in 
a  measure,  scattered  in  air  the  system  of  dominion 
"  by  the  grace  of  God." 

The  awakened  spirit  of  the  age  conquered  the 
sooner  in  the  New  World,  although,  after  a  hard 
struggle ;  while  the  same  spirit,  at  the  same  time, 
broke  its  fetters  in  Europe,  contending  for 
the  cause  of  humanity,  under  less  favorable  cir- 
cumstances, since  it  could  hardly  stir  for  the 
crowns  and  thrones  which  obstructed  its  pro- 
gress. 

The  freedom  of  nations  is  never  developed 
from  external  material  conditions  ;  it  is  no  fruit 
of  materialism,  and  where  it  proceeds  entirely 
from  material  interests,  it  is  not  founded  in  spirit 
and  in  truth,  but  is  a  falsification  of  the  idea, 
the  coinage  of  a  "  constitutional  convention,"  by 
the  prevailing  selfishness  to  promote  its  own 
speculations,  while  the  principle  of  freedom  is 
set  aside. 

Freedom,  as  the  means  of  higher  develop- 
ments, is  of  a  spiritual  nature,  and  is  only  called 
forth  by  the  spiritual  life  and  moral  strength  of  a 
nation.  It  is  developed  as  an  idea,  and  its  vital 
energies  are  distributed  equally  through  the  seve- 
ral classes  of  the  people,  in  like  manner  as  na- 
ture's forces  are  distributed  through  the  roots, 
trunk,  and  branches  of  a  tree,  to  the  outermost 
leaves. 

But  the  distribution  of  the  spiritual,  vital 
energy  of  the  idea  of  freedom,  from  the  depths  of 
inward  life,  (through  which  the  spirit  of  God  is 
manifested  in  the  human  mind,)  is  not  the  work 
of  a  few  springs,  like  the  branches  of  a  tree,  but 
of  more  or  less  extended  periods  of  transition, 
of  the  long  and  desperate  struggle  of  centuries, 
to  overcome  matter. 

The  history  of  South  America  shows  us,  as  it 
were,  the  history  of  the  European  nations  in 
a  •<  milage,"  areflected  image  of  the  reality  across 


DOLORES. 


09 


Hie  ocean  horizon.  The  Spanish  and  Portu- 
guese provinces,  (under  which  title  they  were 
inscribed  as  possessions  in  the  archives  of  the 
kingdoms  of  the  Old  World,)  first  arose  in  the 
consciousness  of  their  sacred  rights,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  world-thrilling  events  of  Europe, 
when  the  sacred  inscription — fraternity,  equal- 
ity— was  stamped  with  blood,  in  the  French  lan- 
guage, upon  the  banner  of  mankind.  They  then 
aroused,  with  that  energy  of  self-consciousness 
which  the  awakened  spirit  brought  with  it,  and 
which  found,  in  the  New  World,  the  same  ele- 
ments to  contend  against,  the  same  rubbish  of 
decaying  systems  to  remove  out  of  the  way,  the 
saine  roots  of  antiquated  prejudices  to  eradicate. 

At  the  epoch  of  this  relation.  South  America 
represented  the  three  difi'erent  conditions  which 
are  revealed  in  the  history  of  mankind  in  all 
parts  of  the  world.  "  Absolute  monarchy,"  the 
arbitrary  rule  of  a  single  individual,  under  the 
hypocritical  banner  of  a  republic,  in  Bnenos 
Ayres  and  Paraguay;  a  "constitutional  monarchy" 
in  Brazil,  with  all  its  contradictions  of  throne- 
sovereignty  and  the  people's  rights,  which  wants 
nothing  but  the  sanction  of  sound  reason,  which 
will  never  justify  the  prerogative  of  birth  before 
the  laws  of  nature.  In  the  other  states,  the 
"  republic,"  organized,  more  or  less,  after  the  pat- 
tern of  the  United  States  of  North  America — 
not,  however,  regarding  freedom  as  the  end — 
but,  (as  for  example,  the  republic  of  La  Banda 
Oriental,  and  in  Rio  Grande,)  striving,  on  the 
basis  of  freedom,  to  promote  the  dissemination 
and  development  of  a  higher  idea,  to  further  the 
progress  of  true  civilization.  As  the  war  of  inde- 
pendence of  the  Spanish  South  American  pro- 
vinces, in  the  commencement  of  our  century, 
was  a  consequence  of  events  in  Kurope,  which 
put  in  doubt  the  right  to  the  throne  "  by  the 
grace  of  God,"  we  there  behold,  in  the  various 
states  and  provinces,  up  to  the  present  time,  the 
direct  and  indirect  operations  of  European  pro- 
gress towards  the  deliverance  of  mankind. 

The  constitutional  monarchy  in  Brazil  was, 
for  yeai's,  up  to  the  period  of  our  relation,  un- 
dermined, as  it  were,  by  this  spirit  of  progress. 

The  "political  cholera"  (as  many  diploma- 
tists are  wont  to  call  this  spirit  of  the  age, 
whose  nature,  like  that  of  the  Asiatic  cholera, 
still  remains  a  riddle ;  concerning  whose  exten- 
sion, whether  contagious,  or  non-contagious,  the 
learned  are  still  engaged  in  discussion)  had  pene- 
trated into  Brazil.  This  "  poisonous  disorder," 
which  causes  the  strength  of  armies  to  waver, 
and  plants  "  a  moth  in  the  ermine  mantle  of  le- 
gitimacy," began  to  spread  in  Brazil,  to  the  ter- 
ror and  dismay  of  the  royalists,  who,  in  all  the 
revolutionary  insurrections  of  Pernambuco,  Rio 
Grande,  Bahia,  Para,  and  later  in  the  Provinces 
of  Minas  Geraes,  and  St,  Paolo,  saw  nothing  but 
the  "  political  cholera,"  flown  over  from  Europe, 
the  dissemination  of  which,  however,  no  quar- 
antine was  able  to  restrain. 

The  province  of  Rio  Grande  has  stood  out, 
for  years  in  open  resistance  to  the  claims  of  the 
Brazilian  monarchy.  The  boundary  connexion 
with  the  Banda  Oriental,  as  well  as  the  rela- 
tionship of  the  population,  through  their  Span- 
ish, Itiilian,  and  Portuguese  extraction  ;  a  lively 
spiritual  intercourse  with  those  countries  of  Eu- 
rope, which  continually  contend  for  the  spirit  of 
freedom  \  the  moral  influence  of  many  families, 


and  isolated  men,  who,  pursued  by  despoh'sm, 
have  sought  an  asylum  in  the  New  World :  all 
these  circumstances  promote  in  Rio  Grande  the 
spiritofprogress,anddevelop  the  idea  of  freedom. 
The  members  of  the  association  of"  La  Giovine 
Italia,"  after  the  treachery  in  Savoy,  were  scat- 
tered throughout  all  parts  of  the  world  to  be- 
come, more  by  chance  than  designedly,  the 
apostles,  as  it  were,  of  a  new  gospel  of  the 
future.* 

Individuals  of  this  association  had  found  an 
asylum  in  Monte  Video  and  Rio  Grande,  where, 
as  in  Spain,  they  had  immediate  occasion  to 
bear  the  sword  for  the  common  cause,  inasmuch 
as  the  same  principle  was  there  contended  for 
in  the  open  field,  on  which  their  association  was 
based.  Fragments  from  Mazzini's  works,  (of  La 
Giovine  Italia,)  whose  tendency  agreed  with  the 
principles  set  forth  in  the"  Fraternization  Act"  of 
Young  Europe,!  vvere  printed  in  large  editions  in 
Rio  de  Janeiro,  at  the  expense  of  a  committee 
of  Rio  Grande,  and  distributed  there  with  zeal. 

On  this  historical  basis,  the  schooner  Mazzini 
was  equipped  by  the  provisionary  government 
of  Rio  Grande,  placed  as  a  privateer  under  the 
command  of  Barigaldi  one  of  the  most  distin- 
guished Italian  refugees,  and  mostly  manned 
by  Italians. 

The  Mazzini  was  what  is  called  a  "  Baltimore, 
schooner,"  of  about  seventy-five  tons,  built  for 
"  a  fast  sailer,"  and  befitting  her  destination,with 
eight  guns  of  various  calibre  and  one  pecu- 
liarly long  cannon,  which  ranged  in  all  winds, 
and  could  be  used  with  good  effect  "  on  particu- 
lar occasions."  Her  hull  and  yards  were  painted 
black,  and  the  sails,  bought  like  the  whole  ves- 
sel at  second,  or  perhaps  at  "  seventh  hand,"  had 
already  become  rather  grey  with  age,  and  were 
here  and  there  spotted  with  a  patch  of  new. 
She  bore  the  before  mentioned  revolutionary 
flag  of  Rio  Grande,  the  Brazilian  green  and  yel- 
low, without  the  device  of  the  solar  system, 
which  the  flag  of  the  empire  displayed. 

Four  oflicers  besides  the  commander,  (two  for 
navigation,  and  two  for  the  armament,)  twenty 
marines,  and  five  sailors,  formed  the  crew  of  this 
flying  privateer,  which  especially  served  to  pre- 
vent the  debarcation  of  the  enemies'  hostile 
troops  on  the  banks  of  the  Rio  Grande,  from 
larger  vessels  of  war,  as  she  drew  little  water, 
and  could  slip  in  where  her  appearance  was  im- 
portant, and  not  very  agreeable  to  the  enemy. 


*  The  author  touches  in  this  relation,  upon  the  secret 
associations  of  Europe  and  South  America,  inasmuch  as 
many  of  their  secrets  have  been  discovered  to  the  gov- 
ernments  of  various  countries,  through  the  diligence  of 
their  well  paid  private  agents. 

Several  documents  which  are  inserted  in,  or  appended 
to  this  work,  have  already,  in  the  meritorious  co-opera- 
tion, for  the  dis.semination  of  the  persecuted  idea,  beea 
made  public  through  the  press,  by  different  govern- 
ments. The  correspondence  of  Mazzini  with  the  au- 
thor, a  course  of  philosophical  letters,  written  in  the 
years  1833^,  were  stolen  out  of  a  trunk  in  London,  in 
'p'ebruary,  1335,  while  he  lingered  in  prison,  in  Ostend 
and  Bruges,  in  Belgium. 

The  author's  correspondence  with  Mazzini,  from  Bra- 
zil, in  the  years  1840— 16-1'2— 1343,  was  subjected  to  the 
well  known  opening  of  Mazzini's  letters,  by  order  .jf 
the  British  government,  which  led  to  the  apprehension 
and  execution  of  so  many  patriots  in  Italy  and  other 
countries.  The  author  maizes  known,  in  this  work, 
what  he  considers  essential  for  the  defence  of  the  sacred 
cause. 

t  See  "  DcUjres,"  page  88. 


100 


DOLORES, 


CHAPTER   V. 


THE   SIGNAL  OF   DISTBESS. 

Variable  winds,  such  as,  for  the  last  two 
days,  had  blown  the  pennant  to  all  points  of  the 
compass,  are  considered  as  an  ill-omen  by  the 
weatherwise  in  this  zone,  because  they  are  the 
forerunners  of  a  south westei !y  storm,  which, 
under  the  title  of  Pampero,  asserts  its  sovereigm- 
ty  as  "  the  might  of  the  strongest,"  over  the 
southern  plains,  and  even  over  the  river. 

Instead  of  a  discharge  of  artillery,  as  the  war- 
like answer  from  the  cutter  to  the  shot  of  the 
Mazzini,  the  significant  thunder  responded  from 
a  scarcely  perceptible  cloud  on  the  horizon,  and 
a  pampero  was  now  rather  to  be  feared. 

After  this  hollow  rumbling  enlr^aete  of  a 
mysterious  orchestra,  the  second  scene  of  the  ma- 
rine drama  upon  the  river  La  Plata  unfolded 
itself.  The  schooner  took  in  a  sail,  to  approach 
the  cutter  more  slowly,  and  to  be  able  to  hold 
discourse  with  her ;  but  no  sign  followed  tliat 
made  known  the  design  or  intention  of  the  com- 
manding officer.  Barigaldi,  the  often  mentioned 
commander  of  the  Mazzini,  stood  upon  his 
limited  quarterdeck,  observing  his  opponent 
with  the  telescope,  who  did  not  even  put  up  a 
signal  of  distress,  as  an  invitation  to  peaceable 
approach. 

"  I  win  wager,"  said  Barigaldi,  to  an  officer 
near  him,  "  the  fellow  has  some  designs  upon 
us ;  he  will  let  us  come  within  musket  shot, 
and  then  take  aim  at  the '  Italian  bandit,'  as  they 
call  me." 

"  What  good  would  that  do  him  ?  our  cannon 
would  soon  answer  him,"  replied  the  other. 
•'  Vou  had  better  send  him  a  dose  from  our  four 
guns,  and  he  will  not  hesitate  much  longer." 

Barigaldi  looked  again  through  his  telescope, 
and  remarked :  "  I  believe  I  distinguish  the 
commanding  officer.  What  do  you  think,  Fi- 
lippo  i"  said  he  to  one  of  the  crew,  "  can  you 
blow  away  that  officer  out  of  the  stem  with  our 
long  tube  ? — that  man  who  stands  up  there,  with 
the  naval  hat,  next  to  the  man  at  the  helm  ?" 

The  man  to  whom  this  question  was  directed 
was  an  old  artillerist  by  profession,  grown  gray 
on  board  a  man-of-war,  with  a  brownish  red 
weatherbwaten  countenance. 

"  As  you  may  command,"  replied  he  with  the 
utmost  sangfroid,  walking  up  to  the  long  tube, 
the  moveable  great  gun  of  the  Mazzini. 

"  Await  my  order,"  said  Barigaldi.  "  1  will 
ask  a  blind  question,  and  if  that  is  not  answered, 
then,  in  God's  name,  self-defence  is  no  murder." 

A  shot  was  now  fired  into  the  air,  and  the 
schooner  laid  "  by  the  wind,"  but  no  signal  yet 
appeared  from  the  cutter. 

"  Can  he  have  resolved  to  be  sunk  V  said  the 
officer  near  Barigaldi,  "  as  he  lies  there — dis- 
masted— with  scarcely  any  anns — threatened  by 
a  pampero,  and,  notwithstanding  all,  evidently 
having  some  design  upon  us  .'" 

"  Every  thing  is  to  be  expected  from  savage 
party  spirit,"  replied  Barigaldi.  "He  appears  to 
honor  us  with  a  plan,  and  risks  himself  and  his 
crew  to  remove  from  the  river  the  famous  Maz- 
zini, or  at  least  the  Italian  bandit  who  com- 
mands her." 

"  That  appears  to  be  his  intention,  indeed," 
affirmed  the  other 


"  Make  ready  the  long  gun  '."  cried  Barigaldi, 
again  putting  the  glass  to  his  eye,  to  contemplatB 
the  mark  once  more  before  the  order  to  fire. 

"  Halloa  !"  cried  he,  "  there  seems  to  be  mu- 
tiny on  board  '."  and  just  then  a  pistol  shot  was 
heard. 

"  The  officer  in  command,  there,  has  shot  a 
man,  or  at  least,  wounded  one,"  continued  he. 
A  musket  shot  followed — and  Barigaldi  appeared 
absorbed  in  contemplation  of  the  scene,  which, 
with  the  glass  at  his  eye,  he  could  observe  tolera- 
bly well. 

Old  Filippo  stood  motionless,  with  his  hands 
on  his  knees,  continually  keeping  his  mark  in 
view,  and  ten  times  already  had  the  schooner's 
movement  "  warranted  the  shot,"  as  he  ex- 
pressed it,  and  yet  the  unexpected  order  wa» 
not  issued. 

"  But  now  I  do  not  see  my  man  any  more," 
said  he,  partly  to  himself,  as  the  mosket  shot 
was  heard. 

"  The  crew  appear  to  have  possessed  them- 
selves of  the  cutter,"  said  Barigaldi,  after  a  long 
pause  ;  "  the  officer,  there,  was  shot,  and  thrown 
overboard,  the  body  of  the  sailor  likewise — a 
man  in  citizen's  dress  is  also  despatched  and 
thrown  overboard — he  may,  perhaps,  have  been 
brought  out  as  supercargo  for  the  Swedish  brig, 
yonder." 

A  pair  of  old  breeches,  fastened  to  a  temporary 
mast  of  the  cutter,  confirmed  the  suspicion  of 
the  mutiny,  this  signal  plainly  indicating  that 
foreign  assistance  was  required. 

"  Thanks,  old  Filippo,  for  your  good  will !" 
said  the  commander  to  the  sharpshooter  at  the 
long  gun. 

"  It  is  a  pity  !  a  great  pity !"  murmured  the 
latter ;  "  I  should  as  surely  have  hit  him  as  could 
be,  for  the  Mazzini  laid  by  the  wind  like  a  sleep- 
ing child  in  the  cradle. 

The  command  to  hoist  sail  and  steer  for  the 
cutter  was  issued  as  soon  as  the  signal  was  per- 
ceived, and  in  a  few  minutes  they  were  so  near 
that  an  interview  could  take  place,  by  means  of 
a  speaking  tnimpet. 

Without  waiting  for  the  schooner  to  hail,  the 
question  was  asked,  from  the  cutter,  "  if  any  one 
on  board  understood  English  ?" 

A  smothered  roll  of  thunder,  from  the  far 
distance,  hindered  the  immediate  reply  to  a  ques- 
tion, that  sounded  comical  enough  to  the  ofi&:er» 
of  the  schooner. 

Instead  of  replying  with  a  simple  '*  Yes,"  Bari- 
galdi inquired,  in  tolerably  good  English  : 
"  What  ship  do  you  belong  to  ?" 
"  1  do  not  belong  to  the  damned  man-of-war 
with  the  Rosas  flag,  nor  to  the  cutter  '."  was  the 
answer. 

Barigaldi  looked  at  his  officers  with  a  smile, 
and  then  ordered  the  sail  to  be  put  up,  that  they 
might  approach  the  cutter  near  enough  to  throw 
a  rope  on  board  of  her,  for  this  singular  intro- 
duction promised  an  intercourse  which  would 
be  difficult  to  carry  on  through  the  trumpet. 

The  cutter  was  now  fastened  by  the  rope,  and 
a  midshipman  was  seen  in  the  stem,  with  his 
hands  tied  behind  his  back,  while  a  herculean 
figure,  in  a  sort  of  temporary  naval  uniform, 
with  an  officer's  sword  at  his  left  side,  and  a 
cocked  hat  upon  his  fiery  red  hair,  still  held 
the  trumpet  in  his  hand  which  he  had  just 
used.    It  was  our  friend.  Fat  Gentleboy,  ad- 


DOLORES. 


101 


VMiced  to  the  command  of  the  cutter,  and  next  to 
him  stood  a  South  American,  with  an  officer's 
sword  at  his  left  side  also.  He  was  boatswain  of 
the  Caza. 

"  Who  are  you  ?"  said  Barigaldi,  now  ob- 
serving, attentively,  the  dismasted  cutter,  with 
the  pantaloon  flag,  and  the  prisoner  of  war. 

"  My  name  is  Patrick  McCaffray,  your  honor. 
Very  respectable  young  ladies  call  me,  generally, 
Pat  Gentleboy,  as  it  is  well  known.  I  am  an 
Irishman  be  birth,  and  American  be  principle. 
I  was  a  passenger  on  board  the  man-of-war  yon- 
der, and  they  sent  us  out  in  the  cutter  to  hail 
the  Swedish  brig  there,  and  bother  her,  till  the 
lazy  ould  thing  could  come  up  with  us.  We 
had  a  spy  on  board — bad  luck  to  him  !  He  came 
out  to  arrest  some  of  the  passengers.  Does  your 
honor  understand  .'  Very  respectable  people,  so 
far  as  I  know,  and  all  for  a  little  matther  of 
poethry.  They  v^re  going  to  take  them,  and 
shoot  them,  or  hang  them,  as  they  do  there  in 
Buenos  Ayres.  And  besides,  your  honor,  I 
heard  them  say  that  a  price  was  set  upon  some- 
body's head  on  board  of  the  Swedish  brig  there ; 
the  raal  living  head ;  whether  iv  a  gintleman  or 
lady,  the  divil  take  me  if  I  know  :  but  the  spy 
that  we  had  on  board,  wanted  to  make  me  spy 
under  him.  I  was  stupid,  your  honor  under- 
stands— stupid  as  the  ground.  I  knew  more  than 
I  choose  to  answer ;  but  my  friend,  the  guitar 
player,  that  was  pressed  as  a  passenger  at  the 
same  time  wid  me,  knows  more  than  1. 

"  As  to  our  cutter,  I  must  take  leave  to  tell 
your  honor,  that  our  officer  did  invent  devilish 
means,  to  disable  the  Swedish  brig,  till  the 
ould  Cazey — split  her  timbers  ! — could  come 
alongside.  He  had  a  powder  barrel  and  rockets 
on  board,  to  shoot  out  of  a  musket ;  now,  wasn't 
that  the  divil's  invintion,  your  honor  .'  If  the 
brig  hadn't  consinted  to  take  as  on  board,  and  to 
keep  quiet,  we  must  then  fall  astarn  of  her, 
where  she  couldn't  hinder  us,  your  honor,  with- 
out lowering  one  of  her  boats ;  thin  we  were  to 
drive  this  wooden  wedge  between  her  rudder  and 
keel,  so  that  she  couldn't  turn;  and  thin,  your 
honor,  heard  you  iver  the  like !  we  were  to  fix 
the  powdther  barrel,  just  under  the  starn,  and 
fire  six  rockets  into  the  powdther  cask  ;  and 
thin,  your  honor  sees,  the  starn  would  be 
smashed,  any  way,  and  a  part  of  the  cabin 
blown  up.  Well,  your  honor  !  we  came  up  wid 
the  brig,  and  it  seemed  as  if  she  would  take  us 
on  board  without  any  fuss  at  all,  at  all  ;  so  all 
went  on  mighty  well.  But  see,  your  honor  1  who- 
iver  the  gintleman  is  that  commands  the  Swedish 
brig,  his  head  is  in  the  right  place,  I  can  tell 
you,  and  his  heart,  too ;  and  that  I  would  testify 
to  in  writing,  only  I  don't  know  how.  But  I  am 
tiring  your  honor's  patience,  and  that  I'd  be  loth 
to  do,  intirely.  So,  to  make  a  long  story  short, 
we  lost  our  masts,  and  lay  like  an  empty  biscuit 
cask,  with  rats  for  passengers,  until  your  honor 
was  coming  up  with  us ;  and  thin  our  command- 
ing officer  wanted  to  try  the  powdther  plan  upon 
your  honor ;  but  he  wanted  a  rope  from  you  first, 
to  come  alongside.  Eight  men  were  to  return  your 
fire,  in  case  you  fired  on  us  first,  and  these  four 
were  to  fasten  the  powdther  cask  to  the  starn, 
and  thin  the  ould  Cazey  would  have  overhauled 
you  ;  shocking  enough  '  to  perish  the  Danes  !' 

"  And  so  that's  the  whole,  your  honor ;  and  the 
one  that  made  the  plan  lies  down  below  there, 


and  the  spy,  besides ;  and  here  is  his  pocket 
book,  full  of  papers,  that  we  took  out  of  the  ras- 
cal's pocket,  before  we  gave  him  salt  water  to 
drink.  That  one  there,  is  a  midshipman  from 
the  Rosas  man-of-war,  that  we  believe  to  be  bet- 
ter than  the  others.  I  tell  your  honor,  plainly, 
none  of  my  comrades  here  were  willing  to  sarve 
the  spy,  to  bring  worthy  people  to  the  gallows ; 
and  here  is  a  man  that  understands  English  as 

well  as  1  do  ;  his  name  is what  is  your  name, 

now  .■"'  he  asked  a  Frenchman,  from  the  Isle  of 
Jersey,  who  had,  likewise,  been  compelled,  on 
some  fine  morning,  to  act  the  "  volunteer  against 
his  will." 

Barigaldi  heard  this  long  story  with  all  the 
patience  of  a  seaman  in  a  calm,  but  not  without 
interest,  and  now  examined  the  Frenchman  from 
Jersey,  who  spoke  tolerably  good  Spanish,  and, 
thereafter,  became  Patrick's  interpreter. 

"  The  officer,"  answered  Mr.  Toby,  from  Jer- 
sey, to  a  question  of  Barigaldi's — "  the  officer, 
whose  name  was  Senor  Codo,  ordered  us  to  fasten 
the  powder  cask  to  your  stern,  and  selected  four 
people  for  that  purpose,  upon  whom  he  espe- 
cially relied.  When  we  knew  all,  we  under- 
stood each  other,  without  speaking  a  word  ;  we 
only  looked  at  each  other,  and  the  matter  was 
settled.  We  loaded  all  our  guns,  six  or  eight, 
from  which  the  rockets  were  to  be  fired.  The 
officer  now  ordered  us  to  raise  a  signal  of  distress, 
to  have  you  throw  us  a  rope.  The  man  who 
was  to  put  up  the  signal,  refused,  and  the  officer 
shot  him ;  at  the  same  moment,  the  Irishman 
levelled  at  the  officer,  and — there  he  lay.  The 
midshipman  made  no  attempt  to  avenge  him ; 
and  the  spy  had  already  received  his  sentence 
when  we  came  on  board,  and  we  have  con- 
scientiously fulfilled  it." 

"  Have  you  room  for  all  of  us  on  board,  Mr. 
Commander .'"  inquired  Patrick  McCailray, 
alias  Gentleboy ;  "  we  surrender  ourselves  to 
you  at  discretion  or  indiscretion,  whichiver  your 
honor  plases." 

"  There  is  room  enough  for  you  all,"  replied 
Barigaldi.  "  Fasten  the  cutter  in  tow,  and  come 
on  board  quickly.  For  the  present,  we  thank 
you  for  your  noble  refusal  to  deliver  us  over  to 
the  man-of-war,  which  would  have  been  possi- 
ble by  such  a  method.  You  have  behaved  like 
brave  sailors,  and  as  such  you  will  be  treated  by 
us,  I  pledge  myself  to  send  you  free  to  Monte 
Video,  but  I  am  going  first  to  Rio  Grande." 

"  All  right,  captain,  I  thank  you  for  us  all," 
cried  Patrick.  Did  your  honor  say  it  was  to  Rio 
Grande,  you  was  going  :  Och,  then,  it  is  a  pity 
it  is  not  to  Rio  Negro,  for  it  is  there  I'd  wish  to 
go ;  my  brother  Tom  is  there,  a  carpenter  by 
profession,  your  honor." 

"You  will  easily  find  a  passage  out  there 
from  Monte  Video,"  returned  Barigaldi,  who 
could  hardly  restrain  from  laughter ;  t+ien  casting 
a  glance  at  the  Nordstjernan,  and  at  the  distant 
thunder  cloud,  he  stepped  down  into  his  confined 
cabin,  to  examine  the  pocket-book  of  Perezoso, 
which  the  honorable  commander  of  the  cutter, 
Pat  Gentleboy,  had  handed  to  him. 

The  disarmed  midshipman  of  the  Caza  was 
obliged  to  have  his  hands  untied,  that  he  might 
use  them  in  getting  on  board  the  schooner.  Whea 
he  stepped  on  the  deck  he  mentioned  his  name, 
and  resigned  himself  to  his  fate  as  a  prisoner  of 
war.     The  crew  was  now  on  board,  and  with 


102 


DOLORES. 


them  all  their  arms  and  ammunition.  Barigaldi 
stepped  hastily  out  of  his  cabin,  and  commanded 
the  vessel's  course  to  be  directed  to  the  Swedish 
brig. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE    TWO    EUROPEANS. 

The  distance  of  about  two  English  miles,  at 
which  the  Nordstjernan  had  awaited  the  surren- 
der of  the  cutter,  was  soon  passed  over.  The 
Mazzini  was  laid  by  the  wind,  and  the  cutter, 
in  tow,  was  hastily  used  as  a  shallop,  with 
which  to  come  on  board  of  the  brig. 

The  notorious  "  Italian  bandit "  was  of  the 
same  age  with  Hinango,  and  resembled  him  in 
form  and  figure,  while  he  also  would  have  been 
readily  recognised  as  belonging  to  the  hii;her 
classes  of  the  social  world,  let  him  appear  in 
whatever  dress  he  might. 

The  lengthened  form  of  his  face,  his  pale 
complexion,  sharply  defined  and  somewhat 
curved  nose,  well  formed  lips,  and  deep  set, 
dark  eyes,  with  an  expressive  glance,  black 
hair,  and  the  peculiarly  sonorous  sound  of  a 
clear  breast  voice,  all  marked  him  as  an  Italian. 
He  was  dressed  in  a  simple,  dark  blue  uni- 
form, armed  with  sword  and  pistols,  and  wear- 
ing on  his  head  a  marine  hat,  in  the  form  of  a 
shallop,  (a  wind  splitter,  as  Patrick  Gentleboy 
called  it,)  which  displayed  the  same  green,  red, 
and  white  cockade,  that  he  had  worn  in  Savoy. 
Hinango  and  Captain  Finngreen  awaited  him 
at  the  gangway,  ibr  the  usual  welcome.  He 
stepped  upon  deck,  and  the  three  seaman  looked 
earnestly  at  each  other,  and  pressed  each  others 
hands.  Ormur  presented  his  countryman,  Capt. 
Finngreen,  to  the  commander  of  the  JVIazzini,  as 
captain  of  the  Nordstjernan. 

"  Ormur !"  said  Barigaldi,  and  pre.ssed  him  to 
his  breast,  while  the  eyes  of  both  appeared  to 
become  moist,  and  their  lips  to  quiver  with 
the  emotions  that  pervaded  their  manly  hearts. 
The  thunder,  which  was  heard  from  time  to 
time,  between  long  intervals,  gradually  stj-ength- 
ened  its  voice,  and  again  reminded  them  of  an 
approaching  southwest  storm. 

"  Welcome  to  me,  old  friend  !"  at  length  ex- 
claimed Ormur,  "  we  have  much  to  say  to  each 
other." 

"  We  must  be  brief,"  returned  the  other, 
"  our  minutes  are  numbered  ;  a  pampero  is  on 
its  way,  and  we  must  go  to  sea  with  reefed  top- 
sails. I  will  keep  you  company  to  the  latitude 
of  Rio  Grande.  What  news  do  you  bring  from 
our  friends  in  Europe .'  But  first,  above  all,  ^hat 
do  you  bring  from  Buenos  Ayres  ?  What  pas- 
sengers— what  fugitives  or  exiles  have  you  on 
board .'" 

Ormur  hastily  led  his  associate  to  the  quarter- 
deck— to  Dolores,  Horatio,  and  Alvarez,  and 
a  scene  of  surprise,  and  a  soul-felt  greeting  en- 
sued, which  shook  the  hearts  of  the  bearded 
men,  though  long  hardened  in  the  storms  of  life 
and  of  the  ocean. 

The  universal  interest  which  the  songs  of  the 
poetess  had  excited,  especially  in  Monte  Video 


and  in  Rio  Grande,  must  naturally  extend  itself 
to  her  person,  and  increase  with  the  danger  to 
which  they  made  her  liable.  On  tlie  other  hand, 
Barigaldi  was  an  equally  interesting  personage 
to  the  associates  on  the  southern  banks  of  the 
La  Plata,  since  he  represented,  as  it  were,  the 
spirit  of  a  European  association,  whose  strength 
and  resources,  considered  from  so  great  a  dis- 
tance, appeared  the  greater,  the  more  he  proved 
their  principles  by  his  daring  heroism. 

**  The  spy  who  was  sent  after  you,  to  appre- 
hend you,"  began  Barigaldi,  when -the  saluta 
tions  were  over,  "  is  no  longer  able  to  molest 
you.  The  true  sailor  hearts  of  these  people 
from  the  man-of-war  were  aroused  against  a 
treachery  which  would  have  destroyed  us  all. 
I  will  leave  a  man  on  board  with  you,  who  can 
relate  to  you,  circumstantially,  what  danger  we 
have  escaped.  So  much  for  the  moment ;  I 
have  the  pocket  book  of  the  spy  in  my  posses- 
sion, and  perceive,  by  some  %f  the  papers,  that 
the  Benedictine  monk.  Celeste,  is  involved  in 
your  afl'airs,  is  exposed  to  the  like  danger,  and 
has  fled.  They  suspect  him  to  be  on  board  ot 
this  vessel.     Is  he  here  ?" 

"  Celeste  !"  exclaimed  Dolores,  involuntarily 
folding  her  hands ;  "  then  he  has  escaped  !  Al- 
mighty God  protect  his  flight !  be  with  him  as 
thou  art  with  us  !" 

"  He  is  not  on  board,  then  .'  that  is  well,  for 
then,  at  least,  they  do  not  suspect  where  he  has 
gone — they  have  no  trace  of  him  in  and  around 
Buenos  Ayres.  Fate,  also,  appears  to  favor 
him." 

"  iVIay  God  grant  it !"  sighed  Dolores  again. 
"  Has  he  any  one  of  our  friends  as  his  confi- 
dant .'"  inquired  Barigaldi,  hastily,  as  before. 

"  Joseph  Testa  is  in  communication  with 
him,"  replied  Ormur. 

"  Joseph  Testa,  from  Rio  Negro  ?" 
"  The  same  ;  he  was  in  Buenos  Ayres,  and 
assisted  our  embarcation,"  continued  Ormur. 

"  Well !  then.  Brother  Celeste  is  in  good 
hands :  with  God's  permission,  we  shall  hear 
from  him  in  good  time.  An  Englishman,  Mr. 
Walker,  is  called  to  account  for  your  flight,  Se- 
iiora ;  you  have  staid  in  his  house,"  continued 
Barigaldi. 

"  And  what  course  did  he  take  to  clear  hitn- 
self .'"  inquired  Dolores,  with  anxiety. 

"  So  far  as  I  learn  by  the  spy's  papers,  he  seems 
to  be  a  clever  old  fellow.  He  affirmed  that  he 
knew  nothing  at  all  of  your  political  position, 
and  complained  of  his  son  for  having  probably 
carried  you  away,  since  the  police,  to  his  great 
terror,  as  he  affirmed,  had  found  his  daughter 
remaining  in  Buenos  Ayres,  who  was  to  have 
gone  with  his  son  to  Rio  de  Janeiro,  but  instead 
of  her,  he  supposed  his  son  had  probably  taken 
you  with  him.  He  described  the  whole  affair  as 
a  love  adventure,  and  the  police  are  not  yet  wholly 
satisfied  as  to  the  authorship.  Only  the  spy, 
Perezoso,  as  he  was  called,  appeared  to  know 
your  true  position,  but  as  yet  he  had  confided  it 
to  no  one." 

The  ingenious  turn  given  by  old  Mr.  Walker, 
to  mask  the  sudden  departure  of  Dolores,  and 
to  divert  the  suspicion  from  himself,  of  having 
favored  her  flight,  was  too  comical  not  to  excite 
a  hearty  laugh,  in  spite  of  the  seriousness  of  the 
occasion. 
"  That  looks  like  old  Mr.  Walker,"  observed 


DOLORES 


103 


Hsratio.  "  T  can  picture  to  myself  exactly  how 
he  played  his  part  before  the  police  ;  and  in  fact 
there  was  no  other  way  for  him  to  extricate 
himself  from  this  scrape  into  which  his  sympa- 
thy for  us  had  ledhim." 

"  There  was  no  other  way,"  said  Dolores  ;  **  but 
I  am  convinced  that  he  is  able  to  lead  the  po- 
lice astray,  and  that  many  of  them  really  believe 
him.     But  what  has  become  of  Perezoso  ?" 

"  The  people  of  the  cutter,  here,  threw  him 
overboard,"  answered  the  Italian. 

"  My  God  !"  cried  Dolores,  "  drowned  ?" 

**  Drowned  !  like  a  cat,"  continued  Barigaldi, 
"  after  having  been  shown  to  be  the  originator 
tif  this  expedition  for  our  overthrow.  He  has 
found  his  reward  as  a  police  spy  in  the  waves." 

Dolores  appeared  absorved  in  painful  contem- 
plations upon  the  death  of  the  man,  who,  not- 
withstanding, had  openly  sold  her  life  for  gold. 

Barigaldi  continued  :  "  Approve  my  counsel 
Senora :  remain  quietly  for  the  present  in  Rio 
de  Janeiro,  or  the  neighborhood.  Perhaps  we 
may  hereafter  offer  you  a  more  secure  asylum  in 
Rio  Grande  ;  that  is  my  desire.  In  either  case, 
you  shall  soon  hear  from  me.  Ormur  %vill,  I 
hope,  soon  take  a  privateer,  like  mine,  and  come 
to  us  ;  but  without  protection  on  aur  part,  you 
cannot  remain  in  Brazil." 

"  These  two  friends,"  replied  Dolores,  pointing 
to  Horatio  and  Alvarez,"  will,  1  hope,  remain  in 
my  neighborhood,  and  my  old  servant,  the  negro 
there,  will  not  leave  me  ;  our  enemies  can  only 
succeed  by  the  most  deeply^lanned  and  well  exe- 
cuted measures,  if  at  all,  in  isolating  and  cap- 
turing me." 

"  It  is  probable,  notwithstanding  the  fate  that 
has  so  speedily  overtaken  the  betrayer,  that  your 
authorship  and  whereabouts  may  be  discovered, 
and  vengeance  become  more  envenomed  in  pro- 
portion to  its  difficulty.  Pardon  me,  if  I  repeat 
what  you  may  consider  a  superfluous  warning  ; 
"  omit  no  precaution." 

"  My  situation  will  be  the  more  critical,  be- 
cause the  customs  and  prejudices  in  regard  to  my 
sex  oblige  me  to  live  with  some  family,  who 
may  be  more  or  less  indifferent  to  my  fate." 

"  I  feel  that  it  is  so,"  interrupted  Hinango ; 
"  another  case,  that  may  well  lead  us  to  serious 
contemplation  of  the  social  position  of  the  fe- 
male sex,  which  we  will  discuss  at  some  future 
time." 

The  thunder  storm,  whose  lightnings  were 
hardly  visible  in  the  far  distant  sky,  reminded 
the  commander  of  the  Mazzini  of  the  pressing 
need  of  haste ;  he  handed  some  papers  to  Hi- 
nango, saying :  "  We  have  mutual  reports  to  make 
to  each  other  upon  the  progress  and  present  cir- 
cumstances of  our  spiritual  association,  and  upon 
South  America  ;  foreseeing  the  chance  that  we 
might  speak  to  each  other  for  a  moment,  1  have 
arranged  some  extracts  and  several  letters  for  you 
to  deliver  to  our  friends  in  Europe. 

I  beg  you,  in  case  our  voyage  admits  of  it,  to 
write  down  what  you  have  to  communicate  to 
me  from  Europe,  before  we  separate  in  the  lati- 
tude of  Rio  Grande." 

"  I  have  already,  like  yourself,  availed  myself 
of  some  leisure  hours  here  on  board,"  replied 
Hinango,  "  to  draw  up  my  report  for  you,  and  I 
will  hand  it  to  you.  I  would  remark,  however, 
that  my  statement  of  the  circumstances  of  Eu- 
rope, in  respect  to  the  extension  of  our  associa- 


tion, can  only  serve  as  a  hasty  sketch,  since  the 
subject  is  too  comprehensive,  and  I  am  not  in 
the  state  of  mind  which  is  absolutely  necessary 
for  such  a  labor.     I  will  get  the  leaves  for  you." 

He  hurried  down  into  the  cabin — Dolores  fol- 
lowed him  with  her  eyes,  and  Barigaldi  said,  ia 
a  subdued  voice : 

"  A  singular  man,  our  friend  Ormur,  one  of 
the  most  singular  I  have  ever  met  with  ;  the 
most  reckless  devotion  to  the  cause  of  the  peo^ 
pie,  with  renunciation  of  all  thought  of  acknow- 
ledgement, and  even  despairing  of  the  result  in 
our  generation.  A  man  whose  path  from  child- 
hood has  been  in  one  direction,  and  whose  spirit 
has  taken  a  flight  in  which  ordinary  men  cannot 
accompany  him.  He  is,  with  all  his  failings, 
defects,  and  weaknesses,  one  of  the  most  disin- 
terested men  I  know,  but  also  one  of  the  most 
unhappy.  Can  you  conceive  of  the  greatest  har- 
mony and  consistency  in  word  and  deed,  a  spir- 
itual and  moral  unity,  founded  upon  unshaken 
conviction,  elevated  by  religious  faith,  united 
with  the  most  deeply  lacerated  heart,  with  re- 
nunciation of  all  expectations  in  life,  with  hope- 
lessness of  a  single  hour  of  joy — a  gloomy  dis- 
consolateness  which  endures  life,  and  longs  for 
the  grave .'" 

Dolores  heard  this  description  of  her  pro- 
tector, with  profound  emotion,  and  replied,  m  as 
low  a  tone : 

"  Until  now,  I  have  neither  sought,  nor  acci- 
dentally found  the  opportunity  to  touch  the 
chords  of  his  inward  life,  to  awaken  sounds  which 
might  indicate  such  a  state  of  mind  as  you  de- 
scribe. But  I  suspected,  in  a  manner  unaccount- 
able to  myself,  a  similar  state  of  mind  in  our 
friend,  and  I  can  conceive  it  of  him.  1  can  com- 
bine the  unconditional  consequence  of  individual 
suffering  with  renunciation  and  devotion  to  the 
cause  of  the  people.  Only  an  egotist  fastens 
himself  on  this  earthly  existence,  because  he 
believes  in  no  higher." 

"  Figure  to  yourself,"  said  the'  Italian,  "  a  man 
who  stands  isolated  in  the  midst  of  the  social 
world ;  as  far  removed  from  them,  as  he  is,  here 
on  board,  remote  from  the  firm  land ;  a  soul,  with 
the  deepest  susceptibilities  for  love  and  friend- 
ship, whom,  however,  no  woman  did  understand, 
nor  love  ;  and  who,  proscribed  by  our  political 
enemies,  even  often  misapprehended  by  our  asso- 
ciates, is  frequently  injured  by  our  friends." 

"  No  woman,  you  say,  did  understand  him, 
and  has  ever  made  him  happy  with  her  love  ? 
How  is  that  possible,  since  he  appears  to  possess 
many  of  the  qualities  with  which  a  man  should 
inspire  aft'ection  ?" 

"  Exalted  mind,  noble  sentiment,  and  the 
firmness  of  a  manly  character,  seem  not  to  be 
always  appreciated  by  woman  ;  on  the  contrary, 
I  suspect  that  the  heart  of  our  friend  has  been 
wounded  and  poisoned  by  a  woman,  in  spite  of 
his  mind,  sentiment,  and  character.  There  is  a 
secret  in  his  soul,  which,  besides  God,  one  being 
has  ever  known.  Whether  this  being  yet  lives, 
we,  who  know  him  as  a  friend,  are  ignorant. 
You  will  know  him  better  during  your  voyage, 
and  before  he  leaves  Rio  de  Janeiro ;  but  ths 
gloomy  veil  which  envelopes  his  mind,  will 
hardly  be  rent  to  your  view.  Touch  the  veil, 
and  you  will  beluild  in  him  a  convul.sive  ebulli- 
tion; the  furies  will  be  awakened  in  him  He 
is  an  Orestes  towards  a  Pylades,  but  an  Orestes, 


104 


DOLORES 


also,  pursued  by  Eumenides — only  with  the  dif- 
ference that  he  has  found  no  '  sister,'  whose  de- 
liverance from  the  bonds  of  tyranny  may 
reconcile  him  with  an  offended  God.  It  seems 
as  if  his  peace  of  mind  were  gone — as  if  the 
sanctuary  of  his  inward  life  had  been  disturbed 
by  some  '  Vandalism.' " 

Hinango  here  returned  on  deck,  and  delivered 
the  papers  to  his  associate,  saying,  with  a  smile  ; 
"  We  must,  then,  separate,  to  remain  near  each 
other,  if  you  are  willing  to  '  make  little  sail  in  a 
good  wind,'  that  we  may  be  able  to  follow  you." 

"  I  will  endeavor  to  remain  near  you,  that  I 
may  be  at  hand  in  case  of  need,"  replied  the 
other.  "  The  man-of-war  cannot  overtake  us, 
if  the  storm  should  even  drive  her  after  us.  We 
nave  passed  the  English  Bank.  Follow  after 
me ;  I  will  be  your  pilot,  even  thougli  you  no 
longer  require  me.  Farewell!  It  is  to  be  hoped 
that  we  shall  escape  the  Pampero  as  luckily  as 
we  have  the  sbirri  of  Rosas,  and  find  a  fine  day, 
in  the  latitude  of  Rio  Grande,  to  take  leave,  until 
we  meet  again  in  Rio  Grande  itself."  Afler 
some  heartfelt  words  from  all,  he  was  hurrying, 
with  all  speed,  from  the  quarterdeck,  as  Capt. 
Finngreen  stepped  up  to  him,  and,  after  the 
sacred  custom  of  Northern  hospitality,  refused 
to  allow  him  to  depart  until  he  had  emptied  a 
glass  of  wine  to  "  mutual  prosperity  and  suc- 
cess, a  good  wind,  and  hopes  of  a  better  future 
to  all  the  oppressed  nations  upon  earth." 

Barigaldi  already  stood  with  one  foot  upon  the 
gangway  steps,  and  then  turned  to  the  two 
captains  of  the  Nordstjernan,  with  a  look  at  the 
cutter,  and  exclaimed  :  "  Apropos  !  what  shall 
we  do  with  the  cutter  .'  She  is  a  good  prize, 
and  1  would  take  her  after  me,  in  tow,  if  some 
one  else  could  not  make  better  use  of  her." 

He  now  turned  to  Patrick  Gentleboy,  who 
Bat  in  the  stern  of  the  cutter,  with  a  bottle  from 
the  stores  of  the  Nordstjernan. 

"  Son  of  the  ever  green  Erin  !"  cried  Barigaldi 
to  him,  "  I  give  the  cutter  to  you,  for  you 
honestly  deserve  it.  Come  on  board  of  the 
Nordstjernan,  and  go  with  it  to  the  latitude  of 
Rio  Grande.  The  cutter  will  find  room  here  by 
the  longboat,  in  case  the  Pampero  becomes  too 
strong,  and  threatens  to  break  the  tow  line. 
Shall  it  not  be  so,  captain  ?  You  will  take  them 
up — the  man  and  the  cutter  .'" 

"  With  pleasure,"  said  Capt.  Finngreen  ;  "  I 
will  send  a  couple  of  men  down  to  bring  the 
cutter  to  us  again." 

"  Besides,  I  desire,"  said  Barigaldi  to  Patrick, 
"  that  you  should,  circumstantially,  relate  to  the 
captain,  and  some  of  the  passengers,  how  you 
came  to  be  with  us.  You  will  find  time  enough 
for  that  at  sea." 

"  All  right,  your  honor !"  cried  Patrick  ;  "  and, 
faith  !  I've  enough  to  tell."  Then  putting  the 
l)ottle  to  his  lips,  he  exclaimed  :  "  Health,  and 
long  life,  and  good  luck,  to  your  honor  !  and  sure 
I'm  mucii  obliged  to  ye  ;  and  I'll  tadce  this  hat, 
and  sword,  too,  by  your  honor's  lave,  and  thin 
I'll  be  a  navy  officer,  with  hat  and  sword,  and  a 
'  private  privateer,'  owner  of  my  own  vessel. 
Glorious  that  I  is't  not .'  If  only  the  folks  in  ould 
Ireland  could  know  of  it !" 

"  We  thank  you  ;  you  have  brought  us  all 
out  of  danger  by  your  presence  of  mind  ;  per- 
haps a  career,  as  a  seaman,  will  soon  be  opened 
to  you     If  I  equip  a  privateer,  you  shall  be  my 


first  boatswain,  if  you  desire  it,"  said  HinangO 

to  him. 

"  Thank  your  honor  kindly,  and  heaven  bless 
you  all,  gentlemen  ;  but,  for  the  present,  I  am 
captain  of  the  cutter,  and  passenger  on  board 
the  brig  here,  by  your  lave." 

Some  sailors  of  the  Nordstjernan  followed  the 
commander  of  the  Mazzini  down  into  the  cut- 
ter, which  quickly  passed  to  the  schooner,  and. 
then  returned.  The  cutter,  and  her  lavyful 
commander,  Mr.  Patrick  GentJeboy,  soon  found 
themselves  on  board  of  the  Swedish  brig,  which 
hoisted  sail  and  resumed  her  courae. 

The  waters  at  the  mouth  of  the  La  Plata  had 
assumed  a  loamy  yellowish  color,  and  here  and 
there  the  foam  curled  over  a  tolerably  high 
wave.  The  cloud  bank  in  the  southwest  had 
extended  itself  to  a  gray  dusky  veil,  which 
nearly  covered  the  entire  horizon.  The  sea- 
birds  soared  in  hurried  flight  around  the  sails 
and  yards  of  both  vessels,  through  whose  rig- 
ging the  outbreaking  storm  piped  and  howled, 
as  through  the  sides  of  an  .£oIian  harp. 

The  Mazzini  was  under  sail,  and  gave  the 
farewell  salute  w^ith  a  full  round.  Capt. 
Finngreen  replied  with  his  four  cannon,  which, 
loaded  in  such  eventful  hours,  could  scarcely 
have  been  fired  under  more  fortunate  circum- 
stances. 

The  man-of-war.  La  Caza,  appeared  in  the 
far  distance,  seeking  her  cutter  and  the  Swedish 
brig,  on  whose  mast  commander  Tumble  ex- 
pected to  see  the  Rosts'  flag,  which  Seiior  Codo 
had  carried  with  him  for  this  purpose.  What 
reflections  occurred  to  him  when  he  beheld  the 
Nordstjernan  under  sail,  and  could  see  nothing 
of  his  cutter,  and  what  curses  he  sent  out  into 
the  roaring  pampero,  which,  by  degrees,  carried 
away  from  him  the  object  of  his  pursuit,  we 
leave  unmentioned. 


'•ff^444-t-^^'4 


CHAPTER   VII. 


1  HE  Nordstjernan  followed  the  Mazzini  at  a 
short  distance,  and  carried  as  much  sail  as  the 
constantly  increasing  storm  would  permit,  to 
keep  in  .light  of  her  leader,  which,  as  Mr. 
Walker  had  said,  was  tossed  about  like  a  "  nut- 
shell," indeed,  from  one  Ibaming  wave  to  another. 

Many  of  the  passengers  on  board  the  Nord- 
stjernan, did  not  feel  very  comfortable  at  being 
carried  to  sea  in  such  weather,  and  Dr.  Merbold 
asked  the  captain  "  why  he  did  not  cast  anchor 
until  the  storm  was  over."  The  wind  was  in 
itself  favorable,  and  a  seaman  would  not  have 
wished  for  a  "  better  opportunity  "  to  pass  the 
sand  banks  at  the  mouth  of  the  river. 

Dolores  and  her  companions  looked  back  upon 
the  last  few  hours  with  excited  feelings;  their 
souls  were  like  the  ocean,  which,  after  having 
been  tossed  about  by  the  tempest,  does  not  find 
rest  when  the  storm  ceases,  and  the  sun  breaks 
forth,  but  continues  to  raise  on  high  its  foam 
crested  waves. 

The  past  danger  lay  behind  her  like  a  gloomy 
dream,  in  which  were  seen  many  figures  of 


DOLORES, 


105 


corpses,  and  which  had  threatened  her  with  the 
grave.  The  storm  that  now  lay  around  her, 
gave  her  no  alarm.  Persons  who  are  penetrated 
by  an  exalted  idea,  who  devote  their  lives  to 
some  inward  conviction,  know  no  fear  of  death, 
no  anxiety  from  surrounding  danger.  The  con- 
sciousness of  their  free  sacrifice  is  inwoven  with 
a  firm  confidence  in  divine  power,  the  source 
from  which  proceeds  the  light  whose  rays  illu- 
minate their  souls.  In  such  cases  their  faith 
urges  upon  fatalism,  insomuch  as  they  feel  that 
the  mission  upon  %vhich  they  are  sent,  is  not  yet 
fulfilled  on  earth,  and  that  the  mysterious  power 
which  men  call  "  providence,"  or  "  fate,"  con- 
ducts them,  through  storms  and  dangers,  to  their 
goal,  to  the  completion  of  their  mission. 

Hinango,  whose  mind  was  occupied  with  his 
next  destination,  his  personal  coperation  in  the 
struggle  of  the  Brazilians  for  the  establishment 
of  their  freedom,  sought  a  moment  of  leisure  to 
look  over  the  papers  which  Barigaldi  had  handed 
to  him,  and  read  hastily  and  cursorily  the  follow- 
ing— 

FRAGMENT   ON   BRAZII,. 

Communication  of  a  Brazilian,  183S. 

So  far  as  I  am  acquainted  with  the  repre- 
sentations of  the  political  circumstances  of  Bra- 
zil in  European  pages,  they  give,  for  the  most 
part,  an  obscure  and  confused  view  of  the  real 
state  of  affairs.  Nearly  all  the  statements  flow 
from  foreign  pens,  and  arise  at  the  instance  of 
some  embassy  or  other,  or  at  least  proceed  from 
persons  who  are  dependant  upon  some  Euro- 
pean court,  and  most  of  whom  travel  at  the 
expense  of  royalty,  and,  of  course,  endeavor  to 
represent  the  monarchial  principle,  although, 
notwithstanding  this,  they  do  not  deny  the  pro- 
gress and  development  of  the  republican  spirit 
in  Brazil.  The  conclusions  of  such  articles  in 
newspapers  and  reviews,  are  of  a  very  peculiar 
character.  They  deplore  the  disturbed  state  of 
our  country,  and  prophesy  the  downfall  of  the 
state,  by  bankruptcy  of  the  finances,  or  revolu- 
tion, "  if  the  European  powers  do  not  finally 
take  the  thing  in  hand,  and  restore  peace  and 
order  amongst  us." 

The  Brazilians  may  well  smile,  when  they 
read,  or  hear  such  phrases,  which  have  been 
worn  threadbare  for  the  last  twenty  years, 
while,  since  the  first  republican  insurrection  in 
Pernambuco  in  1817,  we  have  often  given  the 
European  powers  sufficient  opportunity  to 
gather  the  bloody  experience,  that,  up  to  the 
present  time,  it  has  not  been  an  easy  matter  to 
establish  among  us  what  they  term  "  peace  and 
order,"  by  means  of  foreign  bayonets.  This 
"  most  Christian,"  magnanimous,  and  diplomati- 
cally heroic  co-operation  of  the  European  pow- 
ers, for  the  maintenance  of  despotism  in  Brazil, 
has,  unfortunately  for  them,  thus  far,  failed  in  its 
object,  since  it  has  called  forth  the  might  of 
our  people  by  an  uninterrupted  struggle,  and 
strengthened  them  by  means  of  internal  excite- 
ment. 

In  those  "  standing  phrases"  upon  the  future 
prospects  of  Brazil,  through  the  influence  and 
intervention  of  European  powers,  lies  one  of 
the  diplomatic  contradictions  by  which  these 
people  sometimes  compromise  themselves. 

If  Brazil  as  a  monarchy  approaches  bank- 
U 


ruptcy,  will  the  European  powers  generously 
pay  our  state  debt  ?  or  will  they,  like  England, 
(with  equally  magnanimous  Great  Britannical 
stipulations,)  increase  our  public  debt,  by  means 
of  a  loan,  and  thus  still  more  derange  our  finan- 
cial relations,  thereby  hastening  the  prophesied 
downfall  of  the  state,  and  bringing  about  the 
fulfilment  of  the  prophecy,  instead  of  retarding  it? 

Will  the  European  powers  anticipate  the 
downfall  of  the  Brazilian  monarchy,  through 
revolution,  by  the  intervention  of  their  armed 
troops  ?  Supposing  that  the  revolutionary  spirit 
in  their  own  countries  should  permit  them  to 
despatch  entire  armies  across  the  ocean,  at  whose 
cost  is  this  to  be  accomplished  ?  At  Roths- 
child's ? 

Grant  that  such  "disinterested  intervention" 
should  here  and  there  suppress  a  republican  in- 
surrection, would  these  fantastic  hosts  then  mag- 
nanimously withdraw,  reship,  and  return  home 
at  Rothschild's  expense  .'  I  have  as  yet  as  little 
conception  of  the  generosity  of  the  European 
diplomacy  for  the  deliverance  of  the  tropical  mo- 
narchy, as  theyapppear  to  entertain  of  the  posi- 
tion of  our  people.  I  behold  in  their  measures, 
instead  of  the  deliverance  and  preservation  of 
the  monarchy,  directly  the  reverse,  the  downfall 
of  our  state  by  dismemberment  and  division,  af- 
ter the  European  diplomatic  method;  and  to 
avert  this  fate,  is  the  first  and  most  sacred  duty 
of  every  Brazilian. 

1  may  be  allowed  to  presuppose  a  superficial 
acquaintance  with  the  history  of  Brazil,  and 
point  out,  here,  only  the  various  epochs  which 
have  been  inscribed  with  our  blood  upon  the 
annals  of  the  century. 

Brazil,  under  Portuguese  sovereignty,  pre- 
sented the  scandalous  picture  of  an  absolute 
monarchy,  in  which  demoralization,  proceeding 
from  the  court,  went  hand  in  hand  with  the 
stupifying  system  of  the  priesthood.  Portuguese 
aristocrats,  for  the  most  part  adventurers,  who, 
for  various  reasons,  had  removed  from  the  mother 
country  to  seek  their  fortunes  in  the  Nevir 
World,  formed  here  the  basis  of  a  social  world, 
in  which  not  even  bigotry  itself  would  thrive, 
which  here,  as  everywhere  else,  should  sustain 
the  monarchy. 

The  Europeans  may,  with  justice,  describe 
the  former  condition  of  Brazil  as  a  sink  of  de- 
moralization and  barbarism.  What  morality 
could  flourish  in  a  society  whose  founders  left 
the  Old  World  to  despoil  the  gold  mines  of  a 
country  by  means  of  negro  slaves,  and  recog- 
nised sensual  animal  enjoyment  as  the  aim  of 
life,  from  the  first  Minister  of  the  State,  and  the 
Prior  of  the  monastery,  down  to  the  meanest 
lackey,  who,  like  his  lord,  went  to  work,  sys- 
tematically, to  increase  flie  population  by  mu- 
lattoes.  Trades  people,  of  different  countries, 
who  settled  in  the  seaport  towns,  and  whose 
number  was  as  limited  as  trade  itself,  (then  a 
monopoly  of  the  Portuguese  government,)  cannot 
be  considered  as  exercising  any  influence  on 
manners  and  culture. 

The  historical  fact,  however,  that  already,  in 
the  beginning  of  our  century,  a  decided  spirit  of 
Brazilian  nationality,  founded  upon  morality, 
showed  itself  under  this  priestly  government, 
which  recognised  the  suspicious  position  of  the 
European  adventurers,  and  met  with  deserved 
contempt  their  plundering  of  the  rich  country. 


106 


DOLORES. 


as  well  as  their  degradin?  treatment  of  the  na- 
tives, the  descendants  of  European  ancestors  ; 
all  this  appears  to  me  more  remarkable  than 
the  condition  of  licentious  degradation,  which 
must  proceed,  as  a  natural  consequence,  from 
the  former  element. 

If  we  consider  the  original  white  population 
of  Brazil,  descended  from  condemned  criminals,* 
persecuted  Jews,  women  thrust  forth  from  so- 
ciety, aristocrats  without  nobility  of  soul,  priests 
who  evaded  celibacy,  soldiers  who  stood  in  the 
same  class  with  galley  slaves,  (independently  of 
the  preponderating  number  of  mulattoes,)  it  must 
certainly  be  an  elevating  phenomenon,  that  Bra- 
zil, notwithstanding  all  the  systematic  demorali- 
zation of  Church  and  State,  lias  become  a  nation, 
that,  upon  the  slightest  influence  of  historical 
events  in  Europe,  has  shown  the  spirit  of  pro- 
gress, the  desire  for  freedom,  to  be  the  condition 
of  all  civilization,  and  has  often  maintained  it 
with  her  blood. 

Indeed,  this  appearance  of  a  nation,  in  the 
consciousness  of  its  national  dignity,  in  an  unin- 
terrupted, decided  struggle  for  republican  free- 
dom, at  the  beginning  ot' the  third  centuryt  after 
its  settlement,  furnishes  material  for  the  most 
serious  consideration  upon  the  ennoblement  of 
the  human  race,  as  a  natural,  self-consequent 
condition. 

Dilt'erent  as  may  be  the  provincial  character 
of  the  inhabitants,  from  Para  to  Rio  Grande,  all 
travellers,  who  have  given  the  result  of  their 
observations  to  the  world,  unanimously  acknow- 
ledge the  Brazilians  as  an  upright,  hospitable 
people,  susceptible  of  great  cultivation,  and 
striving  after  it,  and  endowed  with  high  intel- 
lectual talents  and  capacities. 

None  will  deny  that  despotism,  as  well  as 
priestcraft,  made  every  exertion  to  retain  the 
people  under  their  yoke,  and  to  undermine  and 
choke  down  the  spirit  of  enlightenment,  the 
desire  for  freedom,  in  the  heart  of  the  nation, 
Brazil  was  kept,  as  it  were,  in  a  perpetual  quar- 
antine, for  the  prevention  of  contagion  from  so 
called  "  liberal  ideas."  Europe  sent  over  ship- 
loads of  priests,  in  monk's  cowls  and  secular 
habits,  and  armies  in  the  service  of  the  crown  ; 
and  yet,  all  these  endeavors  of  absolute,  as  well 
as  of  constitutional  monarchy,  were  in  vain. 
The  country  itself,  which,  up  to  the  year  IslO, 
had  delivered  to  Portugal  over  1,400,000  lbs.  of 
gold,  and  upwards  of  •20,000  lbs.  of  diamonds,  ap- 
peared to  have  relinquished  into  the  hands  of  the 
monarchy  all  conceivable  means  of  overwhelm- 
ing the  provinces  with  its  power. 

And  what  has  the  Portuguese  dynasty  done  for 
the  welfare  of  mankind,  with  these  millions  ? 
What  has  Portugal  accomplished,  with  such 
means,  for  the  civilization  of  Brazil — for  the 
civilization  of  Europe  ? 

Portugal  treated  us  as  vassals  of  the  crown ; 
and,  at  the  present  time,  every  Portuguese  ^ar- 
venite  considers  our  country  as  a  Portuguese 
colony,  detached  by  rebellion,  but  which  will, 

•The  above  mentioned  selection,  for  the  later  popula- 
tion of  the  country,  offers  brilliant  facts  in  proof  of  the 
system  of  demoralisation  intended  to  uphold  legitimacy 
there, 

t  During  the  first  century  after  the  discovery  of  Bra- 
lil,  Portugal  hardly  took  any  notice  of  this  New  World — 
a  neglect,  the  cause  of  which  can  only  be  traced  to  the 
narrow  spirit  of  f  uch  a  priest-ridden  ^verument. 


with  the  help  of  England,  and  other  European 
powers,  sooner  or  later,  again  become  the  prop- 
erty of  the  crown. 

A  second  element  of  foreign  disturbance  was 
developed,  when  Portugal  relinquished  the  mo- 
nopoly system  of  export  and  trade,  and,  as  it 
were,  partly  pledged,  and  partly  sold,  the  whole 
monarchy  to  England.  While  England  sought, 
in  Brazil,  a  free  market  for  her  manufactures, 
she  loaded  the  most  important  of  our  productions 
with  an  import  duty  of  two  hundred  per  cent., 
and  received  her  handsome  interest  for  the  loan 
of  three  millions  of  pounds  sterling,  magnani- 
mously offered  under  truly  Britannic  conditions. 

Moreover,  England  has  possessed  herself,  by 
means  of  private  enterprise,  of  nearly  all  the  gold 
mines  of  the  country,  and  supports  the  govern- 
ment, (which  will  transfer  the  country,  with  its 
land  and  naval  forces,  to  the  pawnbroker's  shop — • 
Britannia,)  when  the  nation,  wearied  with  such 
maltreatment,  assert  their  rights,  and  contend 
for  the  "  liberty  "  which  the  Briton  has  in  his 
mouth  while  he  helps  to  destroy  it. 

Our  constitutional  government  shows  an  an- 
nual deficit  of  almost  a  million  of  pounds  ster- 
ling, (nearly  one-third  of  the  whole  revenue;) 
and  the  European  royalists  appear  to  wonder, 
that  hardly  a  year  passes,  in  which  a  rebellion 
does  not  break  out  in  one  part  of  Brazil  or 
another,  the  republican  tendency  of  which  they 
cannot  themselves  deny ;  and  to  suppress  which, 
the  state  debt  must  be  still  more  increased,  by 
means  of  foreign  bayonets,  or,  at  least,  by  means 
of  foreign  money.  The  monarchical  system  is, 
more  evidently,  working  its  own  downfall  here, 
than  in  other  countries,  under  similar  circum- 
stances ;  and  whoever  will  still  deny  the  hasten- 
ing overthrow,  must  be  as  narrow-minded  as  the 
government  which  considers  it  possible  to  main- 
tain itself  by  such  a  system. 

The  creatures  at  the  head  of  the  government, 
who  also  serve  as  its  instruments,  appear  to 
perceive,  very  clearly,  the  approaching  downfall 
of  the  last  and  only  monarchy  in  South  Ameri- 
ca ;  and  even  in  this  perception  they  seem  to 
find  an  additional  reason  for  the  ruin  of  the 
finances.  These  high  officers  of  Brazil  steal 
with  the  same  effrontery  as  the  privileged  and 
order-decorated  crown  thieves  of  Russia,  or  any 
other  legitimate  or  quasi  legitimate  monarchy, 
while  the  heir  to  the  crown  (a  tragical  sacrifice 
to  the  principle  he  represents)  is  brought  up 
under  the  iniluence  of  Austria,  to  become  an 
emperor,  whose  person  is  intended  to  be  every 
thing  to  the  people,  and  a  cypher  to  the  minis- 
ters, which,  in  their  political  calculations,  they 
place  before  numbers,  where  a  cypher  is  of  no 
value.  Out  of  the  above  elements,  three  parties 
have  been  formed  in  Brazil:  the  Caramuros,' 
the  Portuguese  aristocratic  party  ;  the  Modera- 
dos,  the  constitutional  mercantile,  (the  ;«.s(f-;ni- 
lieu ;)  and  the  Faroupilhas,  the  republicans, 
With  sword  in  hand. 

The  preponderating  number  of  the  last  was 
ascertained  by  the  election  of  the  regent,  during 
the  interregnum  in  the  year  1S3.5,  which,  by  a 
great  majority,  gave  the  helm  of  state  to  the 
patriarch  Feigo,  formerly  an  ecclesiastic  of  the 


*  Caramuros. — An  Indian  word,  signifying  men  witlx 
fire  arms. 
Moderado. — Temperate,  moderate. 
Faroupilhas. — Kagamultlns,  sans  culotitt. 


DOLORES. 


107 


highest  rank,  and  an  abomination  to  the  Euro- 
pean powers,  who,  as  the  supporters  of  the 
Caramuros,  used  every  means  to  ^ring  about  a 
state  of  anarchy,  in  order  to  disgust  the  venera- 
ble chief  ruler  of  Brazil  with  the  regency. 

Feigo*  abdicated  his  office  with  resigna- 
tion, since  he  probably  perceived  that  the  Bra- 
zilian monarchy  was  not  to  be  saved  by  a  single 
man,  and  his  position  was  too  elevated,  that  he, 
as  a  republican,  should  attach  any  value  to  being 
monarchical  regent  of  his  country. 

We  will  now  consider  the  position  of  the  Por- 
tuguese and  Britons. 

The  Portuguese  are  attached  to,  and  depen- 
dants of  the  Caramuros,  and  would  as  gladly 
reinstate  the  Portuguese  absolute  monarchy  as 
the  Britons,  who  would  certainly  patronise 
this  "  Christian  worli"  as  zealously  as  they 
once  did  the  like  in  Spain — while  in  Brazil 
they  endeavor  to  put  down  the  people,  by  force 
of  arms,  wherever  they  stand  up  for  their  rights. 
The  bitter  hatred  of  the  Brazilians,  against 
the  British  and  Portuguese,  is,  ofcour.se,  a  logical 
consequence,  resulting  from  the  nature  of  things. 
A  nation  cannot  be  more  speedily  led  to  the 
development  of  freedom,  than  when  it  is  di- 
'rectly,  or  indirectly,  under  foreign  dominion. 
And  who  will  deny  that  we  are  under  foreign 
dominion.'  We  are  under  British  dominion,  for 
we  are  pawned  to  England,  and  systematic- 
ally drained  of  our  wealth  by  England.  We  are 
under  the  Portuguese  yoke,  for  the  majority  of 
government  officers  are  Portuguese  oarvenues, 
declared  enemies  to  the  Brazilian  nation, 
under  the  influence  of  the  European  Great  Mo- 
guls, who,  through  their  ambassadors,  directly 
rule  the  court,  (their  own  workmanship,)  and,  in 
its  dependance,  their  diplomatic  plaything. 

Let  no  man  wonder  that  the  people,  impov- 
erished by  direct  and  indirect  extortions  of  for- 
eign avarice  and  foreign  usury,  and  despised  by 
foreign  selfishness,  rise  up  in  despair,  and  make 
"  short  work  "  with  all  the  British  and  Portu- 
guese, as  they  did  in  Para  two  years  since,  and 
as  may  well  happen  again  in  other  places. f 

British  travellers,  who  appear  as  authors,  re- 
proach us  that  we  let  the  children  of  our  ne- 
groes live  in  our  families,  and  grow  up  with  us 
and  our  own  children,  whereby  they  acquire  a 
certain  groundwork  of  moral  culture ;  and  these 
same  Britons  desire  to  be  thought  zealous  *'  Abo- 
litionists," and  '*  Christian  philanthropists." 

I  touch  here  upon  this  British  inconsistency, 
because  the  matter  is,  in  itself,  more  important 
than  it  appears. 

In  no  country  is  there  so  little  prejudice 
against  color  and  religion,  and  no  where  is  tole- 


Diego  Antonio  Feigo,  one  of  the  most  interesting  and 
noble  characters  of  our  century,  was  apprehended  in 
1H42,  at  the  headquarters  of  the  republicans  in  St. 
Pauio,  and  carried  prisoner  to  Rio  de  Janeiro,  where  the 
author  became  acquainted  with  him. 

t  When  the  provinces  of  St.  Pauto  and  Minas  Geraes 
had  united  with  the  republican  revolution  in  llio  Grande, 
in  la4'2,  and  the  rebels  were  only  one  day's  march  from 
Rio  de  Janeiro,  the  night  was  appointed  in  which  all  the 
British  and  Portuguese  there  should  be  put  to  the  sword. 
A  defeat  of  the  insurgents  by  a  sudden  attack  of  the 
government  troops,  in  a  narrow  pass  not  far  from  Sa- 
bara,  hindered,  for  the  moment,  the  execution  of  this 
plan.  Among  the  numerous  captures  that  were  made 
on  that  occasion,  the  author  saw  the  most  respectable 
men  of  the  higher  classes,  from  the  proviDces  as  well  as 
tnja  the  capital. 


ranee  towards  black  and  white  so  preralent  at 
in  Brazil  The  growing  up  together,  and  the 
relation  to  each  other  as  playfellows,  of  black 
and  white,  has  an  important  influence  upon  the 
moral  condition  of  the  people,  which,  undenia- 
bly, proceeds  from  it.  In  the  great  cities,  as  Rio 
de  Janeiro,  for  example,  the  proportion  of  the 
white  population  to  the  black,  is  as  one  to  three,* 
and  the  number  of  criminals,  according  to  the 
oflScial  lists  of  the  prisons,  is  an  average  of  five 
whites,  to  one  negro,  or  colored  person  ;  and, 
moreover,  among  these  whites,  the  smallest  num- 
ber are  native  Brazilians,  the  majority  are  for- 
eigners, who  honor  our  country  by  coming  to  it 
as  vagabonds,  or  chevaliers  d'industrie.  The 
fruit  and  vegetable  trade,  the  fishery,  the  retail 
trade  of  subordinate  necessaries,  and  the  com- 
monest handicrafts,  are  followed  by  free  negroes, 
and  colored  people  ;  and  there  is  hardly  a  more 
honest  and  industrious  class  in  any  city  of  Eu- 
rope, than  Bur  free  colored  people. 

While  the  slare  trade  is  declared  by  our  con- 
stitution to  be  abolished, the  government,  directly 
or  indirectly,  promotes  and  favors  the  introduc- 
tion of  negro  slaves  for  the  benefit  of  British 
mines  and  British  plantations,  and  for  the  "  fa- 
zendast  "  of  our  aristocrats  in  the  interior  of  tha 
country. 

Proprietors  of  the  middling  class,  (fazendeires,) 
in  possession  of  a  small  number  of  negroes,  can- 
not, very  naturally,  keep  pace  in  the  cultivation 
of  the  soil  with  British  speculators  and  Portu- 
guese aristocrats,  who  transport  here, from  Africa, 
whole  cargoes  of  negro  slaves  for  their  planta- 
tions, and  establish  fazendas,  and  dig  mines  at 
pleasure.  The  strict  enforcement  of  the  prohi- 
bition against  the  introduction  of  negro  slaves 
and  the  entire  abolition  of  slavery,  would  be  to 
the  interest  of  the  people ;  the  inhabitants  of 
the  interior  cultivating  their  lands  as  benefi- 
cially by  the  labor  of  free  negroes,  as  under 
the  above  mentioned  circumstances  by  slaves. 
They  have  not  the  capital  of  the  foreigners  and 
aristocrats  at  their  command,  to  keep  some  hun- 
dred negroes  at  work  ;  and  each  negro  is,  to  the 
less  wealthy,  a  considerable  property  in  himself, 
which  cannot  be  insured  against  sickness  or  ac- 
cident, while  a  richer  person  would  suffer  less 
from  the  loss  of  a  single  one. 

When  our  negroes  in  the  insurrectionary  pro- 
vinces fought  like  lions  by  the  side  of  their  for- 
mer owners,  they  did  not  fight  with  the  savage 
thirst  for  blood,  but  with  the  "  strength"  of  lions, 
and  with  manly  consciousness.  The  negro  of 
Brazil  is  not  so  stupid  as  he  sometimes  appears, 
and  the  heart  of  a  negro  feels  and  suffers,  at 
times,  more  deeply  than  the  hardened  hearts  of 
white  men. 

This  tolerance  of  the  whites,  and  the  setting 
aside  of  all  prejudice  against  color,  so  that  a  mu- 
latto can  as  well  become  minister  of  state  as  a 
Portuguese,  is  undeniably  a  cause  and  incite- 
ment to  moral  and  physical  ennoblement,  while 
the  negroes  of  other  countries,  who  glory  in 
their  "  freedom,"  despised  and  treated  like  brutes 
by  the  whites,  become  degraded  below  tha 
brutes,  to  the  disgrace  of  our  century. 

I  close  these  fragmentary  observations  upon 
the  political  relations  of  Brazil,  with  the  remark 


*  Rio  de  Janeiro  numbers iSO.OOOinhabitantfi,  of  whom 
80,000  are  wliite,  the  rest  colored.    (ia38.) 
fFaniu 


108 


DOLORES 


that  the  constitutional  monarchy,  which  at  vari- 
ous times  has  driven  deputies  from  the  chamber 
with  bayonets,  and  fired  upon  the  representatives 
of  the  people,  has  already  provisionally  planned 
its  own  act  of  abdication,  and  has  fired,  in  anti- 
cipation, a  salute  over  its  own  open  grave. 

The  diplomatists  of  the  European  powers,  and 
their  mercenary  writers,  may  describe  the  situ- 
ation of  affairs  to  their  courts  as  their  politics 
require  ;  they  will  not  alter  with  their  pens  the 
reality  of  facts,  nor,  at  any  future  time,  crush  with 
troops,  landed  from  their  ships  of  war,  the  repub- 
lic, which  grows  like  a  caterpillar  in  its  chry- 
salis, and,  like  that  symbol  of  life,  awaits  its  hour 
to  break  forth. 

A  people,  whose  country  is  the  richest  and 
loveliest  on  earth — a  people,  whose  patriotism 
embraces  such  a  paradise — a  people,  who,  for 
twenty  years,  have  struggled  for  freedom,  and 
deluged  the  soil  with  their  blood,  have  a  right 
to  the  blessings  of  liberty.  And  liberty  is  not 
the  monopoly  of  certain  races  of  men — not  a 
blossom  of  certain  zones.  Brazil  shall  be  free, 
and  become  a  free  state  of  South  America '" 

APPENDIX    TO   THE    ABOVE    FRAGMENT 

The  republican  insurrection  of  the 

province  of  Rio  Grande,  which  the  royalists 
ridicule,  as  an  outbreak  of  "  the  infectious  dis- 
temper" that  has  crept  in  there  from  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  Banda  Oriental,  was  origin- 
ally connected  with  the  war  of  extermination 
against  the  Portuguese  and  Britons  in  Para, 
and  with  the  proclamation  of  the  republic  in 
Bahia,  in  July,  18.3.5.  The  enemy  must,  at 
least,  give  to  the  negroes  who  fought  at  Bahia, 
in  connexion  with  the  whites,  the  glorious  tes- 
timony, that  it  was  with  difficulty,  and  more  by 
accident  than  by  tactics,  that  they  succeeded  in 
burying  the  proclaimed  republic  alive  for  the 
present. 

Rio  Grande,  which  is  less  mountain- 
ous than  the  provinces  near  the  equator,  and, 
lying  outside  of  the  torrid  zone,  is  favored  with 
a  mild  climate,  offers  to  its  population  inex- 
haustible riches  from  agriculture  and  grazing, 
and  presents,  in  common  with  the  southern  pro- 
vinces of  South  America  gsnerally,  a  similarity 
to  the  patriarchal  world  of  ancient  days. 

From  the  early  exchange  of  occupancy,  the 
Spanish  national  character  is  there  found  min- 
gled with  the  Portuguese,  while  a  great  number 
of  Italians  and  Germans  have  likewise  founded 
there  a  new  fatherland  for  themselves. 

The  recruiting  for  the  Brazilian  military  ser- 
vice, which  was  carried  on  in  the  north  of  Ger- 
many, has,  as  is  well  known,  since  the  year 
1820,  been  the  cause  of  the  introduction  of  ship- 
loads of  white  slaves*  to  Rio  de  Janeiro — a 
traffic  in  men  which  is  only  distinguished  from 
the  African  slave  trade  by  the  difference  in  the 
color  of  its  subjects.  The  Brazilian  government 
avails  itself  of  an  officer  from  the  south  of  Ger- 
many as  its  principal  agent,  who  even  empties 
whole  penitentiaries,  and  ouys  the  prisoners  of 
the  governments,  for  body  guards  to  the  Bra- 
zilian court. 

These  "jail  birds,"  and  similar  vagabonds, 


*  Eicraroi  braTuot. — A  nick-aame  which  the  negroes 
hcve  glvBQ  thorn. 


were,  however,  dispersed  amongst  the  great  body 
of  troops,  which,  commanded  likewise  by  Ger- 
man officers,  numbered  among  them  many  re- 
spectable men,  who  deserved  a  better  fate  than 
they  found  in  Brazil,  until  they  finally  received 
their  dismissal,  and  a  part  of  them  settled  in 
Rio  Grande. 

The  disbanding  of  these  German  troops  forms 
a  tragical  episode  in  the  history  of  the  monarchy 
of  a  country,  one  of  the  richest  on  earth  in  gold 
and  silver^  but  which  had  not  once  punctu- 
ally paid  their  wages,  even  in  paper  money. 
They  shed  their  blood  on  credit,  for  the  greater 
part  of  them  were  sent  to  fight  against  the 
republicans,  in  the  southern  and  northern  pro- 
vinces, and  there  won  the  reputation  of  "  brave 
soldiers,"  while  the  equally  brave  Brazilians, 
opposed  to  them,  destroyed  whole  battalions, 
and  sent  the  rest  back  as  invalids  to  Rio  de 
Janeiro. 

After  a  fruitless  campaign  against  Monte 
Video,  that  ended  with  a  chapter  in  which  the 
Brazilian  government  did  not  assume  the  most 
brilliant  position,  a  part  of  these  troops  returned 
to  Rio  de  Janeiro,  just  as  a  revolution  again 
broke  out,  in  1S2S — which  %vas  only  suppressed, 
with  difficulty,  by  troops  landed  from  European 
vessels  of  war.  These  German  regiments  (all 
creditors  of  the  monarchy  so  rich  in  gold> 
formed  the  centre  of  the  insurgents ;  and  even 
though  the  republican  principle  was  not  awaken- 
ed in  the  hearts  of  many  of  them,  the  empty 
stomach,  at  least,  demanded  its  natural  right, 
and  they  fought  with  the  courage  of  despair. 

Similar  events,  which  we  find  inscribed  in 
bloody  paragraphs  upon  each  leaf  of  the  history 
of  Brazil,  indicate  the  nullity  of  a  monarchy 
whose  government,  being  a  production  of  Eu- 
ropean power,  becomes  a  gold  mine  to  the  in- 
triguers who  know  how  to  advance  themselves  to 
its  summit,  and,  with  unexampled  audacity,  ruin 
the  state  finances,  while,  with  like  audacity, 
they  increase  their  own. 

tjnder  such  circumstances,  it  remains,  evi- 
dently, impossible  for  the  most  able  and  upright 
men  in  Brazil,  when  summoned  by  the  voice  of 
the  people  to  a  share  in  the  government,  to 
overcome  difficulties  which  the  diplomatists  of 
European  powers  attribute,  as  a  well  known 
consequence,  to  the  free  press,  and  to  the  studies 
and  travels  of  respectable  Brazilians  in  France. 

The  influence  of  Austria  and  England  upon 
Brazil  is  the  more  powerful,  from  their  having 
two  means  at  their  command,  the  operation 
of  which  is  more  dangerous,  as  they  know  how 
to  mask  it : 

Austria,  which,  in  the  year  1820,  took  under  its 
protection  the  Jesuits  driven  out  of  Russia,  not 
only  seeks  to  extend  the  priestly  government  in 
Brazil,  through  the  influence  of  the  dynasty,  but 
to  hold  the  spirit  of  the  people  under  bit  and 
bridle,  by  the  establishment  of  Italian  monastic 
orders,  under  pretence  of  converting  the  savages, 
without  considering  the  impossibility  of  causing 
the  perpendicularity  of  the  movement  of  the 
progress  of  the  times  to  "stand  still." 

England  pursues,  in  her  own  manner,  but  with 
more  sagacity,  the  plan  of  a  future  sovereignty 
over  Brazil,  since  she  not  only  obtains  a  tempo- 
rary right,  by  financial  speculations,  and  gains  a 
firm  footing  in  Brazil  by  means  of  trade,  but  seeks 
to  extend  her  influence  in  the  interior  of  the 


DOLORES, 


109 


country,  by  Missionaries  of  the  English  Church, 
though  this  particular  object  often  remains  un- 
known to  many  of  the  worthy  missionaries 
themselves. 

Britannia,  with  the  trident  of  Neptune  in  one 
hand,  and  the  bishop's  pastoral  staff' in  the  other, 
evidently  aims  at  the  same  spiritual  sovereignty, 
or,  rather,  at  the  same  spiritual  oppression,  as 
the  Jesuits,  whose  intrigues  she  is  in  nowise 
behind. 

Upon  these  two  elements  is  founded  the  rigid, 
and  every  day  increasing,  intolerance  of  English 
Protestantism  against  Catholicism,  which  last 
mentioned  faith,  under  the  guardianship  of  the 
Jesuits,  has  spread,  in  the  transatlantic  world, 
from  Canada  to  Buenos  Ayres,  but  is  less  dan- 
gerous to  the  principles  of  liberty  in  Brazil,  since 
the  Romish  Church  has  here  undermined  its  own 
credit,  by  the  "  scandalous  chronicle "  of  the 
priesthood. 

In  South  America  there  are  two  extremes  of 
Catholic  clergy  :  Men  who  have,  long  since,  in 
their  hearts,  renounced  the  worm-eaten  "  sacred 
chair,"  and  endeavor,  on  the  contrary,  to  perfect 
themselves  by  philosophical  reading;  and,  on 
the  other  hand,  priests  who  are  monuments  of 
ignorance  and  sensuality. 

We  find,  in  Brazil,  numerous  examples  of 
monks,  in  their  monastic  garbs,  becoming  mem- 
Ders  of  the  so  called  "  secret  societies,"  in  whose 
mysteries  they,  at  least,  '•  seelc"  the  spirit  of  en- 
lightenment and  progress,  as  a  thirsty  man 
presses  to  the  fountain — though  it  is  doubtful 
whether  the  society  to  which  they  have  recourse, 
is  able  to  offer  them  a  spiritually  strengthening 
nectar. 

It  is  a  fact  of  pyschological^terest,  that  the 
Brazilian,  undeniably  endowed^ith  comprehen- 
sive intellectual  powers  and  natural  strength  of 
judgement,  eagerly  receives  a  new  system  or  a 
new  idea,  and  endeavors  to  examine  it  thor- 
oughly, in  proportion  as  he  is  removed  from  all 
bigotry  and  religious  fanaticism.  The  Brazilian 
is  passionate,  and  for  want  of  a  careful  educa- 
tion, is  easily  led  astray  by  extravagance ;  but 
even  his  extravagances  have  in  them  a  certain 
spiritual  noble  side,  and  seldom  degenerates  into 
meanness. 

European  teachers,  who  have  found  opportu- 
nity to  observe  and  examine  the  Brazilian  youth 
thoroughly,  give  brilliant  testimony  in  relation 
to  their  mental  progress,  with  the  remark,  that  a 
young  Brazilian  is  able  to  learn  more  in  a  month, 
than  some  youth  of  another  nation  in  a  year — 
the  ardour  of  their  characters  showing  itself  in 
a  thirst  for  knowledge,  but  a  certain  levity, 
equally  natural,  often  leaving  thrlm  at  a  distance 
from  their  goal. 

Psycho! ogi9ts,who  seek  to  trace  the  generations 
of  men  from  their  origin,  attribute  this  intellect- 
ual geniality  of  the  Brazilians  to  the  impas- 
sioned nature  of  their  equally  attractive  and  sus- 
ceptible women,  on  the  one  hand,  in  happy 
marriages,  and  on  the  other,  in  the  social  aber- 
rations of  those  females  who  find  themselves 
deceived  in  their  choice,  and  understand  how  to 
satisfy  the  claims  of  the  heart,  where  there  has 
been  a  marriage  without  love. 

The  monastic  seclusion  of  the  female  sex  in 
family  life,  and  their  defective  education  in  con- 
Tents,  only  ihe  more  promotes  the  extravagance 
of  adventurous  episodes,  which  the  moralist  lays 


to  the  charge  of  the  women,  while  they  aro 
founded  for  the  most  part  upon  the  heartlessness 
and  the  character  of  the  man  himself,  who  de- 
grades the  sacrament  of  marriage  to  the  license 
of  his  sensuality,  who  lies  to  a  woman  of  love, 
and  leads  her  to  the  altar  to  have  a  wife. 

The  consequences  of  the  irresponsible  levity 
with  which  a  union  is  concluded,  that  is  not 
only  to  last  for  life,  but  aflects  the  existence  of 
a  future  generation,  the  most  sacred  condition  of 
the  human  race,  stand  forth  more  boldly  in  the 
tropical  flower-world  of  Brazil,  than  in  many 
other  countries. 

While  Hinango  read  these  fragments  on  Bra- 
zil, (which  we  should  not  have  inserted  here, 
but  that  each  remark  has  a  direct  or  indirect 
reference  to  the  development  and  summing  up 
of  our  narrative,)  the  pampero  howled  through 
the  rigging  of  the  Nordstjernan,  as  it  followed 
the  Mazzini,  which  now  disappeared  in  a  trough 
of  the  sea,  and  then,  lifted  on  high  by  a  foaming 
wave  billow,  seemed  to  float  in  the  air  until 
night  came  on,  when  Barigaldi  sent  up  a  rocket, 
from  time  to  time,  as  a  sign  that  he  kept  on  his 
course  in  spite  of  the  pampero. 


—  ■W^^^^^^^./S^^^.'^..^.— 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

SLAVERY    AND   LOVE. 

We  leave  the  two  vessels  on  their  course,  be- 
ing called,  by  the  events  of  our  history,  to  far 
distant  places,  on  the  western  declivity  of  one  of 
those  colossal  chains  of  mountains,  from  five  to 
six  thousand  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea, 
which  pass  through  Brazil  from  the  south  to  the 
north,  in  unbroken  elevations,  for  many  hundred 
miles  in  length. 

These  mountains  form,  in  some  places,  sloping 
table  lands,  (campos,)  and  in  others,  valleys  oS 
proportionable  extent,  intersected  by  numerous 
rivers,  and  countless  forest  streams.  On  the 
abovementioned  declivity  were  situated  many 
fazendas,  upon  natural  terraces  of  miles  in 
width,  surrounded  by  the  tropical  luxuriance 
of  a  flourishing  vegetation. 

The  sun  had  almost  ended  his  apparent  daily 
course,  from  right  to  left,  in  the  northern  hemi- 
sphere, and  cast  his  glowing  rays  upon  the  equally 
picturesque  and  gigantic  chain  of  mountains. 
.Some  of  the  naked  rocky  summits  glittered  in 
singular  shapes,  while  others  were  gloomily 
separated  from  them,  in  broad  shadowy  masses. 
The  light  blue,  transparent  horizon,  unknown  in 
Europe,  whose  atmosphere  shows  plainly  to  the 
naked  eye,  objects  at  a  distance  of  miles,  and 
forms  that  airy  perspective,  the  outlines  of  which 
we  see  so  sharply  defined  in  Chinese  painting, 
and  which,  true  to  nature,  embraces  the  charac- 
teristics of  a  tropical  landscape. 

These  naked  masses  of  rocks  were  lost,  some 
hundred  feet  further  down,  in  the  endlessly  di- 
versified extent  of  mountain  summits,  clothed 
with  the  primitive  forest,  down  to  a  third  gra- 
dation of  the  stupendous  edifice  of  nature. 

In  these  latter,  lower,  earth  regions  of  the  mciun- 
tains  of  Brazil,  the  eternal  creative  sculptural 


110 


DOLORES. 


power,  appears  to  have  chosen  the  cone  as  its  fa- 
vorite form,  and  has  placed,  as  if  for  picturesque 
grouping,  af  various  distances,  isolated  sugar-loaf 
shaped  granite  hlocks,  some  thousand  feet  high, 
and  likewise  partly  decorated  with  luxuriant 
foliage,  which  serve  as  mile  stones  for  the  trav- 
eller. 

These  grand  conical  masses,  of  various  sizes, 
singly  form,  as  it  were,  tlie  fore  ground  of  a  land- 
scape, or  the  middle  point  of  a  panorama,  whose 
description  would  overstep  the  limits  of  poetic 
narration. 

"  We  will  then  go  into  Madame  Fesh's,  at 
the  next  fazenda.  If  you  like,  Senor  Capitao,  I 
will  let  my  mules  rest  there  for  an  hour,  and  then 
go  on  a  couple  of  miles,  to  Villa  Tasso,  to  our 
Signore  Serafini's,  where  I  hope  to  meet  Mr. 
Dujour.  You  will  remain  to-night  at  Madame 
Fesh's,  as  if  we  had  no  understanding  with 
each  other,  and  then  come  early  in  the  morning, 
and  get  possession  of  his  person."  These  words 
were  spoken  by  an  European,  in  the  ordinary 
dress  of  a  Mineiro,*  consisting  of  a  velvet  jacket, 
a  broad  brimmed  straw  hat,  a  light  vest,  and 
linen  pantaloons,  the  lower  part  of  which  were 
covered  with  high  buckskin  boots,  with  heavy 
silver  spurs  ;  he  was  riding  on  a  mule,  near  a 
man  in  uniform,  whom  he  called  captain  ;  the 
latter  was  a  Brazilian  officer  of  the  permanen- 
tos,  which  were  distributed  in  small  numbers  in 
the  different  military  stations,  (De^tacamentos) 
in  the  interior  of  the  country,  serving  as  gens 
d'armes,  and  occasionally  for  the  apprehension 
of  "suspected  persons,"  or  faroupilhas. 

Besides  these  main  duties,  the  Permanentos 
gave  protection  and  succour  to  every  loyal  sub- 
ject of  the  government,  especially  when  they 
helped  to  sustain  public  order  by  the  espionage 
and  denunciation  of  patriots. 

The  officer,  whose  rank  %vas  that  of  lieutenant, 
was  well  pleased  with  the  title  of  captain,  as  he 
was  of  Portuguese  descent,  and  possessed  the 
desire  for  titles,  and  the  anxious  servility  that 
characterizes  the  "  woodenshoed  aristocracy"  of 
that  nation,  which  they  imbibe  with  their 
mother's  milk.  He  longed  for  nothing  more 
earnestly,  than  to  wear  the  red  riband  of  the  or- 
der of  Santo  Christ,  in  his  buttonhole  before 
he  died,  that  the  cross  might  be  paraded  on  his 
coffin. 

"  I  like  your  plan  Senhor  Luiz,"t  he  replied, 
"  but  it  seems  to  me  more  suitable,  not  to  go 
quite  so  early  in  the  morning,  at  least  not  until 
the  negroes  are  at  work  on  the  plantation.  I 
have,  it  is  true,  thirty  men  with  me,  but — Senhor 
Serafini  is  probably  sufficiently  supplied  with 
arms — and  there  might  be  resistance — blood- 
shed— which  1  wish  to  avoid." 

"  I  understand  you  Senhor  Capitao — ^just  as 
you  please — come  to-morrow  about  ten  o'clock, 
and  then  they  will  not  be  so  apt  to  suspect  me  of 
having  met  you,  and  travelled  some  days  in  your 
company." 

A  man  on  horseback  trotted  up  behind  the 
two  travellers,  and  informed  them  that  some  of 
the  negroes  had  got  sore  feet,  and,  therefore, 
could  not  follow  so  rapidly.  This  was  Mr.  Nols, 
the   servant   of   the    European,  who,   at    the 


•Inhabitant  of  the  province  of  Minas  Geraes, 
t  The  Brazilians  ill  tlicirfamiUar  intercourse,  generally 
lall  eacb  other  b/  their  Christain  names 


same  time,  performed  the  duties  of  any  Arreiro 
de  la  tropa,  (leader  of  the  caravan,)  and  as  Toc- 
cadero,*  or  driver.  *'  Lay  on  the  chigote  (whip) 
and  cut  them  as  much  as  is  necessary  to  make 
them  trot!"  replied  Mr.  Louis.  What  possesses 
you,  to  come  to  me  just  now  with  such  informa- 
tion, as  if  you  were  leading  an  expedition  for  the 
first  time  ?" 

"  But  their  feet  bleed  at  every  step,  Mr.  Clos- 
ting.  Pardon  my  replying.  Some  of  these  new 
ones  from  Africa  can,  in  fact,  hardly  stand,  much 
less  walk." 

"  That  may  be — but  they  must — at  least  they 
must  be  at  the  fazenda  yonder,  at  the  Italian's, 
in  an  hour  and  a  half  from  this  time.  Use  the 
chigote,  and  follow  after  us." 

"The  officer  looked  back  upon  the  caravan, 
at  the  head  of  which  followed  his  soldiers,  whose 
march  was  as  painful  as  that  of  the  slave  mer- 
chant's negroes.  The  most  of  these  permanentos 
went  barefoot,  and  carried  their  shoes  hanging 
upon  their  bayonets.  The  greater  part  of  them 
were  recruits,  natives  of  the  country,  of  all  co- 
lors, from  the  blackest  negro  up  to  the  tawny 
white  Brazilian,  intermixed  with  Mamelucos,t 
and  some  "civilized  Botocudos."  A  spencer  and 
pantaloons,  with  what  is  called  a  "  bonnet  de 
police,"  (uniform  cap,)  a  sabre  and  cartridge 
box,  and  a  rolled  up  "  capote,"  which  served 
them  as  a  bed  at  night — was  their  whole  equip- 
ment. To  the  most  of  these  poor  devils  of  the 
armed  force  of  the  empire,  who  had  gone  bare- 
foot through  life  from  their  childhood,  the  wear- 
ing of  the  heavy  commissary  shoes  was  a  real 
misery,  and  plainly  hindered  their  "  progress"  in 
military  civilizaUon. 

After  the  firswain  attempts  to  march  in  shoes, 
bad  covered  their  feet  with  sores,  and  blisters, 
"  they  chose  the  least  of  two  evils,"  and  limped 
over  sand,  and  gravel,  and  rough  pieces  of  rock, 
like  the  negroes  of  the  slave  merchant  in  their 
company,  marching  barefooted,  and  marking 
many  of  their  footsteps  with  their  blood ;  but 
they  knew  the  supple  leathern  instrument  at  the 
saddle  of  their  ofhcer,  and  dared  not  complain 
in  the  least,  either  to  their  arreiro  on  horseback, 
or  to  their  corporal  toccadero,  like  the  new  ne- 
groes from  Africa,  who  were  as  yet  but  partially 
acquainted  with  the  customs  and  whip  usages  of 
Brazil. 

"  In  case  we  meet  the  grimpeiro,{  Mr.  Du- 
jour, at  Sr.  Serafini's,"  continued  Mr.  Clost- 
ing,  as  they  again  rode  forward  alone,  "  I  beg 
you  will  not  speak  to  him  of  the  affair,  as  if  I 
had  come  to  the  knowledge  of  it  through  him. 
The  suspicion  qf  a  communication  with  the  au- 
thorities falls  naturally  upon  him,  and  it  is  not 
impossible  that  the  revenge  of  the  faroupilhas, 
will  be  extended  to  him.  You  see,  captain,  that 
I  hazard  my  life,  out  of  loyalty,  from  pure  roy- 
alist sentiments." 

"  I  acknowledge  it,"  replied  the  other,  "  and 
shall  know  in  what  terms  to  speak  of  you  in 
my  report  to  Rio  de  Janeiro." 

"  But  be,  guarded  in  your  expressions,  captain  ! 

•A  Brazilian  caravan  (tropa)   generally  consist*  of 

from  twenty  to  twenty-five  loaded  mules,  seven  of  which 

are  driven  by  one  toccadero. 
f  A  mixed  race,  derived  from  the  Indians  and  whites 
J  Grimpeiros. — People  who  search  for  gold  mines,  and 

wasli  geU  dust  without  informing  the  gcers-      *.,  ai 

required  by  law. 


DOLORES. 


Ill 


be  guarded,"  interrupted  the  informer;  "letters 
do  not  go  safely  here,  and  if  your  report  should 
fall  into  the  wrong  hands," 

"  Do  not  concern  yourself  on  that  account, 
my  report  goes  by  the  military  escort,  which 
will  accom[)any  the  prisoner. " 

In  thus  conversing,  the  two  riders  approached 
the  first  fazenda  which  lay  in  their  road,  it  was 
a  good  sized  stone  building,  with  an  airy  sort  of 
front  hall,  generally  used  by  the  family  as  a 
sitting  room.  The  terriffic  howl  of  a  negro, 
under  corporeal  chastisement,  resounded  through 
the  solemn  stillness  of  the  twilight,  wliich 
threw,  as  it  were,  a  purple  veil  over  the  ro- 
mantic scenery  around,  before  its  hasty  passage 
into  night.  The  diversified  chattering,  the 
monkeys  hopping  about  from  twig  to  twig,  some- 
times screaming  like  the  cries  of  a  person  in 
distress,  sounded  like  a  living  echo  to  these  fear- 
ful notes  of  despair,  and  awakened  the  iliscor- 
dant  laughter  of  the  parrots  in  the  distant  thick- 
ets of  the  gigantic  forest. 

Without  taking  the  least  notice  of  this  daily 
occurring  howl  of  chastisement,  the  two  travel- 
lers fastened  their  mules  to  the  stakes  of  an  out- 
building of  the  fazenda,  several  of  which  were 
built  in  such  a  manner  as  to  form  a  roomy  court- 
yard between  them,  and  were  used  as  the  dwell- 
ings of  the  negroes,  and  for  household  purposes. 

A  white  man,  in  performing  the  duties  of 
the  principal  overseer  of  the  widow,  received 
the  two  guests,  and  gave  their  mules  in  charge 
to  some  negroes. 

*'  Our  tropa  will  take  up  their  lodgings  here 
for  the  night,"  remarked  the  captain.  "  My  peo- 
ple must  give  no  one  here  any  trouble ;  I  have 
already  given  the  necessary  orders." 

The  tropa  of  the  naturalist,  who  traversed 
the  country  as  both  slave  merchant,  and  jicdler, 
consisted  often  mules,  laden  with  various  kinds 
of  merchandise,  and  a  liorde  of  sixteen  negroes 
and  five  negresses,  likewise  merchandise  for 
sale. 

Mr.  Nols,  the  arreiro,  rode  up  to  the  build- 
ing, and  received  his  instructions  for  the  ap- 
proaching night,  which  he,  like  his  negroes,  in 
case  they  remained  there,  would  have  to  pass 
under  the  open  sky,  unless,  by  the  hospitality  of 
the  overseer,  he  should  be  allowed  to  sleep  in 
some  corner  of  an  outhouse. 

"  Has  not  Banko  come  yet  ?"  inquired  Mr. 
Closting  of  the  arreiro. 

"  He  is  coming  down  this  way ;  I  heard  him 
swearing  just  now ;  he  is  not  far  off;"  replied 
Mr.  Nois. 

Banko  was  a  German  student,  whom  the 
celebrated  naturalist  had  engaged  as  secretary, 
and  brought  out  to  Brazil,  at  his  (Mr.  Banko's) 
expense,  on  his  last  voyaga  to  Euiope,  as  quasi 
envoy  extraordinary,  where  he  assumed  all  sorts 
of  Brazilian  titles. 

"  Have  you  collected  your  usual  number  of 
butterflies,  to-day  ?"  inquired  Mr.  Closting,  of 
the  youth,  who  now  approached  in  torn  gar- 
ments, and  was  almost  burnt  to  a  mulatto  by  the 
sun.  "  I  shall  examine  them  early  in  the  morn- 
ing— and  if  they  are  again  worthless  stuff,  then 
I  shall  have  something  more  to  say  to  you,"  he 
added,  without  waiting  for  a  reply. 

"  I  neither  in  Diisseldorf  nor  Antwerp  sub- 
scribed a  contract  to  collect  butterflies  for  you, 
not  to  mention  a  stipulated  number,"  replied 


Mr.  Banko,  whose  countenance,  embrowned  as 
it  was  with  the  sun,  showed  an  evident  expres- 
sion of  European  cultur*  and  youthful  unre- 
serve. 

"  You  at  length  undertake  to  reply  to  me,  in 
an  insolent  manner  ?"  said  the  naturalist,  raising 
his  grufl' voice.  "  Do  you  not  forget  that  you  are 
in  Brazil,  and  that  we  have  here  as  good  prisons 
f»r  '  fantastical  subjects'  as  in  Europe  .'" 

"  If  all  the  Europeans  in  Brazil  should  be 
imprisoned,  who  deserve  it,  without  being  '  fan- 
tastical' subjects,  there  would  soon  be  nu  empty 
cells,"  replied  the  slave  trader's  secretary. 

"  Scoundrel !  do  you  dare  to  say  that  to  me 
in  the  presence  of  a  Brazilian  oflScer  ?" 

"  He  hardly  understands  German,"  interrupted 
the  other ;  *'  if  you  desire  it,  however,  1  can  re- 
peat it  to  him  in  Portuguese." 

The  answer  to  tins  remark,  was  a  severe  blow 
on  the  face,  which  the  poor  German  student 
was  compelled  to  take  as  the  delayed  postscript 
of  the  letters  by  which  Mr.  Closting  had  en- 
gaged him  in  Europe  "  for  scientific  purposes." 

"  Captain,  let  this  fellow  be  guarded  to-night 
by  your  troop,"  said  he,  before  the  youth  could 
come  to  his  recollection,  and  who  had  just 
grasped  his  dagger,  as  some  hobbling  permanen- 
tos,  at  the  order  of  the  captain,  pulled  him  back- 
ward before  he  had  drawn  his  weapon  from  the 
sheath. 

"  Mr.  Closting  !"  he  now  exclaimed,  suddenly 
recovering  himself,  and  perceiving  instantly  the 
consequences  which  an  immediate  ebullition  in 
defence  of  his  injured  honor  would  undoubtedly 
draw  upon  him.  "  Mr.  Closting,  remember  this : 
I  endure  your  ill  usage,  but  1  shall  not  forget  it ;  I 
will  take  my  opportunity  to  obtain  personal 
satisfaction." 

The  prisoner  disappeared  behind  the  house- 
hold buildings,  and  the  two  cavaliers  now  fol- 
lowed the  howl  of  the  person  under  chastise- 
ment, which  had  continued  without  intermis- 
sion. 

They  entered  the  verandah  of  the  dwelling 
house,  and  beheld  Me.  Fesh  upon  a  low  chair, 
with  a  slate  on  her  knees,  near  a  wax  light,  pro- 
tected from  the  wind  by  means  of  a  glass  shade. 
She  was  a  robust,  corpulent  woman,  about  forty 
years  old,  with  coarse  features,  and  a  still  coarser 
expression.  Her  light  hair  hung  in  uncoufined 
locks  upon  her  yellowish  brown  neck.  She 
counted  and  noted  down,  with  a  grim  smile,  the 
blows  which  a  white  man,  her  cousin,  slowly 
laid  on  the  unfortunate  victim  of  her  savage  an- 
ger, while  she  held  a  watch,  with  second  hands, 
in  her  left  hand,  and  gave  him  a  sign  every  time 
he  was  to  strike.* 

The  laws  of  esthetics  will  not  permit  us  to  take 
a  look  at  the  particulars  of  this  bloody  scene — 
but  we  must  not  leave,  unobserved,  tlu'ee  black 
corpses,  which  lay  at  a  distance  from  the  veran- 
dah, over  the  balustrade  of  which  was  extended 
the  unfortunate  slave,  quivering  with  convul- 
sive agony.  One  was  the  corpse  of  a  young 
Mosambique  female,  of  noble  form,  whose  figure 
was  like  one  of  the  antique  group  of  Niobe, 
which  is  so  frequently  peculiar  to  the  Ethio- 
pian. Near  her  lay  the  corpse  of  a  youth  of  the 
same  race,  as  regularly  formed;  and  not  far  from 


♦  This,  like  flo  many  other  scenes  of  this  novel,  is  en 
tirely  true,  and  is  describei  as  it  actually  occurred. 


113 


DOLORES. 


them,  the  body  of  a  robust  negjro,  from  one  of 
those  tribes  which  dwell  near  the  equator,  in 
Africa,  who,  little  favored  by  nature,  possess 
countenances  as  "  black  as  night,"  and  whose 
bony  frames  cannot  serve  as  models  of  manly 
beauty. 

"  Is  that  you,  Mr.  Closting?"  said  the  white 
widow,  at  length,  after  she  had,  without  inter- 
rupting her  tale,  already  cast  several  glances  it 
the  two  guests  ;  "  I  hardly  knew  you  again — 
come  nearer,  I  shall  soon  be  through.  One  hun- 
dred and  forty-three,"  said  she,  in  a  low  voice,  to 
herself,  and  wrote  some  figures  on  the  slate.  "  I 
should  wonder  if  he  outlives  the  last  seven. 
Give  it  to  him  a  little  slower  !  not  before  I  tell 
you  !"  she  called  out  to  the  white  torturer,  and 
then  counted,  with  long  pauses,  after  the  minute 
hands  of  the  watch.  The  negro  groaned,  evi- 
dently in  the  last  agony,  while  the  heavy  chigote 
(which  bears  a  family  resemblance  to  the  Rus- 
sian kantschu)  wound  itself,  at  each  blow,  round 
his  body,  and  lacerated  it  in  its  tenderest  parts. 
The  hundred  and  fifty  lashes,  which  his  inhu- 
man owner  had  appointed  this  evening  for  the 
slave's  second  dose,  (after  he  had  received  the 
same  number  in  the  morning,)  was  counted.  A 
negro  now  brought,  at  her  command,  spirits  of 
wine  and  pepper,  to  rub  on  the  open  and  bleed- 
ing wounds,  which  nearly  covered  the  whole 
body. 

The  howl  of  the  sufferer  exceeded  all  human 
imagination  ;  and  whoever  has  not  witnessed  a 
similar  scene,  nor  heard  a  sound  of  similar  hor- 
ror, to  the  disgrace  of  humanity,  would  scarcely 
be  able  to  follow  a  description,  which  we  avoid 
from  consideration  for  the  feelings  of  the  reader. 
The  fearful  howl  died  away  in  hollow  groans, 
and  the  rattling  of  the  scarcely  breathing  chest, 
which  gradually  became  fainter  and  weaker. 
The  rope,  with  vThich  the  half  expiring  body  had 
been  fastened,  was  loosed.  A  young  negress 
pushed  the  man  with  the  pungent  restoratives 
aside,  as  soon  as  the  mistress  went  away.  She 
covered  the  dying  man  with  a  wet  sheet,  brought 
a  garden  watering  pot,  and  sprinkled  him,  while 
another  held  vinegar  and  water  to  his  lips,  which 
did  not  move. 

"  There  lie,  now,  my  two  contos  ;*  yes,  if  I 
say  two  contos  and  four  hundred  millreis,t  at 
least,"  said  Me.  Fesh  to  her  guests,  as  she 
stepped  into  the  room,  of  which  the  open  door 
and  window  shutters,  without  glass  windows, 
communicated  with  the  verandah.  "  May  Satan 
take  them  all !  the  damned  black  beasts  !  Is  it 
not  enough  to  craze  one,  to  live  in  this  cursed 
country  .'"  She  then  threw  herself  into  an  arm 
chair,  gathered  up  her  coarse  hair,  and  en- 
deavored to  bind  it  with  a  handkerchief 

"  What  has  happened  to  you,  Madame  ?"  in- 
quired Mr.  C'lostin,g,  who  was  seated  by  a  table, 
set  with  wine  and  other  refreshments,  which  the 
intendant,  according  to  the  custom  of  the  coun- 
try, had  already  provided. 

"  What  has  happened  to  me  ?"  screamed  the 
lady  of  the  house,  gritting  her  teeth.  "  1  will 
tell  you  It  is  infamous — unheard  of !  Negroes 
are  all  the  time  becoming  dearer,  the  importation 
of  them  is  becoming  more  and  more  difficult,  and 
I    must  take   care   that   my   growing  children 

•  A  conto  d'rei3,  is  five  hundred  dollars. 

t  Four  hundred  miUreis— two  hundred  dollan. 


inherit  a  sufficient  number.  I  hare  now  fonr 
negresses  who  bring  me,  every  year,  a  young  one 
Mulacks*,  I  tell  you,  black  as  ebony,  and  nearly 
all  from  one  father — from  Pluto,  the  robust  fellow 
who  lies  there  a  corpse  !  Nearly  all  from  him  ! 
And  so,  some  months  ago,  I  bought  him  another 
pretty  black  creature — Anastasia — a  real  model 
of  beauty;  smooth,  I  tell  you,  like  black  mar- 
ble !  and  I  wished  to  give  her  to  Pluto,  and  she 
refused  !  Only  think — she  refused  !  1  observed, 
then,  a  young  Mosambique,  who  had  come  from 
Africa  with  her,  whom  I  had  bought  at  the  same 
time;  I  saw,  in  fine,  that  he  liked  her,  and  she 
him — also,  that  they  were  a  love  pair.  So  I 
locked  them  in  together,  but  nothing  came 
of  it ;  and  then  I  agreed  with  Pluto  that  ha 
should  have  Anastasia,  in  spite  of  her  refusal, 
and  gave  Antinous,  the  lover  of  Anastasia,  for  a 
time,  to  the  Frenchman,  over  there,  who  wanted 
to  hire  a  negro,  and  agreed  with  him  that  he 
should  lock  up  Antinous  securely  at  night.  But 
what  does  Antinous  do  .'  Neither  lock  nor  key 
were  of  any  avail;  he  ran  away  at  night,  and 
lay,  as  I  was  told,  before  the  chamber  below 
there,  where  I  had  locked  in  Anastasia  with 
Pluto ;  and  there  he  lay,  and  heard  what  was  to 
be  heard.  And  what  did  he  do  ?  He  burst,  like 
a  madman,  through  the  window,  that  Anastasia, 
perhaps  intentionally,  had  not  bolted  on  the 
inside;  he  sprang  in  upon  them,  I  tell  you. 
And  what  did  he  do  .'  He  stabbed  his  friend,  hi.i 
beloved,  his  wife,  as  he  called  her,  Anastasia, 
and  he  stabbed  Pluto,  and  then  himself,  last 
night.  Last  night  he  stabbed  them  and  himself, 
and  there  lie  the  corpses !  There  lie  my  two 
contos — my  two  contos  and  a  half.'  What  do 
you  say  to  that,  Mr.  Closting  .'" 

"  Nothing  else,  than  that  I  could  have  told  you 
beforehand  how  the  song  would  end,  my  good  Me. 
Fesh,  for  I  have  had  much  experience  in  these 
matters.  The  same  case  which  has  happened  to 
you,  occurred,  with  nearly  the  same  symptoms 
throughout,  and  the  same  crisis,  in  Rio  de  Ja- 
neiro, sometime  since,  and  in  my  neigborhood,  in 
Maranham,  where  a  white  man  played  the  part 
of  Pluto ;  the  black  lover  murdered  him  upon 
the  bed  of  the  one  he  called  his  beloved.  I  know 
a  third  case  of  the  sort,  where  a  negress  killed 
herself,  when  she  was  given  to  a  '  Pluto  ;'  instead 
of  yielding  to  him,  she  stabbed  herself  Yes, 
yes.  Me.  Fesh,  these  cattle  are  jealous,  and  feel 
love  !  if  one  may  use  the  word  for  cattle  !  As  the 
parental  love  of  monkeys  has  become  proverbial, 
we  may  far  more  justly  make  the  love  of  the 
negro  proverbial.  If  they  once  feel  love,  it  only 
expires  with  their  lives." 

"  Stupid  stuff!"  replied  Me.  Fesh,  after  a 
pause;  "Stupid  stuff!  love!  what  is  love  .'  Is  it 
not  all  the  same  to  such  a  creature,  whether  this 
or  that  one  satisfies  her — then  one  of  those  cat- 
tle is  a  woman  for  all,  and  can  obtain  what  she 
desires — it  is  all  the  same  from  whom  !"  Me. 
Fesh  certainly  did  not  reflect  that  she  contra- 
dicted herself  by  acknowledging  the  %vomanly 
nature  of  the  so  called  cattle, which  she  appeared 
to  deny. 

"  Do  you  suppose  that  I  would  have  stabbed 
myself  twenty  years  ago,  when  I  was  married," 
continued  she.  "  I  was  ;iot  asked  whom  I  would 
marry,  and  it  was  all  the  same  to  me.     My  pa- 

*  A  word  used  instead  of  ne£^. 


DOLORES. 


ui 


hents  gave  me  a  husband,  who  possessed  a  hand- 
some fortune,  and  when  I  first  learnt  to  know 
any  thing  of  matrimony,  I  found  rny  lot  very 
comfortable.  What  you  say  about  love,  Mr. 
Closting,  is  stupid  nonsense.  How  can  such 
cattle  feel  it,  when  I  have  experienced  no  such 
sensation  ?" 

"  You  must  consider,"  interrupted  the  natu- 
ralist, *'tliat  the  negroes,  of  both  sexes,  are  mere 
children  of  nature,  and  that  love  is  a  nervous 
disease,  a  matter  of  sentiment,  which  disajipears 
among  us  whites,  the  more  we  advance  in  civili- 
zation. Love  is  a  disease  madame  I  a  disease  of 
the  nerves  ;  and  in  the  female  sex,  it  is  subject 
to  the  influence  of  the  moon.  1  have  made  phy- 
siological observations,  and  have  had  sufficient 
proof  on  that  subject.  Love  is,  however,  a  very 
dangerous  nervous  disease,  if  it  is  not  overcome 
in  time,  and  that  is  often  difficult,  especially 
with  the  negroes,  who  are  very  nervous.  Cor- 
pulent people  are  seldom  attacked  by  this  dis- 
ease. The  more  thickly  the  nerves  are  cush- 
ioned over,  the  more  they  are  protected  against 
external  impressions  and  inward  emotions,  that 
is  perfectly  natural.  The  only  effectual  remedy 
against  love  is  civiiization,  which  supersedes 
sentiment,  and  makes  it  ridiculous.  Among 
civilized  people,  this  disease  does  not  last  long, 
and  may  be  reclconcd  according  to  northern  or 
southern  climates.  The  love  of  a  civilized  wo- 
man, under  the  influence  of  the  moon,  endures 
in  the  south  only  about  two  months — hardly  two 
months  ;  in  the  north,  somewhat  longer,  but  sel- 
dom three  full  moons  !" 

"  Thank  heaven  !"  said  the  lady,  "  that  I  have 
never  been  afllicted  with  this  disease.  I  had  a 
husband — he  is  now  in  heaven — who  suited  me 
in  every  respect,  and  I  lived  very  happy  with 
him,  night  and  day.  I  have  had  eleven  chil- 
dren, five  of  whom  are  living.  The  world  says, 
to  be  sure,  that  I  used  my  husb.md  ill,  and  wor- 
ried him  into  his  grave.  Let  the  world  talk  ;  it 
is  nothing  but  envy,  sheer  envy,  in  other  women, 
who  would  be  glad  to  have  had"  as  many  children. 
But  I  must  take  cave,  Mr.  C'losting,  to  have 
young  mulacks  for  my  children  ;  and  there  lie 
the  corpses,  and  my  Pluto  is  murdered.  iVIay 
the  devil  take  tlie  cursed  ApoUino,  who  had  his 
hand  in  the  pie  !" 

"  You  mean  the  negro  to  whom  you  have  just 
counted  out  his  reckoning?"  inquired  Mr. 
Ciosting. 

"  The  same — ApoUino,  I  mean.  Only  imagine, 
he  did  not  let  loose  my  two  great  bloodliounds, 
'  Blackman  '  and  '  Nigger,"  in  the  night,  when 
all  this  happened  ;  my  two  large  chained  blood- 
ho'uuls,  who  would  have  torn  Antinous  as  soon 
as  he  sprang  over  the  garden  wall.  And  his 
consent,  his  black  love  service,  shall  cost  him, 
also,  his  life.  Three  and  a  half  contos  lie  there 
in  blood,  and  it  is  all  tlie  same  to  me  if  I  lose 
six  or  seven  hundred  millreis  more.  He  shall 
die  !  If  he  is  alive,  he  shall  receive  his  hundred 
and  fiftv  early  in  the  morning  !  the  infamous, 
mis.'vable  kabendo  !  that  ApoUino  !" 

"  Then  I  have  come  as  if  sent  for,"  began  the 
slave  trader,  after  a  pause ;  "  I  have  with  me 
the  most  admirable  samples  of  the  male  and 
female  sexes ;  you  can  replace  your  loss  imme- 
diately. I  will  sell  them  at  a  moderate  price  ; 
we  will  review  them  early  in  the  morning. 
Apropos  !"  said  he,  interrupting  himself,  while 

15 


he  turned  to  the  officer,  who  sat  very  quietly 
refreshing  himself  at  the  table,  and  consuming, 
with  a  good  appetite,  bread,  and  cheese,  and 
bananas,  and  wine  : 

"  Apropos,  captain,  concerning  our  affair.  I 
will,  then,  immediately  ride  on  to  Villa  Tasso, 
and  leave  my  tropa  here,  and  come  back  again, 
since  1  can  make  a  trade  here.  As  to  the"  fel- 
low whom  I  placed  in  your  charge  as  a  prisoner, 
have  the  goodness  to  keep  him  safely  to-night, 
and  set  him  at  liberty  in  the  morning,  when  you 
break  up.  Hand  him  over  to  my  arreiro,  JJoU. 
It  is  now  nearly  seven  o'clock  ;  I  shall  be  at 
Villa  Tasso  by  half-past  eight,  and  that  will  be 
soon  enough.  I  hope  Mr.  Dujour  will  be  there, 
waiting  for  me." 

"  Very  well.  I  give  my  full  consent  to  the 
arrangement  that  we  have  spoken  of,"  whis- 
pered the  officer ;  "  but  will  you  ride  alone  :" 

"  I  shall  take  one  of  my  negroes  with  ine,  and 
shall  be  here  again  in  the  morning.  My  tropa 
can  rest  themselves.  Good  night,  then.  We 
shall  meet  in  the  morning,  at  ten  o'clock,  at 
Villa  Tasso." 

The  officer  accompanied  the  "  confidant  of  the 
police"  to  the  verandah,  where  Me.  Fesh  had 
just  received  the  intelligence  that  ApoUino  was 
no  mtjre. 

Curse  after  curse  flowed  from  her  angry  lips  ; 
she  did  not  seem  so  embittered  hy  the  loss,  which 
she  had  evidently  designed,  as  at  the  marred 
pleasure  of  taking  her  slate  upon  her  knee,  and 
the  watch  in  her  hand,  and  counting  a  hundred 
and  fifty,  the  next  morning.  Without  returning 
Mr.  Closting's  farewell,  she  went  on,  and  at 
length  burst  into  tears  over  the  loss  of  the  throe 
contos,  and  some  hundred  millreis,  and  ordered 
the  bodies  of  the  four  cattle  to  be  buried  in  a 
lllth}'  corner  of  the  court. 

Isabenda,  the  young  negress  who  had  tried  to 
soothe  the  w'ounds  of  the  dying  man  by  cooling 
applications,  after  a  while,  tremblingly  ap- 
proached her  raging  mistress,  and,  with  down- 
cast eyes,  informed  her  that  the  corner  of  the 
court  was  rocky  ground,  and  that  it  would  be 
very  difficult  to  bury  the  bodies  there,  since  the 
rocks  must  first  be  blasted. 

"  Then  bury  them,  in  the  devil's  name  !  some- 
where in  the  road,  out  there  ;  where  you  will- 
so  that  I  do  not  see  the  dead  beasts  in  tha 
morning." 

Isabenda's  deceit  had  gained  her  object ;  she 
dared  to  run  the  risk  of  her  mistress  discovering 
the  incorrectness  of  her  statement,  for  it  certainly 
was  not  so  difficult  to  dig  a  grave  in  that  place  ; 
but  her  womanly  heart,  though  in  a  dark  colored 
body,  risked  ill  treatment,  and  even  death, 
which  she  might,  also,  meet  in  a  similar  man- 
ner as  it  had  snatched  away  her  lover.  She 
acted  according  to  her  pure  and  deeply  wounded 
feelings,  for  she  lost  a  friend  in  Anastasia,  and  a 
lover  in  ApoUino. 

The  narrow  mindct'ness,  and  insensibility  of 
the  mistress  of  the  house,  who  considered  noth- 
ing but  her  strong  box,  and  saw  nothing  that 
could  not  be  touched  with  the  hand,  did  not  per- 
mit her  to  look  into  the  heart  of  a  black,  espe- 
cially as  she  could  with  difficulty  have  suspect- 
ed even  an  emiotion  of  such  sentiments  in  the 
heart  of  a  white  person,  since  she,  like  every 
body  else,  judged  others  by  herself,  and  was  not 
able  to  think  of  any  higher  grade  of  feeling,  or 


114 


DOLORES. 


of  mind,  than  the  low  one  apon  which  she  her- 
self vegetated. 

Isabenda  quickly  departed,  and  hurried  back 
to  her  Ci'iends,  who,  standing  round  the  bodies  in 
the  unclean  place,  looked  forward  witli  anxious 
expectation  to  the  result  of  the  experiment 
planned  by  them.  Instead  of  giving  tlie  an- 
swer of  the  white  fury  in  words,  she  sunk 
down,  with  tears  and  sobs,  by  Apollino's  corpse. 
The  black  bondsmen  of  the  European  lady 
stood  around,  in  numerous  groups,  from  tlie  old- 
est greybeai'd  to  the  youngest  child.  Sympathy 
with  the  fearful  fate  of  the  victims,  and  sup- 
pressed feelings  of  vengeance  against  the  Chris 
tian  murderess,  had  assembled  them  to  the  burial 
to  the  last  service  of  love,  from  their  human,  feel 
ing  hearts.  They  all  gazed  silently  upon  Isa^ 
benda,  beholding  in  the  oijjburst  of  her  grief,  a 
denial  of  her  righteous  wish,  which  none  of 
them  would  have  had  the  courage  to  express. 
None  dared  to  utter  a  question.  Isabenda  sud- 
denly rose,  and  gave  them  to  understand,  by  a 
sign,  that  they  were  to  take  up  the  bodies  and 
follow  her.  She  then  hurried  before  them  out  of 
the  court,  across  the  road,  to  a  hill,  where  a  sin- 
gle palm  tree  reared  its  majestic  head. 

"  Here  !  here  !"  she  whispered  in  a  trembling 
voice,  anxiously  looking  back  at  the  fazenda,  as 
if  she  feared  that  the  cursing  voice  of  the  white 
fury  would  yet  reach  her  before  the  work  should 
be  fulfilled.  "  Here  !  but  make  haste,"  she  re- 
peated, and  desired  them  to  dig  a  large  grave  for 
three  bodies,  and  a  separate  one  for  the  corpse  of 
Pluto. 

The  burial  was  completed  in  deathlike  si- 
lence. The  numerous  hands,  old  and  young,  fur- 
nished with  mattocks  and  spades  from  the  fa- 
zenda, and  urged  on  by  sympathizing  zeal,  did 
not  require  much  time;  the  graves  were  filled, 
and  the  piled  up  turf  covered  the  place  of  rest. 
All  now  knelt  in  a  circle  around  the  graves,  as 
silently  as  they  had  accomplislied  their  labor  of 
love.  According  to  the  vai-jous  customs  of  the 
Ethiopian  tribes,  some  crossed  their  arms  over 
their  heads  towards  the  firmament.  The  senti- 
ment of  their  bleeding  hearts  was  involuntary 
prayer,  although,  perhaps,  not  in  the  forms  of  a 
spiritless  "  wrapper  to  heaven,"  or  even  of 
another  religious  book  of  service,  which  Me. 
Fesh  bought  of  a  peddling  missionary,  and  gave 
to  her  amiable  children,  for  the  explanation  of 
their  Christian  treatment  towards  the  "  negro 
cattle." 

Feaiing  that  if  they  remained  long  absent 
some  harm  might  be  done  to  the  fresh  graves  of 
the  victims,  all  but  Isabenda  returned  within 
the  boundaries  of  tlie  court.  Consoled  in  her 
anguish  by  the  success  of  her  bold  resolution — 
consoled,  if  consolation  for  such  grief  is  to  be 
found  on  earth — she  lingered  alone  by  the  grave 
of  her  beloved,  who,  althoui^h  a  despised  negro 
slave,  had  sacrificed  himself  from  brotherly  love 
for  a  youth  like  himself,  because  iie  lionored  the 
power  of  that  love  in  his  friend,  whicli  he  felt  in 
the  same  degree  in  himself,  and  which  he  bore 
to  his  grave. 

The  moon  rose  ab.we  the  distant  chain  of 
mountains  in  the  east,  and  lighted  the  tear  be- 
dewed countenance  of  a  woman,  who,  though 
despised  by  Christians,  might,  by  her  virtues  and 
love,  shame  many  Christians,  since  her  heart  was 
not  yet  laid  waste  by  European  "  civilization." 


CHAPTER    IT. 

ARREST    ATTD    PI.tr!rDEH. 

V11.LA  Tasso  was  built  upon  one  of  the  before- 
mentioned  terraces,  which  were  formed  by  the 
collossal  mas-ses  of  granite  composing  the  third 
gradation  of  the  mountains,  and  whose  varied 
valleys,  partly  covered  with  the  richest  layers  of 
earth,  produced  the  most  flourishing  vegetation. 

The  main  building  was  erected  in  the  middle 
of  the  last  century,  by  the  ancestors  of  the  [ires- 
ent  owner  of  the  extensive  plantation.  It  was 
built  in  the  Italian  style,  with  high  stories,  and 
spacious  saloons  and  cliambers,  with  covered 
verandahs,  on  the  balustrades  of  which  was  seen, 
here  and  there,  the  luxuriant  foliage  of  an  orange 
tree,  while  gigantic  mangoes,  Barbadoes  cedars, 
jacarandas,*  palm  trees,  and  other  ornaments 
of  a  tropical  landscape,  reached  to  the  height 
of  the  roof,  and  rustled  coolly,  with  their  shady, 
fanlike  branches,  in  the  chambers  of  the  upper 
stories.  Many  rooms  of  the  first  story  afforded  a 
beautiful  prospect  over  a  level  space  of  many 
hundred  square  miles,  whose  hills  and  valleys 
oftered  an  inexhaustible  multiplicity  and  variety 
of  the  most  idyllian  and  magnificent  natural 
scenes,  from  the  distant  horizon  to  the  surround- 
ing foreground. 

In  a  room  which  fronted  the  east,  simply  fur- 
nished, after  the  European  fashion,  the  verandah 
of  which  was  peculiarly  favored  with  similar 
prospects,  sat  Signore*  Sirafini,  at  breakfast, 
with  his  family,  which  was  also  partaken  by 
some  of  the  officers  of  his  plantation,  and  by  Mr. 
Closting  and  Mr.  Dujour,  who  had  agreed  to 
meet  each  other  at  Villa  Tasso. 

Although  the  family  of  Serafini  had  lived  in 
Brazil  for  several  generations,  they  still  passed 
for  Italian,  since  the  language  and  customs  were 
handed  down  from  father  to  son,  united  with  a 
love  of  art  in  all  its  branches. 

Several  valuable  oil  paintings  of  the  ancient 
Italian  masters  decorated  the  saloon,  and  vari- 
ous musical  instruments  pointed  out  the  villa 
as  the  asylum  of  harmony,  in  this  corner  of  the 
earth  so  remote  from  "  civilization." 

Carlo  Serafini  was  a  young  man,  not  yet  thirty 
years  old,  blessed  in  domestic  happiness  by  the 
sacred  bond  of  love,  and  considered  the  wealth 
inherited  by  him  from  his  father,  as  a  gift  ol 
Providence,  by  which  he  felt  himself  the  more 
pledged  to  become  useful  to  mankind,  as  far  as 
lay  in  his  power. 

Notwithstanding  his  predilection  for  the  na- 
tion from  which  he  originated,  he  passed  among 
his  country  people,  the  Brazilians,  for  one  of 
the  most  decided  patriots,  as  had  been  the  case 
with  his  ancestors. 

The  susceptibility  for  the  beautiful,  the  love 
of  art  that  introduces  the  mind  of  man  to  an  in- 
ner world,  which,  separated  in  a  greater  or  loss 
degree  from  outward  life,  gives  the  spirit  a 
higher  direction  towards  the  perception  of  the 
great  and  the  sublime,  had  been  handed  down  in 
the  family.  In  accordance  with  this  inheritance 
the  element  prevailed,  in  which  alone  this  spirit 
is  able  to  unfold  itself,  the  element  of  moral  free- 

♦  Rosewood  tree, 
t  Portuguese,  Senhor  ;   Spanish,  Senor  ;  Italian,  ,Sig 
nore;  Ihcprouunciatioais  nearly  the  same. 


DOLORES. 


115 


(SoSr..  With  socli  endowments,  the  "  man"  was 
developed  in  Serafini,  in  the  noblest  sense  of  the 
word,  in  tlie  consciousness  of  the  duty  of  patri- 
otism. Sufficiently  notorious  as  one  of  the  most 
Kealous  Faroupilhas  of  Brazil,  he  took  no  lesS' 
interest  in  the  events  of  Europe,  and  especially 
in  the  striii^sles  of  the  country  of  his  fathers- — 
in  Italy's  spirited  and  bloody  struggles  for  na- 
tionality and  freedom. 

"  If  you  have  letters  to  be  despatched  to 
Italy,"  said  Mr.  Closting,  in  conversation  at 
breakfast,  "  yuu  nu>;lit  only  to  confide  tliem  to 
tne — 1  mean,  es|)eciaUy,  such  letters  as  are  of 
more  importance  than  business  correspondence. 
You  know  who  1  am ;  you  know  my  sentiments 
in  relation  to  politics." 

"  I  thank  you,  Senlior  Luiz,"  replied  the 
other ;  **  1  have,  indeed,  known  you  for  years, 
as  a  naturalist,  and  negro  trader,  and  tradessnan. 
I  am  much  obliged  to  you,  and  will  take  tlie  op- 
portunity to  avail  myself  of  your  passing  tlirough 
-— •.  How  does  it  happen,"  said  he,  turning  to 
the  other  guest,  evidently  wishing  to  introduce 
another  subject,  "  how  does  it  hap|)en,  Mr.  Du- 
jour,  that  your  fatlier  calls  himself  Daily,  and 
you  bear  a  sort  of  translation  of  the  name  into 
French  ?  Pardon  me  this  indiscretion,  is  it  your 
Stepfather  who  is  called  so  .'" 

"  My  father,"  said  Dujour,  (a  man  whose  ex- 
terior indicated  nothing  peculiar,)  "  My  father 
married  when  an  emigrant  in  England,  in  the 
beginning  of  the  year  '90,  and  found  it  conve- 
nient, under  peculiar  family  circumstances,  to 
translate  his  name,  Dujour,  into  English,  though, 
perhajjs,  not  very  literally.  I  retained  this 
name  dui-ing  my  first  marriage,  from  which  a 
son  inherited  it,  w"ho  is  now  in  a  mercantile 
house  in  Buenos  Ayres ;  and  when  I  took  my 
second  wife,  a  very  patriotic  French  woman,  I 
looked  up  our  old  family  papers,  and  made  use 
of  the  French  name,  in  judicial  form,  in  Bahia, 
where  I  then  lived  " 

"  You  are,  then,  married  a  second  time  ?" 
inquired  Sra.  .Serafini,  who,  with  maternal  ten- 
derness, was  endeavoring  to  feed,  from  a  spoon, 
a  beautiful  boy,  that  she  had  lately  weaned. 

"  I  was  married  a  second  time,"  replied  Mr. 
Dujour  ;  "  but,  alas  !  my  second  wife  died  in  her 
first  childbed,  and  1  am  a  widower  again.  An 
unlucky  planet  seems  to  hover  over  me  and  mv 
family,"  siglied  he,  as  he  shelled  a  banana,  and 
then,  sunk  in  reflection,  laid  it  out  of  his  hand 
again.  "  My  father,  you  probably  know,  SeKora 
—my  father  is — infirm  in  intellect ;  in  a  situation 
that  I  would  rather  not  touch  upon  further. 
Gold  cannot  bring  happiness  ;  on  the  contrary,  I 
feel  that  the  mines  of  Brazil  have  rather  increased 
than  lessened  the  miseries  of  mankind." 

The  lady  of  the  house  had  too  much  delicacy 
of  feeling  to  inquire  further  after  the  sufferings 
of  old  Dujour.  "  Certainly,"  replied  she,  after 
a  pause  ;  "  certainly  the  mania  for  seeking  gold 
and  making  money,  wiiich  comes  upon  so  many 
men  here  like  a  disease  of  the  climate,  leads,  in 
general,  to  no  earthly  happiness ;  at  least,  we 
seldom  see  an  example  of  a  grimpeiro  staying  his 
thirst  for  gold-water,  content  himself  with  a 
modest  income,  and  retiring  to  re|)ose  in  some 
place  wliere  he  may  enjoy  life,  which  here,  in 
tJiis  paradise  of  the  earth,  presents  so  many 
rharms,  and  offers  a  heaven  upon  earth,  if  our 
hearts  would  embrace  an  altar  of  love." 


Serafini  regarded  Angelica,  his  wife,  with  a 
look  expressive  of  his  congenial  perception  of 
the  truth  wliich  she  had  just  uttered  with  such 
profound  feeling,  and  in  so  gentle  a  manner. 
Their  glances  met ;  Angelica's  deep,  dark  eye 
sparkled,  and  her  noble  countenance  beamed 
with  that  nimbus  of  love  which,  in  the  con- 
sciousness of  tile  harmony  of  the  soul,  that  feels 
itself  transfigured  in  the  soul  of  the  beloved. 

"'  Yes  !  life  on  earth  is  delightful — delightful 
and  exalted,  if  W'e  consider  it  as  a  spiritual 
existence,  and  all  eirfhly  goods  only  as  means 
of  more  and  more  improving  and  perfecting  our 
moral  po\\'ers,  and  effecting  the  improvement  of 
others,  as  far  as  we  are  able,"  said  Serafini,  in  a 
Serious  tone, 

"  Apropos  !"  interrupted  Mr.  Closting,  I  hear 
that  you  have  established  a  school  for  your  ne- 
gro children  ;  is  that  true,  or  only  a  report  '." 

"  It  is  true,"  replied  the  planter,  with  a  sharp 
glance  at  his  interrogator;  "I  have  erected 
schools  for  both  sexes.     AVhy  do  you  ask  ?" 

"  Only  because  I  found  a  connexion  of  ideas 
W'ith  tlie  principles  which  you  have  just  ex- 
pressed. That  is  very  handsome  of  you  ;  it  docs 
you  honor," 

"  I  considered  it  my  duty,  and  my  parents 
would  have  done  it,  long  ago,  if  the  priests  here 
in  our  neighborhood  had  not  endeavored  to  in- 
terrupt the  measures  for  such  an  object  by  all 
sorts  of  intrigues.  Besides,  you  know  I  buy  no 
more  negroes  since  the  slave  trade  is  abolished 
by  law  ;  I  am  trying  to  carry  out  another  system." 

"  I  belong,  it  is  true,  at  present,  to  the  class  of 
grimpeiros,"  said  Mr.  Dujour,  taking  up  the 
word,  and  addressing  the  lady;  "you  have  also 
designated  me  with  this  class ;  but  I  am  gradually 
in  tb.e  way  of  turning  my  property  into  diamonds, 
into  which  I  have  partly  converted  the  incoms 
that  I  have  acquired  by  making  gold  into  money, 
and  1  intend  buying  a  I'azenda.  I  wish  to  follow 
the  example  of  your  husband,  and  perhaps  be- 
come your  neighbor." 

The  clerks  left  the  table  and  the  room, 
hastening  to  their  employments,  and  the  two 
guests  remained  alone  with  the  family. 

"  Our  bargain  is  closed  Mr.  Closting,"  he  con- 
tinued, in  a  lower  tone  ,  "  you  shall  have  the  dia- 
mond for  twenty  contos,  and  take  possession  of 
it  here,  in  the  presence  of  my  friend,  Signore 
Carlo:  in  payment,  two-thirds  in  ready  money, 
in  gold  and  silver  coin,  a  third  part  in  exchange, 
upon  houses  of  good  standing,  in  Bahia  and 
Rio  de  Janeiro." 

"It  is  alt  in  order,"  replied  the  naturalist; 
"  three  montiis  from  to-day  we  will  meet  here 
again,  and  I  will  deposite  here  the  twenty  con- 
tos." 

"  Very  well,  according  to  agreement,"  re- 
marked Mr.  Dujour. 

"  You  have  been  prudent,  Mr.  Dujour,"  w'nis- 
pered  Sra.  Serafini ;  "  you  have  not  allowed  it 
to  be  suspected  on  the  road  that  you  carried  the 
diamond  with  you  i  Pai'don  me  the  question— 
you  know  that  we,  here,  unfortunately,  can  con- 
fide in  but  few,  even  of  our  nearest  acquaint- 
ance !" 

"  I  thank  you,  SIgnora,  for  your  sympathy," 
returned  the  grimpeiro.  "  I  have,  alas  !  long 
since,  been  compelled  to  exercise  prudence  from 
much  bitter  experience.  Mr.  Closting  can  never 
be  displeased  that  I  desired  the  rendezvous  with 


116 


DOLORES. 


him  to  take  place  here  in  your  presence,  since 
Sr.  Serafini  has  known  him  Ioniser  than  I." 

"  Far  from  it,"  interrupted  the  ne^n  trader  ; 
*'  how  can  I  take  ill  of  you,  a  pruHential  meas- 
\ire,  which  I  should  obsei'Ve  myself  towards  anv 
business  man  in  such  a  case,  especially  here  in 
Brazil !  You  know,  as  well  as  I,  that  there  are 
merchants  in  Rio  de  Janeiro,  called  '  respecta- 
ble,' who,  as  is  said,  and  can  he  proved,  carry 
the  brand  of  the  galleys  on  their  backs  !" 

"  I  have  heard  of  such  individuals,"  replied 
Dujour,  "and  know  many  of  them,  personally, 
but  would  not  appoint  a  rendezvous  with  one  ot 
that  class,  to  sell  him  a  diamond  worth  twenty 
nr  twenty-five  contos !" 

"  I  believe  you,  indeed  !  I  have  no  doubt  of 
it,"  observed  Mr.  Closting. 

"  There  come  permanentos,  mamma  '.  Mam- 
ma !  there  come  barefooteci  permanentos,  and  an 
officer  on  horsetxick  '."  cried  a  beactiful  little 
boy,  of  some  three  yenrs  of  ao;e,  who  had  left  the 
breakfast  table,  and  gone  out  on  the  verandah, 
where  he  was  feeding  his  pet,  an  enormous 
cockatoo. 

"  Permanentos !"  exclairned  Angelica,  gtowiy, 
with  a  look  of  amazement  at  her  husband,  who 
involuntarily  sprang  i;p,  and  hurried  to  the  boy, 
while  the  mother,  with  the  little  one  in  her 
arms,  followed  him. 

"  Permanentos !"  cried  Mr.  Clngting,  like- 
wise, and  gazed  around  him  with  an  unsteady 
look. 

"  They  can,  however,  have  nothing  to  do 
here !"  said  Dujour,  partly  aside,  and  both 
placed  themselves  near  the  family,  on  the  ve- 
randah. 

The  prospect  embraced  a  part  of  the  extensive 
Tailey,  intersected  by  a  considerable  stream,  in 
which  rivulet  after  rivulet  emptied  itself,  led 
into  every  sort  of  curvature  by  the  hills  and 
masses  of  rocks,  and  here  and  there,  tmder  the 
strong  light  of  the  rising  sim,  presenting  glitter- 
ing, mirrorlike  surfaces.  The  lieutenant,  whom 
we  left  in  the  fazenda  of  iVie.  Fesh,  had  just  then 
ascended,  with  his  troop,  a  hill  not  far  from  the 
villa,  which  had,  until  then,  covered  his  march. 

"  What  can  that  signify  ?"  inqTiired  Angelica, 
on  the  arm  of  her  husf)and,  who,  like  herself, 
had  until  then,  looked  upon  the  unexpected  vis- 
iters with  an  inriuiring  glance.  Instead  of  an- 
swering, he  pressed  Angelica's  hand,  and  said, 
softly;  "Compose  youi-self;  be  prepared  lor  all 
things  ;  but  prove  that  you  are  a  South  Ameri- 
can, and  ask  yourself,  at  this  moment,  which  lot 
you  would  prefer  for  your  children — to  leave 
them  behind  you  as  the  slaves  of  a  monarch,  or 
as  free  citizens  of  a  grand  republic  ?" 

He  beckoned  to  a  ncgress  to  take  the  youngest 
child  away,  and  bade  the  elder  boy  go  with  her, 
and  look  at  the  permanentos  down  below.  The 
little  fellow  obeyed,  and  crying  out  again, 
"  Barefooted  permanentos  !"  went  off  in  the 
Burse's  hantt. 

The  officer  encompassefl  the  villa,  as  far  a*  it 
tvas  possible  to  do  so  with  thirty  men,  whis- 
pered something  in  the  ear  of  the  two  corporals 
and  an  ensign,  and  was  lost  to  the  gaze  of  the  ob- 
serving grouji,  while  he  entered  the  villa,  and, 
after  some  minutes,  ap]>eared  in  the  room. 

Notwithstanding  his  military  bearing,  united 
to  a  certain  degree  of  iinjjudence,  he  seemed,  for 
the  moment,  confused  and  embarrassed,  when  he 


espied  his  accomplice,  Mr.  Ciosfing,  who  Hi 
not  dare  to  look  him  in  the  face. 

"  Sr.  Carlo  Serafini !"  inquired  the  officer, 
with  a  searching  glance  at  the  three  men,  and 
drew  out  a  document  that  he  unfolded  with  a 
trembling  hand.  Perhaps  Me.  Fesh's  coffee  had 
been  too  strong,  and  afiected  liis  nerves  a  little. 

"I  am"  he!"  replied  the  planter,  in  a  firm 
voice,  stepping,  with  hLswife  on  his  arm,  before 
the  sbirvi,  who  now  began  : 

"  In  the  name  of  the  commandant  of  the  pro- 
vince, I  have  the  honor — — 1  am  commissioned 
to  secure  your  person,  and  comlact  you  to  Porte 
Seguro,  whence  you  will  be  shipped  to  Ria 
de  Janeiro  " 

Angelica,  overpowered  by  the  sensation  of  the 
moment,  and  shocked  by  the  lightning  stroke 
which  had  suddenly  descended  upon  the  elysium 
of  her  domestic  life,  and  injured  the  main  pillar 
of  the  temple  of  her  earthly  happiness,  tottered 
on  the  arm  of  her  husljand,  who,  encircling  her 
with  his  right,  reached  out  his  left  foi  the  docu- 
ment that  made  him  a  prisoner. 

Hardly  had  Angelica's  hend  rested  so  long  on 
the  breast  of  Carlo,  as  sufficed  him  to  scan  over 
the  order  for  his  apprehension,  when,  as  if 
strengthened  by  a  higher  power,  she  suddenly 
resirraed  all  her  self-possesssion,  and  looked 
boldly  around  her. 

"  Place  a  chair  here  for  tlw  officer,  and  hand 
him  sonie  wine,"  snid  she,  in  a  decided  tone  of 
her  melodious  Voice,  to  a  negro,  who  tjuickly 
ol^eyed  the  order.  "  Be  seated,"  continued  she* 
to  the  officer,  who  moistened  an  old  faded  band- 
kerchief  with  the  sweat  of  his  brow,  and  then, 
surprised  by  the  attention  of  the  lady,  sat  downt 
before  her. 

"  And  on  what  account  is  my  husband  ar- 
rested?" she  asked,  with  a  glance,  which,  as  it 
appeared,  he  was  unable  to  bear,  for  he  looked 
down  before  him  on  the  floor. 

"  Ha?  my  liusband  committed  forgery  .'  has  he 
wronged  widows  and  0^)11303.'  has  he  broken 
hi*  plighted  word  ?  If  he  has  done  any  act 
which  m»)8tmake  him,  henceforward,  unworthy 
of  my  respect,  then  let  meknow  it,  and  take  him 
with  you,  for  the  bond  of  the  heart  i?  loosened 
where  respect  has  ceased  ;  and  no  social  duty 
can  fasten  the  wife  to  a  criminal  who  is  un- 
worthy of  her  love.  Answer  rne,  if  yoo  are  able 
What  is  the  crime  of  my  husband .'  It  he  is  dis- 
honored, then  take  him;  if  not,  th<m  take  us 
both  !     I  accompany  my  husband  '." 

Without  awaitinsT  the  reply  of  the  officer,  who 
sat  there,  deadly  pale,  with  a  full  glass  in  his 
hand,  she  turned  towards  Carlo,  pressed  his 
band,  kisecd  him  on  the  forehead,  and  left  the 
room. 

The  moment  permitted  the  h'jsband  no  reply 
to  the  resolute  actions  of  hi*  wife. 

Absorbed  in  reading  the  order  for  his  arrest, 
which  at  the  same  time  contained  wtme  of  the 
groundsof  complaint  ,he  had,  nevertheless,  heard 
Angelica's  words,  and  fooiid  himself  in  a  sort 
of  absence  of  mind,  from  the  twofold  attention. 

Dajour,  who  had, until  this  tin>e,  lingered  near 
the  betrayer  VFjion  the  verandah,  now  stepi^ed  up 
to  his  old  acquaintance,  the  owner  of  Villa  Tasso, 
and  was  hardly  able  to  move  his  lips.  Me  placed 
himself  near  him,  and  took  a  look  at  the  docu- 
ment. 

"  On  account  of  participation  in  secret  asso- 


DOLORES. 


117 


eiations,  for  the  subversion  of  the  Brazilian  em- 
pire," he  read,  half  aloud — "  and  to  promote  the 
founding  of  a  republican  confederation  of  the 
United  States  of  South  America. 

"  On  account  of  participation  in  an  European 
republican  association,  called  '  La  Giovine  Italia.' 
On  account  of  active  participation  in  the  dissemi- 
nation of  rebellious  writings — among  others, 
Mazzini's  epistle,  '  To  the  Youth  of  Italy," 
printed  in  Rio  de  Janeiro,  at  the  instance  of  the 
said  Carlo  Seratini,  and  sent,  by  his  procure- 
ment, to  tiie  headquarters  of  the  rebels  in  Rio 
Grande." 

Serafini  looked  from  the  document  at  Mr.  Du- 
jour,  as  if  he  would  ask,  "  What  do  you  say  to 
this  ?"  cast  a  searching  look  upon  the  naturalist 
on  the  verandah,  and  then  handed  the  paper  to 
the  officer,  and  asked  him, 

"  When  will  you  depart .'  When  must  I  be 
ready  to  accompany  you  !" 

"  I  have  strict  orders  to  depart  without  de- 
lay," replied  the  officer.  "  I  am  sorry  that  I  must 
trouble  you  to  prepare  yourself  for  the  journey 
as  soon  as  possible,  as  soon  as  my  people  have 
completed  taking  possession  of  your  papers, 
and  of  all  the  weapons  on  your  plantation." 

"  Possession  of  my  i)apers,"  repeated  Carlo, 
in  an  ironical  tone,  "  by  all  means  ;  but  then  your 
people  will  require  my  keys.  As  concerns  my 
weapons,  I  tell  you  plainly,  beforehand,  that  I 
possess  for  my  two  hundred  negroes,  full  two 
nundred  guns  with  bayonets,  and  all  necessary 
email  arms  besides,  for  the  defence  of  my  prop- 
erty, which  is  my  right  and  my  duty.  1  think 
that  a  government  which  ofl'ers  no  personal  se- 
curity to  its  citizens,  and  gives  them  up  as  a 
prey  to  be  plundered  by  every  robber,  ought  not 
to  prohibit  its  citizens  from  arming  their  people. 
Your  couple  of  hundred  permanentos,  as  gens 
d'armes  on  service,  will  really  not  protect  our 
province ;  and  where  am  I  to  look  for  you,  with 
your  thirty  men,  if  I  should  even  be  attacked  by 
wild  beasts  ?" 

"  As  respects  the  protection  of  your  property, 
a  captain  will  be  here  to-day,  or  to-morrow, 
with  a  militai'y  division.  You  may  rest  quite 
unconcerned  on  that  score,"  said  the  officer. 

"  I  am  acquainted  with  such  administration, 
and  thank  the  government  for  its  care.  I  know 
a  colonel  in  Rio  de  Janeiro,  who  commanded  in 
Mlna.s  Geraes,  under  pretence  of  supijressing  the 
rebellion,  and  returned,  after  four  months,  to 
Rio  de  Janeiro,  with  a  property  of  tifty  contos, 
with  which  he  established  himself  in  the  rua  do 
Ouvidor,  as  a  livery  stable  keeper ;  but  that 
does  not  interest  you,  and  does  not  concern  either 
of  us." 

It  may  appear  strange  to  an  English  reader, 
that  a  colonel  of  cavalry  sliould  retire  from  ser- 
vice to  establish  a  livery  stable.  In  respect  to 
this,  we  may  remark,  iliat  in  Brazil  the  man 
makes  the  business  honorable,  and  the  business 
does  not  indicate  the  respectability  of  the  man. 
A  washing  establishment,  for  instance,  is  there 
a  business,  like  that  of  a  livery  stable,  which  puts 
in  circulation  some  hundred  thousand  dollars  a 
year  ;  and  no  family,  of  such  fortune,  would  be 
ashamed  to  apply  their  capital  in  this  manner. 
Manners  and  climate,  in  all  countries,  affect  the 
estimation  in  which  different  occupations  are 
held.  In  Brazil,  less  hypocrisy  and  prejudice 
jirevail  than  in  iiia.ny  other  lands,  where  a  Clu'ia- 


tian  capitalist  speculates  in  building  vessel?  for 
the  slave  trade,  who  would  be  ashamed  to  keep 
a  livery  stable. 

The  ensign  now  entered  the  apartment,  ac- 
companied by  two  of  the  barefoot  corps,  with 
lowered  bayonets  and  cocked  muskets ;  they 
looked  anxiously  around,  as  if  fearing  that  some 
one  might  shoot  them  down,  without  their 
having  tlie  courage  to  defend  their  sunburnt 
hides.  The  subordinate  spoke  in  a  low  voice, 
to  his  superior  officer,  who  intimated  to  the  pris- 
oner that  he  might  go  about  the  house  at  his 
pleasure,  under  the  escort  of  this  guard,  and  pre- 
pare himself  for  his  journey. 

Serafini  was  going  out  with  the  ensign,  whea 
the  officer  hastily  called  him  back,  and  asked 
him — 

"  What  is  the  family  name  of  your  wife .'"  and 
then  opened  his  pocketbook,  and  held  a  pencil 
ready. 

"  De  la  Barca !"  was  the  answer,  which  the 
former  noted. 

"  Where  was  she  born  ?" 

*'  In  Corrientes,  on  the  Parana.'* 

"  Are  her  parents  living  ?" 

"  No." 

"  What  is  her  mother's  family  name !" 

"  Garringos." 

"  Has  she  sisters  and  brothers .'" 

"  Only  one  brother." 

"  What  is  his  name  ?" 

**  Alvarez  de  la  Barca." 

"  Where  is  he  now  .'" 

"  That  is  unknown  to  us,"  replied  Serafini,  and 
left  the  room,  accompanied  by  his  hobbling  guard. 

Angelica  had  had  the  presence  of  mind  to  de- 
stroy all  those  papers  of  her  husband  which 
might  have  been  used  as  evidence  against  him. 
She  met  him  in  the  corridor,  and  flew  into  his 
arms.  A  long,  speechless  embrace  followed, 
from  which  she  then  tore  herself,  to  make  fur- 
ther preparations  for  her  journey. 

Carlo  did  not  dare  to  oppose  her,  as  he  knew 
his  companion,  who  now,  in  all  haste,  made  the 
most  important  arrangements  to  leave  her  two 
children  under  the  most  secure  protection  possi- 
ble. The  journey  to  Porto  Seguro  was  long, 
and  extremely  difficult,  as  it  could  only  be  under- 
taken on  horseback,  and  over  many  chains  of 
mountains,  full  of  hollows  and  precipices,  and 
deserted  inhospitable  campas,  and  was  attended 
with  dangers  and   privations  of  all  sorts. 

Mr.  Closting  remained  upon  the  verandah,  as 
if  he  had  been  chained  there,  while  an  often 
despised,  inward  voice,  which  we  call  "  con- 
science," to  his  great  astonishment,  aroused  itself 
within  him,  and,  as  it  were,  forbade  him  to  look 
any  one  in  the  face,  to  say  nothing  of  entering 
the  apartment  where  the  arrest  had  taken  place. 

"  Who  are  you  ?"  now  inquired  the  officer  of 
the  old  acquaintance  of  the  prisoner,  since  he, 
also,  had,  very  naturally,  become  suspicious  to 
the  government,  as  the  confidant  of  the  fai'ou- 
pilhas, 

"  Mr.  Dujour  started,  and  mentioned  his  name, 
which  the  ofhcer  noted  down,  and  demanded 
further :  "  And  you,  there — you  without !  who 
are  you .'"  cried  he  to  the  negro  trader,  as  if  he 
had  never  seen  him  before. 

Encouraged  by  this  firm  demeanor,  the  in- 
former then  entered  the  room,  and  likewise 
passed  a  sti'ict  examination. 


118 


DOLORES. 


"You  may  depart,  both  of  you,"  said  the  offi- 
cer, after  he  had  read  over  his  pi-oces  verbal. 
"  You  had  better  make  haste  to  go;  the  captain, 
who  13  coming  here,  is,  perhaps,  stricter  than  I." 

Mr.  Dujour,  although  he  had  long  resided  in 
Brazil,  felt  his  position  very  uncomfortable,  un- 
der surrounding  circumstances,  and  expressed  a 
wish  to  travel  in  the  company  of  the  other 
guests. 

Without  in  the  least  suspecting  how  entirely 
he  was  coming  into  the  finely  spun  plan  of  the 
betrayer,  he  was  rejoiced  by  the  consolatory 
assurance  that  Mr.  Closting  could  accompany 
him  for  some  days,  as  far  as  the  turning  of  the 
mountains,  and  would  protect  him  with  all  his 
people,  if  he  would  first  go  with  him  a  little  out 
of  his  way,  to  Me.  Fesh's. 

Mr.  Dujour  agreed  to  this  proposal  with  cor- 
dial thanks,  and  gave  a  negro,  who  was  arranging 
the  room,  the  order  to  have  their  beasts  saddled ; 
whereupon  Mr.  Closting  oflered  to  attend  to  it 
himself,  and  hastily  departed,  that  he  might  not 
again  come  under  the  observation  of  the  farou- 
pilha  or  his  wife. 

A  sumptuous  breakfast  was  prepared  for  the 
officer  and  his  ensign,  after  the  patriarchal  cus- 
tom of  Brazil,  which  ofl'ers  refreshments  even  to 
an  enemy,  and  shelter  to  a  betrayer. 

Serafini  appeared  in  an  elegant  national  tra- 
velling costume,  rich  in  gold  buttons  and  precious 
stones,  glittering  on  the  vest  and  spencer,  and 
upon  the  brilliantly  white  linen,  the  watch- 
guard,  the  fingers,  and  on  the  spurs  upon  the 
buckskin  boots.  A  negro  t>ehind  him  carried 
the  "  poncho,"  the  national  mantle,  of  a  pe- 
culiar cut,  made  of  dark  blue  cloth,  nearly 
five  feet  wide  and  eight  feet  long,  with  an  open- 
ing for  the  neck  in  the  middle,  (and  a  gold  or  sil- 
ver agrafe,)  lined  with  red,  and  rounded  at  the 
corners. 

This  form  of  the  "  poncho,"  originally  bor- 
rowed from  the  Patagonians,  is  particularly  suit- 
able to  its  object,  as  it  protects  the  arms  of  the 
equestrian  traveller,  and  leaves  his  hands  free, 
while  it  selves  him  for  a  covering  to  sleep  under 
at  night. 

"  Pardon  me,  illustrissimo  Senhor  !"  said  the 
officer  to  his  prisoner,  in  a  tone  of  contemptuous 
politeness  ;  "  pardon  me,  that  I  am  obliged  to 
order  your  travelling  toilet  according  to  my 
instructions.  You  must  carry  nothing  of  value 
about  you — absolutely  nothing ;  and  instead  of 
your  spencer,  you  must  wear  a  capote,  which  is 
somewhat  warmer  for  the  mountain  heights. 
You  may  take  your  "  poncho"  with  you  ;  I  will 
answer  for  that,  although  I  foresee  it  may  bring 
a  reprimand  upon  me.  Please  to  lay  aside  your 
clothes  with  gold  and  diamond  buttons,  and  all 
that  you  carry  about  you.  1  will  take  them  in 
charge  to  Porto  Seguro  ;  you  need  not  be  at  all 
concerned  about  them." 

Not  in  the  least  moved  in  his  mind,  but  filled 
with  contempt  for  such  legalized  plundering, 
which  characterized  the  persecution  of  all  rebels 
in  Brazil,Carlo  took  ofl'hisjewellery.of  the  value 
of  some  five  contos. 

Assured  of  such  loss,  he  had,  nevertheless, 
endeavored  to  save  some  of  those  valuables,  the 
confiscation  of  which  must  be  as  indifferent  to 
him,  whether  accomplished  now,  or  afterwards, 
by  the  expected  officer,  who  was  to  undertake 
the  "  administration  of  the  plantation." 


Angelica  entered  the  apartment  as  her  husband 
drew  on  the  capote,  which  is  recognised  in  Bra- 
il as  the  dress  of  the  mean?^t  criminal,  and,  ag 
such,  indicates  a  sort  of  degradation. 

"For  a  second  she  remained  standing,  as  if  pet- 
rified, and  turned  pale,  while  a  large  tear  rolled 
down  her  cheek. 

■Carlo,  who  was  under  the  hands  of  some  per- 
manentos,  who  served  as  valets  to  the  proscribed, 
obsen'ed  the  emotion  of  Angelica,  and  all  that 
oppressed  his  heart,  all  that  he  felt  of  bitterness, 
contempt,  love,  and  faith,  was  expressed  in  a 
single  look,  which,  met  the  soulfelt  glance  of 
her  eye. 

Angelica  was  attired  in  a  European  costinne, 
with  a  long  riding  dress,  and  a  broad  brimmed 
beaver  hat.  Her  dress,  like  her  husband'3,was  or- 
namented with  jewels,  after  the  custom  of  the 
country. 

At  the  first  word  of  the  sbirro's  cringing  ser- 
vility, intimating  that  the  lady  must  lighten  her- 
self of  her  ornaments,  and  confide  them  all  to 
him.  Carlo  lost  his  self-command. 

"  Lieutenant,  or  coi-poral,  or  whatever  you 
may  be,"  said  he,  to  the  driver  of  the  barefooted 
troop,  "  leave  my  wife  unmolested  !  If  you  dare 
to  give  an  order  to  touch  her — to  plunder  her  as 
you  have  plundered  me,  I  swear  by  the  holy 
God  you  shall  not  pass  alive  over  the  Serra  do3 
Esmeraldos,  to  Porto  Seguro !  Mark  that  well ! 
1  swear  it  yet  again  !  Recollect  that  my  wife 
is  not  your  prisoner,  but  my  wife,  who  accom- 
panies me  from  her  own  choice,  and  is  free  in 
the  eyes  of  the  law  !  Mark  that !  and  guide 
yourself  accordingly  !  Disobey  my  command, 
and  a  hundred  carabines  of  noble  Brazilians 
shall  blow  you  and  your  thirty  men  to  atoms 
before  we  pass  the  ne.^t  town." 

During  this  objurgation,  he  had  drawn  on  the 
frock  of  the  "escravosbrancos,"  and  now  reached 
his  arm  to  his  wife,  to  leave  tlieir  home,  perhaps 
forever. 

Angelica's  resolution  to  depart  without  taking 
leave  of  her  children,  wavered  like  her  steps, 
as  she  was  entering  the  corridor — she  left  the 
arm  of  her  husband,  beckoned  him  to  go  before, 
down  the  broad  granite  stairs,  and  disappeai-ed 
through  a  door  which  led  into  the  apartment  of 
the  children. 

Carlo  left  the  house.  To  the  father  attached 
to  his  children  with  equal  fondness,  a  farewell 
scene  would  have  been  impossible,  for  which  the 
womanly  spirit  of  the  mother  appeared  armed 
with  superior  strength.  He  would  not  have  had 
the  power  to  embrace  them,  perhaps  for  the  last 
time,  without,  after  leaving  them,  stabbing  to  the 
heart,  witli  the  nearest  knife,  the  slave  of  tyr- 
anny who  tore  him  from  them — for  he  was  a 
man. 

Angelica  appeared  in  a  short  time,  with  tear- 
dimmed  eyes,  under  the  portal  of  the  villa,  and 
mounted  her  mule  witli  the  assistance  of  her 
husband.  She  was  followed  by  two  women  and 
two  men,  as  servants,  and  to  take  charge  of  some 
animals  laden  with  travelling  necessaries.  The 
officer  allowed  the  chain  intended  for  the  "rebel," 
to  hang  at  his  own  saddle,  that  it  might  be  at 
hand  as  quickly  as  possible,  in  case  of  need, 
and  Mr.  Dujour,  and  the  lamenting  house  ser- 
vants, took  a  liasty  farewell  of  tlie  prisoner  and 
his  noble  wife. 


DOLORES. 


119 


CHAPTER    X. 


THE    SECRET    PLAN. 


"  These  are  troublerl  times !"  said  Mr.  Clost- 
ing,  interrupting  the  long  silence,  as  he  rode 
along  by  Mr.  Dujour. 

"  Very  troubled  times,  indeed  !"  replied  the 
latter,  and  a  long  pause  again  ensued. 

Mr.  Dujour  was  one  of  those  "  peaceable  citi- 
zens, who  do  not  trouble  themselves  with  poli- 
tics," when  it  might  lead  them  into  any  danger 
to  do  so,  but  who  are  very  zealous  politicians, 
whenever  tlieir  particular  interest  in  connexion 
with  this  or  that  government  requires  it,  when 
the  prospect  and  hope  of  a  situation  or  pension, 
the  provision  for  a  family,  or  the  like,  bring 
them  in  contact  with  the  administration,  or  with 
any  person  who  represents  it. 

Mr.  Dujour  was  a  grimpeiro,  a  gold  specula- 
tor, and,  as  sucli,  belonged  to  a  class  of  men, 
who  have  thoughts  for  nothing  but  gold  and 
gold's  worth,  and  of  course  give  themselves  not 
the  least  trouble  about  their  nation  and  country. 

This  numerous  and  (through  the  tendency  of 
our  epoch)  rapidly  increasing  class,  find  their 
peculiar  element  in  cnunti-ies  where  a  false  cul- 
tivation, or  "  civilization,"  makes  a  position  for  a 
man  according  to  the  value  of  his  money.  Num- 
bers, of  themselves,  represent  materialism,  and 
words,  spirituality.  Numbers  are  the  moans  of 
material  speculation,  and  the  word,  the  com- 
munication of  thouglit — the  medium  of  spiritual 
elevation  and  of  moral  ennoblement. 

It  is  characteristic,  that  a  man  who  occupies 
himself  during  his  whole  life  with  counting  and 
with  calculation,  without,  at  the  same  time, 
*'  thinking"  of  something  which  lies  without  the 
circumference  of  his  material  gains,  loses,  by 
degrees,  the  particle  of  intellect  which  nature 
lent  him,  and  becomes  every  day  more  one-sided, 
contracted,  and  stupid. 

In  opposition  to  these  remarks,  we  find  that 
the  higher  intellectual  men  stand  in  their  deve- 
lopment, the  deeper  they,  led  by  the  inspired 
word,  penetrate  into  the  realms  of  thought,  the 
further,  in  tlie  same  proportion,  are  they  re- 
moved from  every  calculation  of  material  specu- 
lation, because  every  earthly  good  is  only  the 
means  of  pursuing  their  intellectual  exertions. 

We  touch  here  one  of  those  fundamental 
J  oints,  from  wliich  the  various  tendencies  of 
men  universally  proceed.  In  retrospect  to  for- 
mer intimations  upon  the  inner  life — attraction 
and  rep\ilsion,  spirituality  and  materialism — we 
consider  the  life  of  the  soul  to  be  in  spirituality, 
and  materialism  as  the  death  of  the  soul — two 
poles,  separated  by  the  equator  of  indifl'erence. 
If  we  judge  every  man  as  the  inner  life  is 
awakened  within  him,  by  the  attraction  towards 
the  lofty  pole  of  spirituality,  and  weigh,  on  the 
other  hand,  the  humiliation  of  men  who  sink  be- 
low the  equator,  to  the  earthly  pole  of  material- 
ism, the  endlessly  varied  degrees  of  inward  life, 
and  inward  deadness,  as  it  were,  systematically 
present  themselves. 

Notliing  is  more  remarkable  than  the  mutual 
attraction  of  those  in  whom  the  spiritual  life  pre- 
vails, and  the  business  attraction  to  each  other 
of  those  men  who,  more  or  less  spiritually  dead, 
vegetate  as  calculating  machines,  upon  or  under 
tile  equator  of  indifiereuce. 


As  spiritual  men,  in  whom  the  life  of  the  snul 
unfolds  itself,  are  drawn  towards  each  other  by 
means  of  a  mysterious  attraction,  so  do  those  who 
are  inwardly  dead,  seem,  as  it  were,  to  recognise 
each  other  by  the  mouldy  smell  proceeding  from 
the  rottenness  of  the  heart,  since  they  approxi- 
mate to  each  other  with  singular  facility,  where 
reciprocal  speculation  requires  it.  • 

To  get  rich  by  calculation,  at  the  expense  of 
others,  by  overreaching  and  honest  cheating,  as 
elements  of  commerce,  must  become  more  diffi- 
cult every  day — for  men,  warned  by  thousand- 
fold experience,  will,  also,  relatively  increase 
their  prudential  measures,  if  they  do  not  be- 
come, at  tlie  same  time,  from  day  to  day,  more 
contracted  in  the  above  named  slough  of  the 
spiritless  world  of  calculation,  and,  notwith- 
standing all  their  business  knowledge,  become 
the  prey  of  overreaching. 

In  the  same  measure  as  mutual  distrust  in- 
creases, (since  the  man  of  business  is  prepared 
ftirdeceitbeforehand,)  does  strength  ofjudgement 
appear  to  diminish.  The  more  a  man  gains  in 
single-sided  business  routine,  the  less  does  he 
gather  of  knowledge  of  the  world  and  mankind. 

The  deeper  a  man  sinks  into  material  specula- 
tion, the  more  he  lives  in  figures,  and  tiiinks  of 
nothing  which  he  cannot  reckon  by  a  num.ber, 
the  less  does  he  often  observe  the  nearest  objects 
around  him. 

It  would,  perhaps,  have  awakened  a  slight  dis- 
trust in  many  men  in  Mr.  Dujour's  situation,  to 
have  observed,  with  the  smallest  power  of  com- 
prehension, the  deportment  of  his  ravelling  com- 
panion ;  but  the  faculty  of  thought,  of  reflecting 
upon  any  subject  whatever  not  connected  with 
his  gold  speculations,  was  wanting  in  the  grim- 
peiro, as  in  thousands  of  his  kind. 

He  looked  upon  his  companion  as  a  man  of 
business,  and  the  befoi-e  intimated  fellow  feeling, 
caused  by  the  perception  of  inward  rottenness, 
had  led  to  those  relations  of  business  traffic,  in 
which  the  money  bag  alone  has  any  weight,  and 
the  heart  is  held  in  the  least  possible  considera- 
tion. 

"  We  shall  be  liable  to  meet  the  permanentos 
again,"  began  Mr.  Closting,  after  one  of  the  fre- 
quent pauses ;  "  1  mean  the  captain  who  is  to 
take  possession  of  Villa  Tasso  ;  and,  perhaps,  he 
may  even  take  it  in  his  head  to  search  us,  to  see 
w'hether  we  carry  secret  papers  about  us,  and  htj 
will  find  your  diamond." 

Mr.  Dujour,  who  was  suddenly  aroused  from 
his  speculations,  and  had  scarcely  heai'd  what 
the  other  said,  arrived,  with  difficulty,  at  a  con- 
nexion of  ideas,  which  made  evident  the  danger 
that  threatened  him. 

"  You  are  right,"  replied  he ;  "  an  unlaid  egg 
is  not  safe  from  such  a  band  of  robbers  as  our 
military  here,  or,  at  least,  their  officers,  not  to 
mention  a  diamond  in  the  pocket  of  a  traveller." 

'*  Especially  when  the  traveller  is  known  as 
the  intimate  friend  of  a  faroupilha." 

"  We  are  in  danger  of  being  seized  and  plun- 
dered as  such." 

"  Indeed  !  the  affair  is  serious — let  us  then 
ride  a  little  faster  !"  With  these  words,  the  nat- 
uralist gave  his  mule  the  spur,  and  the  grim- 
peiro followed  him  as  fast  as  he  could. 
.S'nhor  Luiz  !"  cried  he,  from  a  distance, and  then 
said,  in  a  lower  tone,  as  he  again  overtook  him, 
"  may  I  beg  a  favor  of  you  ?    Will  you  take  the 


lao 


DOLORES. 


diamond  in  charge  until  we  come  to  Me.  Fesh's 
fazenda,  or  until  we  reach  my  dwelling.  You 
are  more  strongly  armed  than  I,  and  besides, 
know  better  how  to  handle  weapons.  Your 
looks  would  keep  a  man  at  a  distance,  and  I — 
they  would  see  my  anxiety  at  the  first  glance — 
I  am  not  the  man  for  such  cases." 

"  If  you  believe  that  the  diamond  will  be  any 
safer  in  my  keeping  than  %vith  you,"  replied 
Clostins,  "  and  I  can  do  you  a  favor  by  carrying 
it,  I  will  do  so,  willingly,  with  all  my  heart. 
Before  any  one  comes  at  my  person,  be  it  a  cap- 
tain, or  a  common  permanento,  I  have  at  least 
four  balls  ready."  He  pointed  to  his  pistols  and 
his  double  barrelled  gun. 

"  I  also  carry  a  gun,  to  be  sure,  as  it  is  a  cus- 
tom of  the  country,  but  I  should  hardly  use  it 
for  my  protection."  He  opened  his  spencer  and 
his  vest,  and  gave  over  to  his  companion  a  little 
box,  which  was  suspended  from  his  neck  by  a 
strip  of  leather,  like  an  amulet. 

"  There  it  is,"  he  whispered  softly,  looking 
at  his  two  negroes,  who,  with  the  naturalist's  ser- 
vant, followed  them  at  a  great  distance,  and  of 
course  could  not  see  what  went  on. 

"  If  one  only  reflects  upon  it,"  remarked  Mr. 
Closting,  as  he  hung  the  case  about  his  own 
neck,  in  the  same  manner  as  it  had  been  carried 
by  its  owner,  "  if  one  only  reflects  upon  it,  the 
value  of  such  a  stone  is  altogether  imaginary  ;  if 
I  had  not  had  an  order  to  buy  it  for  a  German 
prince,  I  would  not  have  oft'ered  twenty  contos 
for  it." 

"  And  if  I  had  not  been  certain  that  somebody 
or  another,  commissioned  by  a  third  person, 
would  ottisr  me  such  a  sum  for  it,  I  would  not 
have  invested  the  money  in  it  that  I  paid  for  it," 
replied  Mr.  Dujour,  smiling. 

"  Then  you  did  not  wash*  it  yourself?" 

"Oh,  no!  I  bought  it  with  go'ld  dust.  A  hun- 
dred years  ago  this  stone  would  have  been  worth 
three'times  its  present  value.  The  price  of  dia- 
monds diminishes,  as  the  product  of  the  wash- 
ing diminishes." 

"  That  is  founded  on  political  circumstances. 
Crowns  no  longer  sit  as  securely  on  the  heads  of 
princes,  as  formerly.  A  king's  crown,  with  all 
its  diamonds,  is  no  longer  worth  as  much  as  it 
was  a  hundred  years  ago  !" 

"  Very  justly  remai-kcd  !  very  acute,  Mr. 
Closting  !  One  would  soon  perceive  that  you 
have  studied." 

"  A  man  is  better  off  with  gold  and  silver  :  it 
is  the  measure  of  human  worth,  and  will  remain 
so,  whilst  British  civilization  advances. 

"  Before  England's  influence  extended  itself 
over  the  world,  a  man  had  some  value  as  a  man  ; 
his  character,  his  talent,  his  spirit,  were  worth 
something.  Now,  however,  it  is  entirely  by 
his  money  that  a  man  is  valued ;  he  may  be  a 
mean  fellow,  and  the  greatest  blockhead  in  the 
world,  and  if  he  have  only  money,  he  is  well  re- 
ceived." 

"  Excellent !  and  unhappily  true — but  too 
true." 

"  There  is  something  very  peculiar  in  the 
circumstance  of  the  Britons'  seeking  to  obtain 
a  monopoly  ot  all  the  gold  on  earth,  and  also 
seeking  to  usurp  nearly  all  the  mines  here  in 
Brazil.     '  Where  the   carcass  is,  there  will  the 


*  Tcclinical  expressioa  for  finding  in  the  water. 


eagles  be  gathered  together,'  is  Scripture — and 
where  gold  is,  there  do  the  Britons  assemble  ! 
If  one  even  discover  a  mine,  one  must  use  the 
utmost  circumspection,  lest  a  Briton  should 
come  behind  him,  and  get  possession  of  it  be- 
fore he  suspects  it.  I  know  of  a  spot  up  there  in 
your  neighborhood,"  he  continued,  in  a  lower 
voice,  and  with  a  significant  expression,  "where 
a  man  could  make  himself  rich  !" 

"  How  so  ?"  inquired  Mr.  Dujour,  hastily  and 
inquisitively.  "  Not  a  mine  ?  a  fast  mine  .'  Is  it 
in  strata,  or  flowing  !" 

The  naturalist  appeared  unwilling  to  give  a 
direct  answer  to  these  inquiries,  but,  on  the 
contrary,  heightened  the  curiosity  of  the  grim- 
peiro  by  remarking ; 

"  If  my  business  would  permit  me  to  stop 
with  my  negroes,  which  I  have  with  me  at  pre- 
sent, for  four  months,  in  that  corner  of  the 
mountains,  I  would  buy  ten  dozen  such  dia- 
monds as  yours  with  ready  money.  But  I  must 
first,  formally  settle  myself  there,  and  form  a 
partnership  with  somebody,  since  I  could  not  be 
always  there  myself." 

At  these  words,  the  grimpeiro  listened  with 
heightened  expectation,  and  would  gladly  have 
asked  a  direct  question,  if  he  had  not  feared  that 
it  might  operate  against  his  present  desire. 

"  Before  we  separate,  and  when  we  are  up 
there  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  mine,  just  tell 
me  one  word  about  it,  entirely  as  a  matter  of 
business ;"  said  he,  slowly,  and  with  emphasis. 
"  It  is  natural  that  in  such  a  business  some 
partner  should  be  personally  established  there." 
"  I  have  no  objection  at  all  to  meet  you  in 
thisafl'air,"  replied  Mr.  Closting;  "but  every 
thing  must  be  done  with  the  greatest  prudence  ; 
and  we  will  speak  about  it  further,  before  we 
separate." 

The  two  grimpeiros  now  reached  the  fazenda 
of  Me.  Fesh,  and  found  her  still  cursing  over 
the  loss  of  her  "  contos  in  negro  flesh,"  as  she 
expressed  herself. 

Placed  under  a  necessity  of  purchasing  a 
Pluto,  and  some  other  negroes  and  negresses, 
she  had  employed  herself,  during  the  absence  of 
Mr.  Closting,  in  holding  a  review  over  his  black 
merchandise.  She  found  herself  in  similar 
perplexity  with  many  ministers  of  state,  who 
have  to  select  from  genealogical  lists  some 
prince,  for  a  princess  or  heiress  to  the  throne, 
and  must  rely  upon  good  luck  in  their  choice, 
since  the  qualities  for  propogating  a  legitimate 
dynasty  cannot,  unfortunately,  be  ascertained 
and  proved  beforehand.  There  existed  only  this 
diflerence,  that  as  yet  no  Mahommedan  prince  has 
come  upon  such  a  list,  to  whom  several  princesses 
could  be  disposed  of  at  once,  if  even,  on  tlie 
other  hand,  many  Turkish  customs  are  not  en- 
tirely strange  at  European  courts. 

After  long  hesitation,  she  chnse  a  successor  to 
Pluto,  and  a  young  negress  to  replace  Anastasia, 
and  deferred,  to  Mr.  Closting's  dissatisfaction, 
the  purchase  of  an  Antinous  and  ApoUino  to 
better  times,  since  ready  money  had,  even  for 
Me.  Fesh,  a  solid  value,  in  comparison  to  which 
the  life  of  some  few  black  beasts  was  not  to  be 
considered — if  it  were  not,  that  they,  like  other 
"  stock  cattle,"  cost  ready  money. 

The  negro  trader  hastened  to  proceed  on  his 
journey,  tor  he  had  set  his  heart  upon  accom- 
panying the  grimpeiro  into  the  mountains.     Ho 


DOLORES. 


121 


called  him  aside,  to  return  the  diamond  to  him, 
in  case  he  desired  it,  which  the  other  con- 
fidingly refused,  as  he  observed  that  the  jewel 
would  be  better  taken  care  of  by  his  companion 
than  by  Iiim — which  mi^ht  very  well  be  the  case. 

Mr.  Banko  hud  debated  with  himself,  and 
consulted  with  his  fellow  suflerer  Mr.  Nols, 
whether  he  should  immediately  leave  the  negro 
trader,  and  wander  alone  to  Rip  do  Janeiro,  or 
Bahia,  or  endure  his  situation  still  longer.  Strip- 
ped of  all  means,  without  necessary  clothing,  a 
stranger  in  a  country  where  even  the  government 
itself  afforded  no  personal  security,  and  where, 
apart  from  the  countless  perils  and  difficulties 
amongst  Indian  tribes  and  wild  beasts,  he  was  in 
danger  of  being  thrust  into  a  copote  of  the  perma- 
nenios,  and  misused  as  a  recruit ;  there  remained 
in  short,  nothing  for  the  poor  youth,  but  for  the 
present  to  abide  by  his  fate,  and  run  about  for  a 
time,  through  bushes  and  over  rocks,  to  hunt 
butterflies;  an  employment  which,  in  the  tropical 
heat,  by  no  means  contributed  to  personal  comfort. 

"  Where  are  those  that  you  took  yesterday?" 
inquired  the  naturalist  of  him,  when  he  had 
concluded  his  trade  with  Me.  Fesh,  and  received 
his  money. 

"  Here  !"  grumbled  the  youth,  and  opened  his 
box,  in  which  appeared  many  particularly  bril- 
liant and  uncommon  specimens  of  beetles,  as 
well  as  butterflies,  the  view  of  which  softened 
the  savage  humor  of  the  slave  trader,  which 
had  been,  besides,  rendered  less  violent  by  the 
above  sale  of  liis  ware. 

"  That  will  do  very  well,"  said  he ;  I  will  not 
leckonso  severely  with  you,  for  your  imperti- 
nence of  last  evening." 

"  My  demands  on  you  for  maltreatment  I 
have  noted  down,  along  with  other  claims,"  in- 
terrupted Mr.  Banko,"  and  your  being  satisfied 
with  tills  capture  will  not  ward  it  off.  I  de- 
clare to  you,  that  I  shall  only  remain  with  you 
for  a  few  days'  journey,  until  we  arrive  in  the 
neighborhood  of  a  town,  or  meet  a  caravan  to 
which  I  can  join  myself  I  consider  myself  re- 
leased from  our  contract  since  last  evening,  as 
you  have  not  fulfilled  your  part  of  it.  Here  you 
are  the  stronger,  and  1  defer  my  reckoning  with 
you — until  an  opportunity  presents  itself"  Mr. 
Closting  felt  that  the  measures  of  the  offended 
youth  might  bring  under  discussion  certain 
former  ti'ansactions,  and  he  wished  to  give  mat- 
ters a  favorable  turn.  Mr.  Banko's  clothing 
was  entirely  torn,  as  the  natural  consequence  of 
his  wandering  about,  through  bushes  and  briars, 
wherever  the  harmless  whims  of  a  pair  of  but- 
terflies led  his  steps  after  their  fluttering  flight. 
He  now  desired  some  clothes  and  shoes,  and 
necessary  linen,  and  a  straw  hat,  for  the  sun  had 
burnt  him  apparently  to  a  mulatto. 

The  naturalist  granted  his  request,  and  had 
means  enough  at  hand  to  comply  with  it  imme- 
iliately,  as  he  carried  with  him  ready  made 
clothing  for  sale  and  exchange. 

Banko  equipped  himself  for  his  contemplated 
separation,  as  well  as  the  apprehensions  and 
the  present  good  humor  oflhis  master  permitted, 
of  which  he  was  obliged  to  make  speedy  use. 

Mr.  Closting  appeared  to  agree  the  more 
readily  to  the  demands  of  his  penless  and  inkless 
secretary,  as  he  evidently  wished  to  set  out  im- 
mediately upon  his  journey,  for  the  present, 
directed  to  an  uninhabited  grimpeiro  village,  near 

16 


exhausted  gold  mines,  deep  in  the  interior  of  a 
neighboring  mountain,  where  Mr.  Dujour  had 

his  dwelling. 

The  tropa  left,  towards  evening,  the  fazenda  o! 
the  humane  lady,  and  disappeared  behind  hills 
and  rocks,  as  the  expected  military  troop  ap- 
proached on  its  way  to  Villa  Tasso,  and  did  not, 
of  course,  trouble  them,  as  their  way  led  them 
IVom  the  so  called  highway  into  the   mountains. 

Mr.  Bujour  felt  particularly  satisfied  to  escape 
the  possible  search,  that  might  endanger  his  dia- 
mond, which  he  now  felt  to  be  the  more  secure, 
since  he  relied  upon  the  weapons  of  his  business 
friend,  who  had  the  jewel  in  safe  keeping. 


--^^^v^^^f-^S^^f^^^f^.^^^^^- 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE    MURDER    AND    ROBBERY. 

The  tropa  of  the  naturalist  proceed  through  val- 
leys and  ravines, through  brooks  and  swamps.over 
rocks  and  stones,  and  through  "  thick  and  thin." 
It  had  nearly  completed  the  second  day's  journey, 
and  was  to  pass  the  night  at  a  Venda,*  kept  by  a 
Brazilian  family  of  Portuguese  extraction. 

Mr.  Dujour,  who  had  been  travelling  for  some 
weeks,  longed  to  see  his  old  neighbors  again, 
whose  distance  from  his  place  of  abode  might, 
like  so  many  other  neighborhoods  in  these  parts, 
be  measured  with  "  seven  league  boots,"  and  a 
pretty  long  strip  at  that. 

"  There  is  the  fazenda  of  the  '  pious  English 
people,'  as  the  family  are  called  here,"  said  the 
grimpeiro,  riding  up  to  his  business  friend,  and 
pointing  out  a  mountain  summit  at  some  miles 
distance,  whose  site  formed  a  topographical  an- 
gle with  that  of  the  old  venda. 

"  You  may  possibly  have  heard  of  them  .'"  ho 
continued  ;  "  of  the  '  pious  Englishmen,'  there, 
who  wish  to  prevent  Sr.  Braga  from  furnishing 
travellers  with  drink  on  Sundays  for  their  re- 
freshments. They  are  very  God-fearing  people, 
the  gentlemen  up  there." 

"  It  is  a  great  while  since  I  was  in  this  moun- 
tain," replied  Mr.  Closting.  "  Is  it  really  the 
case,  that  they  would  have  the  tavern  keeper 
shut  up  on  Sundays  .'  or  are  you  joking  ?" 

"  It  is  no  joke  at  all — I  am  really  in  eai-nest. 
There  has  been  a  dispute  for  more  than  a  year 
past,  especially  since  a  so  called  missionary  has 
lived  up  there,  formerly  a  brushmaker  in  Lon- 
don, who  was  sent  here  foi  the  conversion  of  the 
Botacudos,  and  preaches  English  to  the  savages. 
He  is  ]iarticularly  indignant  about  the  venda,  be- 
cause the  negroes  from  the  different  fazendas 
sometimes  meet  there  on  Sundays,  and  entertain 
themselves,  aftei  their  fashion,  with  music  and 
singing,  a  harmless  pleasure  to  the  poor  devils, 
who  enjoy  little  relaxation  through  the  week." 

"  I  can  now  understand  the  matter  easily 
enough,"  returned  Mr.  Closting;  "  such  a  Sun- 
day festival  may  very  well  be  an  annoyance  to 
the '  holy  grimpeiros ;'  and  yet  1  would  wager  that 
they  would  not  refuse  to  examine  a  mine  on  the 
holy  Sabbath,  even  though  it  were  the  one  of 
which  1  have  spoken  to  you,  which  lies  here  in 


•  rmia Inn, 


122 


DOLORES. 


the  neighborhood,  if  they  should  happen  to 
find  it  on  a  Sunday." 

Mr.  Dujour  again  appeared  as  if  suddenly  elec- 
trified ;  he  held  in  his  mule,  and  starCd  around 
him,  with  an  inquiring  look. 

"  Here  in  the  neighborhood  ?"  whispered  he ; 
"  not  far  from  here  ?  then  it  must  be  over  there, 
somewhere  .'" 

The  lively  curiosity  of  the  grimpeiro,  who 
would  have  deprived  himself  for  days  of  nour- 
ishment and  sleep,  to  satisfy  himself  of  the  ex- 
istence of  an  untouched  mine,  if  the  prospect 
were  opened  to  him  of  becoming  a  partner  in  it, 
did  not  escape  his  companion's  observation. 

"  I  have  now  considered  the  aflair,"  said  Mr. 
Closting,  interrupting  the  long  pause  which  fol- 
lowed tliis  question  ;  "  I  will  make  you  the  offer 
to  work  the  mine,  with  an  equal  number  of  ne- 
groes, and  to  bear  half  the  expense,  and  have 
half  the  proceeds " 

"  That  is  just  the  proposal  I  wished  to  make 
you,"  interrupted  the  other  ;  "  and,  as  concerns 
the  management,  in  which  you  cannot  take  a 
pai't  personally,  you  can  send  an  attorney,  who 
can  take  the  control  in  your  stead." 

"  That  would  be  entirely  superfluous,  my 
worthy  Mr.  Dujour,"  replied  Mr.  Closting.  "  I 
repose  so  much  contidence  in  your  integrity,  and 
have  already  known  you  so  long,  through  Senhor 
Serafini,  that  [  would  transfer  to  your  chai'ge, 
not  only  this  mine,  but  my  whole  property,  if 
peculiar  circumstances  should  render  it  neces- 
sary for  me  to  choose  a  credible  man  for  such  a 
parpose.  I  would  give  you  the  preference  in  all 
Brazil.'" 

"  I  am  rejoiced  at  that,"  rejoined  the  other, 
with  peculiar  satisfaction.  "  That  delights  me, 
especially  since  1  have  been  recommended  to  you 
by  Senhor  Serafini.  The  unbounded  confidence 
of  such  an  excellent  man  as  Serafini,  is  worth 
more  to  me  than  the  little  property  that  I  have 
acquired,  without  any  detriment  to  others." 

"  I,  also,  agi-ee  with  you  in  this  testimony  of  a 
clear  conscience.  A  good  name,  and  untar- 
nished honor,  are  always  the  most  valuable 
capital,  wliich  bears  its  own  interest,  notwith- 
standing tlie  esteem  of  men  for  money,  which 
belongs  to  our  times.  We  will,  then,  take  a 
circuit  through  that  valley  there,  towards  the 
old  venda.  It  leads  into  a  narrow  dell ;  I  have 
marked  the  passage." 

He  looked  back  upon  the  tropa,  now  ap- 
proaching at  a  distance,  and  then  both  dis- 
mounted from  their  saddles.  Mr.  Closting  beck- 
oned to  his  arreiro,  Mr.  Nols,  who  instantly 
galloped  forward,  and  received  the  order  to  lead 
the  tropa  to  the  before  mentioned  venda,  and 
bespeak  quarters  there  for  the  night,  while  Mr. 
Dujour  would  accompany  him  through  the  ra- 
vine, where  they  were  to  examine  some  veins  of 
metal,  and  then  loUow  after  to  supper.  The 
trackless  way,  through  this  ravine,  could  only  be 
undertaken  on  foot,  wherelbre  Mr.  Nols  was 
told  to  talie  both  mules  to  the  tropa,  and  lead 
them  with  him. 

Mr.  Dujour  was  satisfied  with  every  arrange- 
ment, and  stood,  as  if  on  coals,  to  set  out  on  a 
walk  of  several  miles,  which  was  to  lead  to 
such  golden  termination. 

"  You  can  mount  my  mule,"  said  Closting  to 
his  "  secretary,"  who  had  come  up  with  the  ne- 
groes, and  heard  a  part  of  the  orders. 


"  I  tliank  you,  Mr.  Closting,"  replied  the 
youth,  unfolding  his  long  bamboo  catcher.  "  It 
is  a  remarkably  fine  afternoon,  and  the  butter- 
flies seem  to  enjoy  it  very  much  ;  I  hope  still  to 
take  some  splendid  specimens  on  the  way." 

The  naturalist  was  too  deeply  absorbed  by  his 
plan,  to  reflect  much  on  the  peculiar  motives  for 
this  polite  refusal ;  he  praised  the  zeal  of  the 
young  German,  hung  his  double-barrelled  gun 
and  game-bag  over  his  shoulder,  gave  some  fur- 
ther directions  to  his  aiTeiro,  and  departed  with 
the  expectant  grimpeiro 

The  valley,  which  the  tropa  now  traversed, 
was  narrow,  in  comparison  with  the  grand  scale 
of  Brazilian  scenery,  with  a  brook  winding 
through  it,  that  near  its  source,  was  reported 
to  be  possessed  of  golden  sands,  and,  in  bygone 
days,  had  aflbrded  a  rich  supply  of  the  so  called 
"  precious  metal,"  which,  up  to  this  time,  has 
contributed  little  towards  improving  the  human 
heart. 

A  colossal,  and  nearly  perpendicular  wall  of 
rock,  several  thousand  feet  high,  towai'ds  tlie 
northwest,  was  here  and  there  broken  by  rugged 
and  fantastically  formed  masses  of  stone.  Gigantic 
blocks,  apparently  the  overthrown  portions  of 
this  exalted  temple  of  nature,  perhaps  separated 
from  it  by  a  volcanic  movement,  and  removed  to 
the  distance  of  miles  from  their  former  base,  lay 
around  in  picturesque  grouping,  forming,  with 
their  vistas  of  expanded  extent,  and  complicate 
forms,  other  valleys  and  ravines. 

A  narrow  passage  of  this  description,  only  a 
few  feet  wide,  led,  on  the  other  side  of  the 
brook,  towards  the  south,  to  a  marshy  basin, 
shut  in  by  similai'  gigantic  rocks,  whicli  were  no 
longer  lighted  by  the  rays  of  the  evening  sun, 
since  one  of  the  principal  ridges,  towards  the 
northwest,  had  already  darkened  the  whole  land- 
scape with  the  veil  of  its  gloomy  shadow 

The  two  grimpeiro's  went  on,  through  the  tow- 
ering ravine,  absorbed  in  discourse  about  their 
undertaking.  They  were  soon  surrounded  by  a 
mysterious  stillness,  often  broken  in  upon,  never- 
theless, by  the  screams  of  brilliant  parti-colored 
birds,  and  by  the  disagreeable  croaking  of  an 
enormous  frog,  of  the  size  of  a  man's  head  flat- 
tened, which  crept  slowly  tlirough  moss  and 
mud,  as  if  placed  there  lor  a  bugbear,  in  contrast 
to  the  magnificence  and  splendor  of  nature. 
Lizards,  whose  length  approached  a  small  croco- 
dile's, ran  about  the  overgrown  pathof  the  wan- 
derers, and  crawled,  or  glided  with  unexampled 
rapidity,  up  along  the  side  walls  of  the  rocks. 
The  low  ringing  tones  of  fondling  serpents  re- 
sounded from  the  summits  of  the  clifls,  which, 
warmed  by  the  burning  sun  during  the  day,  mys- 
teriously concealed  the  nightly  couch  of  fiery  love. 

Brilliant  butterflies,  always  in  pairs,  in  obe- 
dience to  the  instinct  of  love,  fluttered  about  the 
two  grimpeiros,  concluding  their  daily  flight  in 
the  blissful  dream  of  innocence,  (unacquainted 
with  the  cat'^her  of  a  naturalist,  or  his  secretary,) 
and  seeking  a  little  place  where  to  pass  the  night 
close  to  each  other,  and  to  await  the  re-awaken- 
ing of  the  flowers,  whose  perfume  forms  their 
happy  woild. 

Faithful  "inseparables,"  that  little  sympathetic 
race  of  bright  green  dumb  parroquets, whose  lives 
flow  on,  pair-wise,  in  one  hai-monious  existence, 
and  who  build,  in  similar  marshy  places  of  Brazil, 
their  asylum  of  love,  on  lonely,  prominent  trees, 


DOLORES, 


123 


flew  about  anxiously,  from  limb  to  limb.  A 
loving  little  piiir  of  tliese  flying  creatures  of  sym- 
pathy, seemed  terrified  by  the  presence  of  two 
living  beings  in  tiiis  sanctuary  of  their  solitude, 
although  unacquainted  with  the  death-dealing 
instrument  of  the  Europeans. 

Both  hovered  about  in  tremulous  flight,  and 
lingered,  as  if  fastened  by  magic,  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  naturalist,  who  dexterously 
brought  down  one  of  the  delicate  creatures  on  the 
wing.  It  had  hai'dly  dropped,  before  its  com- 
panion placed  itself  by  the  body  of  the  slain  one, 
and  allowed  itself  to  be  captured  ;  and  the  hand 
that  captured  it,  instantly  wrung  its  head  oil". 

"  The  feathers  are  useful,"  said  Mr.  Closting, 
and  thrust  the  two  birds  into  his  game-bag. 

Mr.  Dujour,  by  no  means  known  for  his  sen- 
sibility, experienced,  at  tlie  moment,  a  cold, 
shuddering,  creeping  of  the  nerves — perhaps  an 
attack  of  fever,  in  consequence  of  the  altered 
temperature,  and  the  evaporation  from  the  con- 
fined marshy  soil. 

-An  old,  dead,  dried  up  mango,  (similar  to  the 
European  oak,)  which  had  been  struck  with 
lightning,  stood  at  some  distance,  upon  the  height 
of  a  rock,  and  presented  a  singular  and  forbid- 
ding appearance.  The  bare,  leafless,  variously 
distorted  brandies,  resembled  a  numerous  group 
of  petrified  serpents,  twisted  and  twined  together 
in  every  variety  of  convolution,  distinguished  as 
a  dim  shadowy  outline  from  the  western  horizon, 
which  now,  in  the  tropical  shortness  of  the  twi- 
light, suddenly  lost  its  glow,  and  passed  into  a 
color  tliat  was  almost  a  bright  green. 

"  Another  pair  of  inseparables  have  lit  there," 
whispered  the  naturalist,  with  a  glance  at  the 
serpent  tree,  and  hastily  loaded  his  double  bar- 
relled gun.  He  turned,  however,  as  if  accident- 
ally, away  from  his  companion,  and  sliijped  two 
.  bullets  info  the  barrels,  instead  of  bird  sliot. 

"  Do  not  fire,  Mr.  Closting,"  said  his  fellow- 
traveller,"  do  not  fire  to-day  at  another  living 
being.  You  liave  shot  enough  !  You  know  that 
1  am  neither  a  sportsman  nor  naturalist — audit 
maybe  ridiculous,  I  admit — but  it  always  gives  me 
pain,  when  a  pair  of  these  little  sympathetic 
creatures  are  killed.  What  attachment  does  their 
instinct  display  !  The  one  always  follows  the 
other,  and  if  you  take  one,  you  have  them  both." 

"  It  is  the  stupidity  of  these  narrow  minded 
creatures — 'tis  all  stupidity,  Mr.  Dojour,  noth- 
ing else.  If  these  birds  were  a  little  more  know- 
ing, they  would  escape  such  a  danger;  at  least, 
the  one  would  not  allow  itself  to  be  seized  when 
the  other  is  killed,  wounded,  or  caught." 

"Permit  me  one  question,  Mr.  Closting,"  in- 
terrupted the  otlier  ;  "  do  you  take  Sra.  Serafini 
for  a  stupid  woman  .'" 

Closting  started,  and  looked  on  thb  ground. 
"  Sra.  Serafini .'  Why  ?  She  is  a  woman,  and 
does  not  want  to  pass  her  nights  alone,  for  some 
months  to  come,  but  desires,  if  possible,  to  be 
in  her  husband's  neig;hborhood,  for  the  fulfil- 
ment of  conjugal  duties — which  is  very  natu- 
ral !" 

Mr.  Dujour  remained  silent,  and  walked  slo%vly 
by  the  side  of  his  companion,  whose  company 
became  more  and  more  disagreeable  to  him, 
without  his  being  able  to  account  for  an  uneasi- 
ness which  had  evidently  come  over  him. 

A  half  hour  had  passed  by,  and  they  were 
again  among  blocks  of  stone,  the  space  between 


which  hardly  admitted  the  passage  of  a  single 
person. 

"  There  !  there,  at  the  end  of  that  ravine — ^just 
there  the  vein  lie.-. — it  is  a  gold  vein,  in  regular 
strata  !"  whispered  Mr.  Closting.  "  The  rock  is 
granite,  and  contains  some  portions  of  Hornblend 
andmica.  The  gold  ore  is  mixed  with  ferruginous 
sandstone  couglomerate,  which  is  often  the 
case,  as  you  know.  You  will  find  the  earth 
there  in  cascalhao  strata,  intermixed  with  rock." 

The  grimpoiro's  lust  for  gold  hardly  allowed 
him  time  to  hear  his  companion  to  the  end.  He 
stared  at  the  entrance  into  the  ravine,  above  de- 
scribed, and  no  power  on  earth  could  now  have 
held  him  back,  notwithstanding  all  iiis  feverish 
symptoms,  from  examining  the  vein  of  ore,  so 
technically  described.  He  swung  his  mineral 
hammer,  as  if  he  felt  himself  suddenly  strength- 
ened, in  case  of  need,  to  devote  three  days  to  geo- 
logical researches,  without  sleep  or  food,  and 
hurried  forward,  at  a  quick  pace.  The  opposite 
ravine,  which  had  been  pointed  out  to  him,  wai 
as  narrow  as  that  through  which  he  had  just 
passed.  His  body  soon  stopped  up  the  narrow- 
passage,  in  which  it  would  have  ijeen  difficult 
for  the  grimpeiro  to  turn  and  look  around  him, 
if  he  had  even,  in  his  thirst  for  gold,  thought  ol 
looking  back  at  his  companion.  The  latter 
availed  himself  of  this  moment  with  great  pres- 
ence of  mind,  took  aim  as  cooly  as  if  he  was  go- 
ing to  shoot  a  monkey — and  two  bullets  pierced 
the  spine  and  breast  of  his  companion,  whose 
diamond  hung  in  safe  custody  upon  his  own 
neck. 

The  crashing  echo  of  the  double  shot  reverbe- 
rated among  the  gigantic  angular  masses  of  rock, 
like  rolling  thunder.  For  an  instant  the  mur- 
derer stood  there,  like  a  statue,  among  the  ruins 
of  Gomorrah — observed  by  the  young  German, 
who  had  followed  him  at  a  distance,  without  be- 
ing perceived. 

The  murderer  approached  the  victim  of  his 
frightful  deed,  with  tottering  steps  ;  he  leaned 
upon  his  gun,  and  bent  forward,  as  if  to  satisfy 
himself  that  the  body  was  really  a  corpse.  He 
found  no  trace  of  life,  and  drew  it  aside  a  few 
steps,  into  the  marsh  from  which  the  rocky 
masses  arose.  He  then  felt  an  involuntary  im- 
pulse to  look  towards  the  place  where  the  youth's 
unaverted  gaze  rested  upon  him ;  but  he  saw 
nothing  to  discompose  him,  and  hastily  loading 
his  gun,  he  sought  his  way  through  the  swamp, 
feeling,  from  time  to  time,  at  the  "  amalet"  enclo- 
sing the  diamond  worth  twenty-five  contos, which 
he  had  bought  for  twenty,  and  had  just  paid  for. 


MA4N^^.fv^^ 


^>.^^^<NH»  — 


CHAPTER    XII. 

MURDER    FROM    INTOLERANCE. 

NoTWiTHSTANiuNG  the  different  degrees  of 
cultivation  to  which,  (from  the  circumstances  of 
their  earlier  lives,)  Mr,  Nols  and  Mr.  Banko 
had  attained,  a  certain  intelligence  existed  be- 
tween them,  in  relation  to  the  character  and  deal- 
ings of  their  common  master.  Both  had  been 
brought  into  his  service,  by  the  caprices  of 
chance,  without  their  free  choice,  and  they  bore 


12« 


DOLORES. 


their  lot  with  a  degree  of  philosophy,  inasmuch 
29  it  could  not  be  alteipd,  until  they  could  find 
an  opportunity  to  separate  from  him,  without 
burdenini;  their  consciences  by  co-operation  or 
participation  in  any  wrongliil  act. 

Mr.  Nols  had  perceived  the  design  of  the 
young  man,  and  understood  the  reasons  why  he 
would  not  mount  the  mule. 

He  went  up  to  him  as  soon  as  the  two  grimpei- 
ro's  had  disappeared  beliind  the  rocks  and 
bushes,  and  gave  him  the  saddled  animal,  order- 
ing a  negro,  upon  anotlier  mule,  to  wait  near  the 
place  until  Banko  should  mount  it,  and  follow 
after  the  tropa  with  liim.  This  happened  when 
the  youth  had  been  witness  to  a  deed  which 
filled  him  with  liorror,  and  remained  indelibly 
impressed  upon  his  mind. 

Decidedly  as  the  repulsion  of  antipathy, 
founded  in  the  nature  of  both,  had  liitherto  sepa- 
rated him  from  his  master,  there  novi'  arose 
within  him  an  equally  bitter  abhorrence  of  a 
man,  who,  infected  with  the  contagious  distem- 
per of  our  times,  "  of  making  rnoney  at  any 
rate,"  and,  driven  from  crime  to  crime,  had  com- 
mitted murder  and  robbery  with  the  same  cool- 
ness with  which  he  had  brought  down  a  "  sym- 
pathy bird." 

Mr.  Nols  had  reached  the  before  mentioned 
venda ;  but  instead  of  the  expected  accommoda- 
tion, for  liim  and  his  followers,  he  found  wretch- 
edness and  despair. 

The  waning  moon  already  lighted  the  wild 
romantic  landscape,  in  the  foreground  of  wiiich 
stood  the  venda,  an  old,  massive  stone  building, 
surrounded  by  thickly  leaved  fruit  trees,  and  nu- 
merous bananas,  the  gigantic  leaves  of  which, 
(often  twenty  or  more  feet  long,  from  the  succu- 
lent handle  to  the  point,)  made  a  rustling,  like 
sheets  of  paper  blown  against  each  other  by  the 
wind. 

On  a  granite  block,  before  the  door,  sat  Kil- 
kenny, an  old  Irishman,  who  had  honorably 
ended  his  military  career,  as  a  dragoon  in  the 
British  service,  and  for  many  years  had  served 
the  Brazilian  family,  as  house  stewai-d  and  chief 
hostler. 

He  was  one  of  those  conscientiously  exact 
people,  who  not  only  give  a  horse  drink,  and  take 
care  of  him,  because  they  have  been  hired  to  do 
Buch  a  service,  but  because  the  horse  requires  his 
food  and  drink  regularly,  and  cannot  procure  it 
for  himself. 

He  cast  a  distrustful  glance  at  the  approach- 
ing tropa  and  their  white  leader,  who  rode  to- 
wards liim  on  a  short  gallop,  and  bade  him  good 
evening. 

"  Are  you  Protestant  or  Catholic  ?"  inquired 
the  old  domestic  of  the  venda,  without  returning 
his  greeting,  or  rising  up  from  his  low  scat. 

"  Why  do  you  ask  that  question  .'"  inquired 
Mr.  Nols,  not  a  little  astonislied  at  being  thus 
addressed  ;  "  I  am  the  arreiro  of  this  little  tropa, 
and  desire  quarters  for  the  night,  my  belief 
ought  not  to  come  in  question  here,  if  I  carry  the 
money  with  me  for  the  reckoning." 

"  May  the  devil  take  me,  if  I  ever  harbor 
another  Protestant  here  in  the  venda,  till  I  turn 
my  back  upon  it,  which  1  hope  will  be  soon," 
grumbled  the  old  dragoon  to  himself. 

"  What  is  the  matter  with  you  ?  What  has 
happened  here  .'  Are  you  alone  in  the  venda  ?  Is 
not  the  landlord  here,  or  are  you  the  landlord  1" 


"  To  be  sure  I  am  landlord,  since  Senhor 
Rraga,  with  his  son,  and  our  four  negroes,  were 
murdered,  last  Sunday  night,  towards  Monday, 
poisoned — the  supper  was  poisoned :  the  black 
beans  and  the  came  seceo",  altogether,  were 
poisoned  ;  and,  by  good  luck,  the  two  Senhoras 
had  ridden  out  on  a  visit.  I  went  with  them, 
and  we  could  not  come  home  because  of  a  thun- 
der storm  ;  and  we  came  back  about  noon  on 
Monday,  and  found  the  bodies — all  the  bodies  ; 
and  Senhor  Brac;a  lived  some  hours  after,  and 
declared,  in  his  last  moments,  that  no  other  had 
poisoned  him  and  his  but  the  people  over  there, 
the  pious  people,  who,  long  ago,  wanted  to  for- 
bid us  to  receive  people  here  on  Sundays,  and  to 
let  the  negroes  play  the  marimba  and  the  gourd 
fiddle,  and  dancef  here.  All  the  bodies  are 
buried  down  there — down  below,  by  the  cross 
there,  and  I  was  there  to-day  to  set  the  other 
crosses — for  each  one  must  have  his  cross  ;  and  I 
will  roll  a  stone  there,  and  carve  an  inscription 
upon  it — I,  myself,  with  these  hands.  And  that 
is  religion !  Bible  religion  '.  Christian  religion, 
that  must  be  !  I  rode  into  the  town  to  the  Juis 
de  Foro  and  Capitam  Mor,  and  informed  them, 
and  took  my  oath  to  the  last  words  of  the  old 
Senhor.  But  what  good  did  that  do?  where 
was  the  proof.'  And  what  a  dying  man  says  in 
a  fever,  said  the  justice,  was  not  suthcient  accu- 
sation, tliough  everybody  knows  what  has  hap- 
pened here  during  the  last  year — how  the  Bible 
pious  people  have  cheated  us,  and  tried  to  coax 
our  negroes  to  become  such  saints  as  they  are — 
the  poor  negroes,  that  neither  know  what  is 
Protestant  nor  Catholic.  But  the  holy  gentlemen 
up  there  use  slaves  as  much  for  their  gold  wash- 
ing, as  we.  Catholics,  for  our  fazendas,  and 
allow  the  negroes  no  recreation  on  Sundays,  and 
call  it  'Sabbath-breaking,'  if  the  poor  devils  make 
merry  in  their  way,  among  themselves — the 
poor  negroes !  with  their  miramba  and  their 
gourd  fiddle !" 

Mr.  Nols  heard  this  etfusion  of  old  Kilkenny 
with  increasing  attention,  and  without  inter- 
rupting him,  as  he  could,  by  so  doing,  only 
arrive  at  the  information  which  he  required. 

"  I  took  the  two  Senhoras  into  the  town,  to 
their  aunt,  and  am  only  waiting  here  until  the 
venda  is  sold,"  continued  the  Irishman ;  "  for 
the  Bragas  cannot  stay  here  any  more.  No  Ca- 
tholic would  dare  to  keep  a  venda  here — that  is 
natural.  To-day,  or  to-morrow,  the  same  means 
would  be  taken  to  turn  us  out.  I  hear  an  agent 
of  the  gentleman  up  there  is  already  bargaining 
for  the  purchase  of  the  venda.  Very  natur.iUy, 
tlie  saints  will  now  buy  the  venda ;  and  when 
thirsty  travellers  come  here  on  Sundays,  they 
will  put  them  otl  till  Monday,  and  will  establish 
a  depot  here  for  all  sorts  of  merchandise.  That 
is  very  natural.  They  are  mad  that  I  have 
escaped  them,  and  I  am  not  sure  of  my  life  here 
for  an  hour,  for  I  am  an  Irishman,  you  must 
know — an  Irishman,  and  a  Catholic  ;  and  the 
bruslimaker,  who  passes  for  a  missionary,  has 
often  made  proposals  to  me,  to  change  my  reli- 
gion, and  leave  the  Bragas. 

*  Dried  meat. 
t  The  author  vouches  for  the  facts  in  these  and  similar 
episodes,  which  characterize  the  interior  situation  of 
of  South  America,  the  description  of  which  be  has  mado 
his  especial  object. 


DOLORES. 


Ids 


"  I  have  all  respect  for  a  missionary,  whether 
Catholic  or  Protestant,  if  he  is  a  man  of  educa- 
tion, and  can  instruct  others  ;  if  he  extends  book 
knowledge,  and  teaches  the  people  what  is  right 
and  what  is  wrong ;  what  is  one's  duty,  and  what 
is  not;  what  should  be  done,  and  what  should 
be  left  undone  ;  bot  to  set  one's  self  up  as  the 
devil's  outriding  courier,  to  proclaim  him,  and 
that  he  follows  after  him,  and  will  drive  all 
Christendom  to  hell  with  his  scourge  !  I  can 
do  that,  too,  myself,  when  I  have  no  other  way 
of  earning  my  bread. 

"Here  I  have  sat  since  Sunday,  and  waited  until 
I  could  go  aivay — afraid  to  eat  or  drinU  the  least 
thing,  for  fear  of  being  poisoned,  and  so  I  only 
eat  bananas  from  the  tree  down  there,  and  eggs 
as  soon  as  the  hen  lays  them  ;  and  if  I  am  obliged 
to  eat  any  thing  else,  I  give  it  first  to  our  iha- 
kakas*  to  try — but  I  should  be  sorry,  even  to  poi- 
son one  of  our  makakas,  for  the  old  .Senhor  loved 
them,  and  gave  them  their  breakfast,  himself; 
the  good  old  Senhor,  he  loved  men  and  makakas, 
and  would  not  have  poisoned  a  makaka  !" 

The  faithful  servant  of  the  Braga  family  con- 
tinued, in  this  manner,  to  explain  his  present  ]>o- 
»ition,  winch  by  no  means  served  to  recommend 
the  venda,  for  it  was  certainly  critical  to  eat  the 
least  thing  in  it. 

In  about  half  an  hour,  Mr.  Banko  came  gal- 
loping in,  iri  company  vvitli  the  negro  who  had 
staid  behind.  His  countenance  involuntarily 
betrayed  that  something  shocking  had  occurred. 
Hardly  had  Nols,  however,  with  all  brevity 
called  out  to  tell  him  what  had  happened  to  the 
family  at  the  venda,  than  he  had  the  presence  of 
mind  to  attribute  to  this  intelligence,  the  agita- 
tion which  he  evidently  felt. 

Mr.  Nols  made  himself  known  to  the  old 
dragoon,  as  a  comrade,  as  he  also  had  been  in 
tlie  army  for  some  years,  and  both  assumed  a 
cordial  barrack  style,  in  which  the  religious 
question  came  no  more  under  consideration. 

We  touch  here  upon  a  subject  which  may  be 
misconceived  by  many  of  our  Engli.yh  and  Amer 
ican  readers,  and  which,  neverthelss,  cannot  be 
passed  over  :  the  operations  of  the  missionaries 
of  the  English  church,  and  of  the  Jesuits  in 
South  America,  as  the  objects  of  both  are  politi- 
cal. Wo  consider  the  principles  of  the  doctrine 
of  Jesus,  as  the  principles  of  equality,  justice, 
and  love  to  man,  as  the  basis  of  all  develop- 
ment of  mankind,  but  we  rigidly  separate  spirit- 
less "forms"  from  the  "  spirit"  of  Christianity. 
We  honor  and  respect  the  missionary,  of  whatever 
sect,  who,  penetrated  by  the  above  mentioned 
convictions,  endeavors  to  disseminate  the  princi- 
ples of  the  religion  of  Jesus. 

The  circulation  of  the  Bible,  as  the  word  of 
God,  and  as  a  primitive  historical  record  of  the 
human  race,  can,  however,  only  exercise  a  bene- 
ficial inlluence  v/here  a  fundamental  education 
has  prepared  the  way  for  the  spirit  which  lies  at 
the  foundation  of  the  word. 

The  Old  Testament,  written  with  the  childlike 
unreserve  of  past  ages,  contains  passages  which 
openly  violate  the  moral  sentiments  of  the  reader, 
awaken  thoughts  in  the  pure  heart  of  youth,  and 
burden  the  youthful  imagination  with  images 
which  can  neither  promote  morality  nor  religion. 

If  some  of  the  Bible  societies,  would  prepare 


*  Makaka. — Monkey. 


extracts  from  the  Bible,  with  the  omission  of  all 
dangerous,  evidently  immoral,  passages  about 
impurity,  tinchastity,  incest,  etc.,  retaining,  in- 
stead, books  full  of  truth  and  wisdom,  and  of 
historical  importance,  as,  for  example,  the  book 
of  Jesus,  the  son  of  Sirach,  and  the  books  of 
Maccabees,  which  the  English  church  has 
omitted  in  her  edition  of  the  Bible;  if  the  Biijle 
Were  diminished,  by  a  third  part,  of  its  volumin- 
ous texts,  the  reading  of  it  would  be  useful  and 
wholesome,  to  a  well  instructed  man,  in  wh.nt- 
ever  quarter  of  the  world  he  might  be,  and 
could  have  no  dan.gerous  tendency  for  any  boy 
or  girl :  that  is  our  view  of  the  Bible. 

As  regards  temperance  societies,  the  writer  of 
this  novel  practices  temperance,  in  consequence 
of  a  good  education.  We  doubt,  however, 
whether  any  temperance  society  will  ever  at- 
tain its  noble  object  of  moral  improvement,  if  the 
rational  education  of  the  so  called  lower  classes, 
is  not  attended  to,  as  zealously  as  the  public  ab- 
stinence from  all  spiritous  liquors  is  inculca- 
ted. The  use  of  brandy  has  caused  more  moral 
and  physical  desolation  than  fire  and  aviford  can 
ever  do. 

The  passion  for  drink,  is  an  abyss  in  which 
man  is  exposed  to  every  other  passion — tor  by 
degrading  himself  far  below  the  brutes,  he  has 
ceased  to  be  a  man. 

Alcohol  is  a  poison  which  takes  hold  of  a 
man's  whole  being,  palsies  his  physical  and 
moral  strength,  and,  by  degrees,  so  to  say,  "dis- 
solves his  spirit  by  combustion."  1"o  work 
against  the  desolation  and  destruction  caused  by 
such  an  evil,  is  the  sacred  duty  of  every  man  ; 
but  the  renunciation  of  all  spirituous  drinks,  in 
itself,  does  not,  by  any  means,  make  a  moral  man, 
if  passion  and  intemperance,  in  otlier  respects, 
are  not  likewise  uprooted  at  the  same  time,  and 
the  fulhlment  of  all  the  social  duties  is  not  re- 
cognised as  an  incumbent  condition. 

According  to  Aristotle-Johnson,  abstinence 
and  temperance  signify  about  the  same  thing, 
in  the  English  language,  but  the  etymology  of 
these  words  leads  to  entirely  diflerent  notions. 

Temperance  is  a  requirement  of  nature  and 
of  reason,  and  should  be  recommended,  espe- 
cially to  many  peojde  living  "  in  the  lusts  of  the 
llesh,"  in  a  twofold  sense.  There  are  »pice» 
which  operate  as  prejudicially  upon  the  blood 
and  nerves,  as  alcohol,  and  which  are  used  to 
e,\ces3  in  tlie  English  manner  of  living  ;  as,  for 
example,  pepper,  the  direct  cfi'ect  of  which, 
ought  to  be  sulliciently  well  known.  Though 
married  people  may  find  the  operation  of  pep- 
per and  similar  spices  convenient,  they  are  al- 
ways a  destructive  jioison  tor  growing  children, 
who,  according  to  the  English  custom,  are,  so  to 
speak,  fed  with  pepper.  Who  knows  the  direct 
operation  of  mustard  outwardly  ajiplied,  acts 
just  as  unreasonably,  when  he  lowers  similar 
plasters  into  the  stomachs  of  children.  We 
will  not  here  comment  upon  the  English  cus- 
tom, which  poisons  new  born  children,  by  the 
use  of  laudanum,  or  prepares  them  for  national 
dulness.  The  dissemination  of  dietetic  instruc- 
tions, prepared  by  an  experienced  physician, 
would  be,  in  our  opinion,  as  useful  and  whole- 
some as  the  distribution  of  spiritless  tracts, 
which  show  the  "  way  to  heaven,"  without 
pointing  out  the  way  to  live  rationally  on  earth. 
But  the  English   literature,  up   to   the   present 


126 


DOLORES. 


time,  lies  imder  a  stronger  censure  than  the  Ger- 
man, Italian,  Russian,  etc.;  a  censure  which 
does  not,  as  in  those  countries,  keep  down  the 
human  mind  with  bayonets,  but  which  is  sus- 
tained by  the  absolute  paralysing  of  moral  free- 
dom by  prejudice,  and  is  kept  up  by  hypocrisy. 

There  prevails  in  England,  and  anicmg  English 
people,  the  absolute  despotic  law  '*  not  to  touch 
upon  certain  subjects,  because  they  ought  to  re- 
main untouched."  But  this  last  reason  is  Britisli 
ttbsolnte  despotism,  and  is  opposed  to  allenligcit- 
enment. 

No  one  ever  contended  more  energetically 
against  the  sanctimoniousness  of  the  rich,  and 
the  hypocrisy  of  external  Sabbath  keeping — 
against  praying  in  the  corner  of  the  street,  and 
the  hypocritical  Pharisees — than  did  Jesus. 

British  censure*  would  forbid  us  to  draw 
effective  parallels  between  the  church  of  our 
century  and  the  Jewish  priesthood,  against  whom 
Jesus  contended,  until  the  priests  and  Pharisees, 
at  last,  brought  him  to  the  cross.  The  inspired 
sayings  of  Jesus  would  hare  received  as  heavy  a 
censure  from  the  Jewish  priests  and  Pharisees, 
in  Jerusalem,  in  case  a  press  had  existed  there, 
as  would  a  bookseller  of  the  present  day  in  Lon- 
don, who,  against  the  censure  of  prejudice, 
should  undertake  the  publication  of  the  language 
of  sound  reason,  in  the  exegesis  of  the  admirable 
epistle  of  James, t  which  sets  forth  moral  free- 
dom, and  places  works  above  words  and  a  blind 
faith. 

"  Sectarian  raethodists,  and  pietists  ! 

And  what  more  we  may  ever  call  tliem  ;  all 

But  serve  to  show  that  each  man  feels  desire 

To  raise  himself  above  this  earthly  clay, 

And  stand  erect  in  spirit^lbr  the  proof 

Of  faith  and  of  religion,  the  foundations 

Of  inward  life,  which  marks  the  ditference 

Between  the  man  and  brute  ;  for,  e'en  in  brutes, 

We  see  instinct,  which  often  puts  to  sliame 

The  dulncss  of  mankind.    But  the  miud, 

In  aspiration  for  a  hij^her  grade  ; 

The  soul's  presentiment  ;  the  faith  and  thirst 

For  spiritual  life  5  the  consciousness, 

AVithin  himself,  of  spiritual  nature, 

Belongs  to  "  man"  alone.    Without  it  here, 

Man  ceases  to  be  human — b**ars  the  form 

And  figure  of  a  man,  and  is  a  bnite."t 

In  our  more  elevated  consciousness,  lies  the 
contemplation  of  tliis  earthly  life,  from  a  higher 
point  of  view  of  moral  freedom,  without  which 
there  can  be  no  virtue  and  no  sin.  The  notion 
of  an  eartlily  existence,  "  cursed  by  God"  from  its 
commencement,  through  the  fall  of  man  and 
original  sin,  contradicts,  evitlently,  the  notion  of 
divine  love  and  justice,  which  lie  at  the  founda- 
tion of  the  religion  of  Jesus — for  such  an  exist- 
ence would  burden,  with  the  same  "damning 
curse,"  all  endeavors  after  moral  improvement, 
every  work  and  deed  of  love. 

We  return  to  our  story.  The  tropa  was  placed 
under  shelter,  in  a  building  adjoining  the  venda, 
and  as  good  a  supper  prejiared,  as  was  possible 
under  surrounding  circumstances,  with  security 
against  poison. 

•  When  writing  these  lines,  the  author  did  not  expect 
to  meet  the  same  censure  of  dulne^s  in  hypocrites  in  the 
Uuited  States,  endeavoring  to  suppress  the  novel  "Do- 
loies.'' — [Note  in  correcting  the  proofs  of  "Dolores," 
April  the  23th,  18-16.]  HiRRo. 

1  Which  Luther  wished  to  strike  out,  when  he  came 
to  an  understanding  with  the  German  princes. 

}  Fragment  of  a  dramatic  Poem.    If. 


Banko  had  little  appetite,  and  often  gared 
thouglitfully  before  him,  which  did  not  particu- 
larly surprise  his  companion. 

It  was  long  before  the  naturalist  appeared 
He  came  at  last.  There  Was  nothing  in  his  man- 
ner that  could  have  excited  the  least  suspicion. 
His  countenance  wore  tlie  same  expression  of 
cold  insensibility  which  was  always  peculiar  to 
him, and  his  eyes  avoided,  as  they  always  did, 
meeting  the  eyes  of  any  otlier  man. 

"  Is  not  Mr.  Dujour  here  yet  ?  How  does  that 
happen  ?"  he  inquired,  as  he  looked  around  him 
with  adroit  dissimulation,  and  received  a  nega- 
tive answer  to  the  first  question  "  I  left  him 
down  there  in  the  ravine,  using  hi.s  mineral 
hammer,  and  I  thought  best  not  to  disturb  him. 
A  gi'impelro  likes  solitude  in  his  researches. 
But  he  must  be  here  soon." 

"  If  he  docs  not  come  within  gunshot  of  one  the 
saints,  and  his  person  is  not  mistaken  for  mine  !" 
interrupted  Kilkenny ;  and  Mr.  Closting  now 
learned  in  what  manner  the  venda  had  been 
depopulated. 

"Dreadful!"  exclaimed  he;  "unheard  of! 
murder  upon  murder  !  And  all  this  can  h.appen 
here  with  impunity — without  justice  !  To  what 
political  party  did  this  family  belong .'"  he 
further  inquired.  "  That  is,  unfortunately,  the 
chief  thing  here.  Religion  and  politics  are  here 
one.  The  English  are  no  faroupiULis,  but  go 
with  the  Caramuros.  Prob.ibly  your  old  master 
was  an  adherent  of  the  faroupilhas." 

"  He  was  a  Catholic,  as  I  tell  you,"  replied 
Kilkenny.  "  As  to  politics,  I  only  know  so  far 
as  this,  that  we  have  sometimes  hid  faroupilhas 
here  in  their  flight,  and  that  the  permanenlos 
have,  at  times,  neld  their  inquisition  liere,  or 
inspection,  as  they  call  it ;  and  that  the  two  young 
Seuhors,who  are  betrothed  to  the  two  daughters, 
are  both  faroupilhas.     That  is  well  known." 

"  Then,  alas  !  there  is  nothing  to  be  done  !" 
said  the  slave  trader  ;  "no  accusation  can  be  sus- 
tained, no  process  instituted.  Every  thing  is 
against  the  two  daughters  ;  and  who  will  testify 
against  the  Englishmen  ?" 

"  That  is  just  what  the  gentlemen  in  the  town 
said  !"  replied  Kilkenny  ;  "  they  said  the  same 
thing,  and  the  afl'air  was  suppressed.  '  Where 
there  is  no  accuser,  there  is  no  judge.'  And  the 
venda  will  now  be  sold,  and  f,Ul  into  the  hand:! 
of  the  Englishmen — at  least  they  will  buy  it, 
and  have  the  control  of  it — that  is  very  natural." 

"  Quite  natural  I"  affirmed  Mr.  Closting,  and 
again  expressed  his  surprise  at  the  long  stay  of 
his  companion. 

"  1  would  not  give  two  patacks  for  his  life !" 
said  Kilkenny  ,  "  for  I  know  certainly  that  they 
waylay  me,  and  it  is  only  here  at  the  venda  that 
they  will  not  shoot  me.  They  have  some  shams 
left^they  dare  not  despatch  me  here  at  the  door. 
If  the  fanatical  brushmaker  choses  to  oiler  a 
negro  a  couple  of  patacks,  and  at  the  same  time 
holds  up  hell  in  flames  before  his  eyes,  and  tells 
him  that  he  can  save  himself  from  the  devil,  if 
he  will  shoot  down  or  stab  a  Catholic,  no  tra- 
veller is  safe  here  at  twilight,  whose  skin  is 
white,  like  mine,  and  who,  like  me,  wears 
horseman's  boots,  a  straw  hat,  and  an  old  poncho, 
that  Sr.  Braga  presented  to  me — may  God  pre- 
serve it,  for  he  gave  it  to  me — he  who  lies  below 
there  He  has  his  cross  at  his  grave,  and  tlu) 
otliers  shall  have  theirs." 


DOLORES. 


127 


I 


I 


"  The  g;rimpeiro  was  dregsed  just  as  you  have 
describecl,"  said  Mr.  Banko,  who  was  busied  in 
emptying  his  master's  game  bags,  which  con- 
tained some  birds,  among  which  were  the  two 
"inseparables."' 

"  It  is  not  improbable,"  he  continued,  with  a 
sharp  look  at  Mr.  Nols,  that  he  might  have  been 
shot  or  stabbed,  through  mistake. 

"  The  thing  appears  quite  probable,"  inter- 
posed Mr.  Closting.  "  I  am  only  sorry  that  I  did 
not  stay  near  him.  He  seemed  to  think  that  he 
could  discover  another  mine,  and  in  such  cases 
a  grimpeiro  likes  to  be  left  alone." 

Nols  had  closely  observed  the  countenance  and 
the  subsequent  deportment  of  the  youth,  and  had 
remarked  more  than  enough  to  confirm  his  for- 
mer suspicions.  The  arrival  of  their  master 
without  attendance,  removed  all  doubt  respect- 
ing the  fate  of  his  travelling  companion.  It  ap- 
peared to  Nols  not  only  probable,  but  certain, 
that  Mr.  Closting  had  made  sure  work  with  Mr. 
Dujour,  and  put  him  quietly  to  rest,  but  he  could 
not  clearly  understand  the  particular  design,  or 
the  peculiar  motive  for  the  act,  since,  up  to  this 
time,  neither  he  nor  Banko  knew  any  thing  ofthe 
diamond.  He,  nevertheless,  followed  the  exam- 
ple of  his  confidant,  and  behaved  as  if  he  had 
not  the  least  suspicion,  as  he  hoped  with  time 
and  with  Banko 's  aid,  to  obtain  some  explana- 
tion of  this  mysterious  affair. 

"  Perhaps  he  went  another  way,"  observed  he, 
talcing  a  part  in  the  conversation,  "  and  has  gone 
to  a  fazenda  some  distance  from  here.  We  saw 
some  houses  up  above  there,  as  we  passed  the 
mountain." 

"  It  is  possible  that  he  may  have  taken  another 
way,  and  that  we  shall  find  him  at  home  to- 
morrow evening,  although  he  was  on  foot,"  in- 
terrupted Mr.  Closting. 

"  Sr.  Dujour  Daily  no  go  home  a  foot!"  said 
Francisco,  one  of  the  two  negroes  in  the  service 
of  the  grimpeiro,  who  attended  him  on  Minas 
horses  as  a  sort  of  body  guard. 

"  Sr.  Dujour  Daily  come  here  to  night,  else 
he  be  dead,  murdered  1  No  right  for  .Sr.  Branco* 
leave  he  lone  in  hollow,  in  de  mountains  !  dat 
no  right.  I  no  had  ride  on  wid  Bastian  if  I  tink 
dat.  Me  ride  now  look  whar  Sr.  Dujour  Daily 
stay.    Come  Bastian,  we  go  look  for  S'nhor  '." 

The  two  negroes  sprang  upon  their  horses,  and 
galloped  off  by  the  same  way  that  they  had  come. 
Banko  expressed  a  desire  to  accompany  them, 
which  his  master,  however,  found  superfluous, 
remarking  that  he  knew  the  grimpeiro  to  be  a 
singular  person,  who  often  had  strange  fancies, 
and  did  not  like  to  be  observed  and  watched. 

"  At  any  rate"  continued  he, "  in  the  morning, 
we  will  set  out  on  our  journey  to  his  dwelling, 
where  it  is  to  he  hoped  we  shall  find  him.  if 
not,  then  I  will  take  the  needful  steps— in  refer- 
ence to  the  suspicion  that  prevails  here,  in  con- 
nexion with  this-  dreadful  murder  of  a  whole 
family." 

Banko  had  cleaned  the  two  birds,  and  tem- 
porarily prepared  them  for  preservation  ;  de- 
signing them  as  memorials  for  himself,  without 
allowing  the  murderer,  in  the  least,  to  perceive 
that  he  had  seen  any  thing ;  as  he  well  knew 
that  he  would  thereby  endanger  his  own  life. 
Mr.  Closting  had  already  lain  down  to  rest,  when 

*  White  mail. 


Nols  found  a  fit  moment  to  speak  to  his  confi- 
dant without  being  overheard. 

Banko  related,  with  manifest  embarrassment, 
and  anxiety,  what  he  had  seen,  and  where  the 
event  took  place,  with  all  the  attentling  circum- 
stances, as  well  as  he  had  been  able  to  observe 
them  at  a  distance,  behind  bushes  and  rocks. 

"  I  cannot  tell  what  led  me  to  suspect  that 
something  like  this  would  hapjien,"  said  Nols; 
"  but  I  had  a  singular  presentiment,  and  you 
seem  likewise  to  have  experienced  the  same  feel- 
ing, \Yhen  you  declined  riding  the  mule.  We 
have  yet  to  find  out  what  was  the  object  of  this 
murder." 

"  Which  we  probably  shall,  when  we  go  to  the 
grimpeiro's  dwelling.  Perhaps,  Mr.  Dujour  had 
given  him  his  money,  or  something  of  great 
value,  for  safe  keeping.  We  can  only  learn  that 
from  his  family.  His  father,  however,  is  de- 
ranged, as  Sebastian  has  told  us,  and  there  will 
hardly  be  any  thing  reasonable  got  out  of  him  ; 
but  he  has  some  mulheres  de  cama,*  up  there, 
and  probably  one  of  them  is  acquainted  with  hia 
circumstances." 

The  two  negroes  of  the  grimpeiro,  who  had 
followed  upon  his  track,  now  returned.  Sebas- 
tian sprang  from  his  horse,  and  sought  the 
two  %vhites,  to  give  them  the  information  that 
they  had  actually  found  the  corpse  of  their  mas- 
ter. 

"  S'nhor  Branco  shoot  he  !"  cried  they,  with 
clenched  fists,  "  and  we  make  him  pay  for  it ! 
S'nhor  good  branco,  and  no  beat  de  nigger  to  death 
like  S'nhora  Branca, t  down  below  dere ;  sho 
murder  slave  wid  chigote.  Your  S'nhor  have 
shoot  our  S'nhor  Dujour  !" 

Nols  hastily  put  his  hand  upon  the  negroes' 
tliick  lips,  to  indicate  to  him  that  he  must  be 
silent,  it  he  valued  his  life — since  Mr.  Clo.sting, 
in  case  the  suspicion  was  well  founded,  would 
despatch  him  also,  that  he  might  tell  no  tales. 

The  negro  understood  this,  and  thanked  the 
white  for  the  warning."  But  we  must  bury  de 
body,"  continued  Francisco ;  "  him  lie  in  marsh, 
and  we  no  have  spade." 

"  I  must  yet  see  the  body  myself,"  whispered 
Nols,  after'a  pause ;  "  I  will  venture  to  go  with 
these  two,  and  help  them." 

"That  will  not  answer  now,"  said  Banko; 
"  we  must  arrange  it  differently.  Hark  you, 
Sebastian  I"  said  he  to  the  negro.  "  You  two  must 
not  let  it  be  known  that  you  have  found  the 
body^-do  you  understand  .'  Early  in  the  morn- 
ing, before  we  break  up,  you  must  ride  bach 
some  dL-itance,  as  if  you  were  looking  for  your 
master,  and  then  follow  us  slowly  home,  and 
there  you  must  fir.^t  tell  that  you  have  found  the 
body,  and  where  it  lies.  Mr.  Dujour's  niulheres 
will  then  desire  to  have  it  buried,  and  the  afiliir 
will  be  more  inquired  into,  at  lea^t,  more  known. 
If  we  inform  our  Senhor  hero,  that  you  have 
found  tlie  body,  b.e  will  order  it  to  be  buried, 
and  the  whole  affair  will  remain  a  secret,  for  he 
can  deny  our  testimony. 

The  negro  Sebastian  had  sufficient  sound  com- 
mon sense  to  see  into  the  propriety  of  this  plan 
He  burst  into  lamentations  over  the  death  of  his 
good  master,  who  had  been  very  kind  to  his  lilack 
people,  and  especially  to  the  black  women,  and 
had  given  his  slaves  many  free  hours  to  work  for 


•  Brazilian  expression  for  concubine,     f  ^Vhite  lady. 


123 


DOLORES. 


iheinselves,  and  earn  something,  that  they 
might,  by  degrees,  purcliase  their  own  freedom. 
Both  negroes  were  again  strictly  enjoined  to 
silence,  especially  towards  the  slaves  of  the 
tropa,  with  whose  characters  they  were,  for  the 
most  part,  unacqiuiinteii.  They  promised  the 
necessary  caution,  and  went  to  rest,  that  they 
might  depart  at  an  early  hour  in  the  morning. 


—  '^^fV^'f'f^^ 


>./v>r^.A^>»- 


CHAPTER    XIII. 


THE  LUNATIO. 


Whether  the  naturalist  had  pleasant  dreams 
and  a  comfortable  night's  rest,  as  no  one  inquired 
the  next  morning,  he  did  not  think  it  worth  his 
while  to  mention.  Perhaps  his  slee])  was  not 
particularly  refreshing,  for  he  was  stirring  very 
early,  urging  his  arreiro  to  break  up,  "  and  to 
quit  this  murderous  place  as  soon  as  possible." 
The  information  that  the  two  negroes  of  the 
(rrimpciro  had  gone  hack  to  look  for  their  master, 
did  not  appear  to  surprise  him. 

"  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  we  shall  find  him  at 
home,  or  that  he  will  make  his  appearance  there 
aoon  after  us,  and  his  two  blacks,  likewise,"  he 
observed,  and  mounted  his  mule. 

The  venda  of  old  Braga  lay  at  the  foot  of  a  Scr- 
ra,*  up  along  the  steep  and  broken  sides  of  which 
the  road  now  led,  oflering,  at  every  step,  to  the 
traveller,  who  cherished  a  sense  of  the  grandeur 
of  nature,  an  extensive  prospect  over  the  romantic 
Valley,  and  the  various  grouping  of  the  rocks  in 
the  neighborhood,  which  assumed  dilierent  forms 
at  every  turning  of  the  badly  constructed  road. 

The  sun  had  already  attained  a  considerable 
height,  as  Banko,  in  his  chase  after  butterflies, 
arrived  upon  a  summit,  which  suddenly  afforded 
a  prospect  into  a  second  valley,  if  this  word  may 
be  applied  to  a  space  bounded  on  the  horizon,  at 
a  distance  of  full  sixty  miles,  by  an  azure  moun- 
tain chain,  enclosing  again,  however,  in  an  ex- 
tended semicircle,  mountain  after  mountain, 
Campos  after  campos,  valley  after  valley,  in 
manitbld  variety,  dotted  over  with  fai-ms  and 
villages. 

Amid  this  scenery,  upon  a  mountain  ridge 
many  hundred  feet  high,  at  some  miles  distance 
from  the  point  where  the  youth  was  stand- 
ing, there  appeared,  in  an  admirably  picturesque 
situation,  a  tolerably  large  sized  town,  whoso 
white  spires  and  cupolas  projected  above  the 
equally  white  walls  of  palace-like  dwellings. 
The  t»wn  was  encompassed  by  that  variegated 
green,  which  there  maintains  the  same  freshness 
in  one  eternal  summer,  wliose  botanical  nomen- 
clature many  assiduous  naturalists,  of  worthier 
standing  than  Mr.  Closting,  and  less  pedantic 
than  IJr.  Merbold,  have  set  down  in  their  re- 
ports, and  preserved  in  their  scientific  works. 

The  view  of  this  town  had  something  in  it  of 
magical  surprise  for  the  youth,  from  its  being 
partly  unexpected  to  him.  Mr.  Closting  seemed 
to  have  remained  intentionally  silent,  a.s  to  what 
district  they  were  in,  and  Mr.  Nols's  topographi- 
cal knowledge  did  not  sulEce  to  give  him  the 

•  Sctta.— A  ridge  of  mountaias. 


required  information.  His  imagination  was,  at 
the  time,  occupied  by  the  gloomiest  images  of 
scenes  of  murder  !  The  world,  for  him,  h.^d  be- 
come a  desert,  peopled  by  bloodthirsty  animals 
in  human  Ibrm. 

The  whole  scene  bore  the  character  of  a  ma- 
jestic dignity,  regulated  by  a  cultivated  taste 
and  a  sense  of  the  beautiful,  which  was  devel- 
oped in  this  paradise,  in  the  sublime  grandeur 
of  nature. 

The  balm  of  a  bracing  atmosphere,  aromatic 
witli  the  various  perfumes  of  spicy  plants  from 
the  depths  of  the  valleys,  to  the  sparse  vegeta- 
tion waving  over  the  gigantic  heights,  swelled 
the  breast  of  the  youth,  and  he  remained  stand- 
ing, absorbed  in  reflections  upon  earthly  life  and 
sublunary  happiness,  upon  life'.s  sorrows  and 
pleasures. 

"  VVho  can  find  fault  with  the  Brazilians," 
thought  he, "  for  being  proud  of  their  nationality, 
and  loving  their  fatherland  .'  such  a  wonderfully 
charming  fatherland  !  and  which,  during  so  short 
a  period  of  white  population,  has  made  such  pro- 
gress towards  cultiv;ition  and  improvement. 
VVho  can  blame  them  for  hating  those  men, 
who  turn  up  the  earth  here  for  gold — who  carry 
away  their  gold  and  precious  stones,  and  en- 
deavor to  plant  priestly  dulness  in  this  highly  fa- 
vored soil.  Not  far  from  my  home  on  the  Rhine 
is  a  tavern,  on  which  these  words  are  displayed 
in  large  letters  :  '  No  Jesuit.s  admitted 
HERE  !'  May  this  inscription  also  be  placed 
over  the  gates  of  this  Brizilian  town,  in  order  that 
the  men  who  wish  to  enjoy  themselves  there  in 
the  lap  of  nature,  may  not  be  disgusted  by  mod- 
ern fashion  and  priestly  arrogance." 

Amongst  the  countless  variegated  butterflies, 
which  fluttered  around  him,  a  peculiarly  splen- 
did pair  rose  up  from  the  opposite  valley. 

"  And  must  I  take  you  .'"  thought  he,  follow- 
ing with  his  eyes,  the  sportive  flight  of  the  faith- 
ful pair,  without  moving  his  feet.  "  Must  1  take 
you,  and  kill  you  ?  You,  at  least,  enjoy  your  shore 
existence  without  stealing  and  robbing  from  your 
fellow  creatures — inse|iarable  in  love — alone  ho- 
lier, perhaps,  than  the  sensuality  of  many  men 
who  abuse  the  word.  Shall  I  take  you,  that  my 
master,  as  he  calls  himself,  may  make  money 
out  of  you,  and  that  a  Briton,  or  Anglicised  Euro- 
pean, may  judge  you  according  to  your  beauty  ,' 
No  I  but  according  to  the  money  that  they  have 
paid  for  you.  Fly  away,  and  enjoy  your  lives. 
1  have  committed  too  many  murders  upon  your 
race,  from  this  day,  (brward,  1  will  violate  no 
soul's   life  under  a  butterfly's  covering." 

The  youth  hurried  after  the  limping  negroes 
under  similar,  certainly  very  sentimental  and  un- 
practical reflections,  and  was  forced  to  make  up 
his  mind  to  commit  the  appointed  number  of 
murders  upon  the  symbols  of  the  soul's  life,  until 
the  evening  approached,  and  tlie  tropa  reached 
the  town  of  the  grimpeiro. 

If  money  is  the  source  of  all  evil,  and  all 
misery,  it  is  not  strange  to  meet  with  so  much 
evil  and  human  misery  in  full  bloom,  in  the  El- 
dorado of  Brazil,  as  it  now  contains. 

In  contrast  with  the  charming  variety  of  the 
environs,  which  had  excited  the  youth's  admi- 
ration on  the  summit  of  the  rock,  and  here  and 
there,  almost  daily  until  now,  the  prospect  un- 
folded itself,  by  degrees,  of  an  unfriendly,  cora- 
fortloss,  depopulated  desert.     Dilapidated  butt 


DOLORES. 


129 


oacl  houses,  part  of  them  inhabited  as  ruins  by 
poverty  stricken  human  figures ;  villages  with- 
out jiopulation,  and  here,  and  there,  a  little 
town  that  looked  like  a  wretched  village ;  a 
scanty  vegetation  ia  the  gardens  and  planta- 
tions, from  the  neglect  of  human  hands,  were  all 
united  into  a  tragical  whole  :  It  was  a  region  of 
gold  mines,  and  diamond  rivulets,  stripped  to  the 
last  little  grain,  and  still  dug  through  by  the 
insatiable  avarice  of  civilized  men.  Millions 
upon  millions,  h.ad  here  been  taken  from  tlieso 
called  mother  earth,  and  had  been  misapplied 
and  aliused  by  her  degraded  children. 

The  ruins  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  might  con- 
vey an  impression,  similar  to  the  one  now  created 
by  these  wrecks  of  a  rich  past — from  which  not 
a  single  pillar  projects,  that  might  serve,  by 
its  beauty  and  ornaments,  as  an  evidence  to  fu- 
ture generations,  that  men  here  had  a  sense  of 
noble  forms,  of  the  beautiful  in  art  or  nature. 
The  fearful  image  of  gain — which  seeks  to  turn 
even  the  earth,  with  all  its  treasures,  into  money 
with  no  higher  aim,  than  to  make  money  for 
money's  sake,  without  any  other  object  in  life, 
without  an  intellectual  enjoyment  of  life,  be- 
came impressed  more  strongly  upon  the  mind  of 
tlie  youtli,  the  farther  he  advanced  in  the  re- 
gions of  Eldorado.  Here  were  living  skeletons, 
covered  over  with  skins  of  every  shade  of  light 
and  dark  complexion,  that  seemed  ,as  if  only 
saved  from  starviition  by  the  mild  gifts  of  na- 
ture, which  aiforded  tlicm  a  scanty  supply  of 
Indian  corn,  bananas,  and  fresh  water.  Bound 
to  their  home  by  the  habit  of  wretchedness, 
they  crept  around  the  huts  of  their  black  ances- 
tors, who  here  had  served  the  gold  mania  of 
licentious  Europeans,  while  the  later  genera- 
tions of  mulattoes  had  become  free  by  law  ;  and 
impoverished,  neglected,  and  breadless,  by  the 
exhaust,ation  of  tlie  mines,  and  the  heartle.^sness 
of  their  oppressors  whom  they  had  enriched 

The  wretchedness  of  similar  places  in  the 
mountains  of  Brazil,  which  liave  enriclieil  the 
world  with  millions  in  gold  and  diainouds,  with- 
out alleviating  the  miseries  of  the  people  of 
Europe,  in  the  countries  to  wliicli  all  tliis  wealth 
was  transferred,  is  a  subject  for  the  most  pro- 
found and  serious  contemplation,  wliich  we  can- 
not here  exhaust. 

The  Europeans,  by  means  of  slaves,  dig  into 
the  interior  of  thee.arth,  without  cultivating  its 
surface,  and  affording  the  population  the  means 
of  existence,  from  the  resources  of  industry. 
They  employe"!  no  mulatto  or  white  person,  on 
day  wages,  in  their  gold  mines — because  they 
cither  carried  negro  slaves  with  them,  or  coulil 
liire  them  there  from  speculators,  who  settled 
there,  with  their  slaves,  for  this  purpose  alone, 
and  in  their  dolee  fare  nieiUe,  pocketed  the 
weekly  or  monthly  hire,  and  in  this  manner  en- 
riched themselves  likewise. 

As  soon  as  such  a  mine  became  exhausted,  the 
Europeans  disappeared  with  their  gold  and  their 
negroes,  and  the  unfortunate  inliabitants  re- 
mained breadless.  The  wretclu'dncss  of  such 
places,  as,  for  example,  the  miserable  village  of 
IsambiS,  in  Minas  Geraes,  has  originated,  it  is 
true,  the  Portuguese  proverb,  "  Das  miserias  de 
Isamb^,  libera  nos  domine !"  but  they  do  not  .ap- 
pear to  have  reflected,  that  it  was  the  duty  of 
men  directly  to  relieve  IsambiS,  and  all  other 
unprovisioned  places,  from  their  miisery. 
17 


The  tropa  reached  the  mean  dwelling  of  old 
Mr.  Dally,  at  the  and  of  an  equally  mean  vil- 
lage, through  which  flowed  the  brook  that  was 
the  former  .source  of  the  Eldorado.  The  old  man 
was  engaged  in  making  gold.  Eegular  ditchea, 
cut  crosswise,  were  dug  on  each  bank  of  the 
brook,  elevated  on  the  cilge  with  the  sand  that 
had  been  thrown  out  of  them,  and  carefully 
d.ammed  up  at  the  ends.  These  served  to  inter- 
cept the  gold  enriched  water,  which  was  re- 
tained until  it  deposited  its  sediment.  The 
water  was  then  slowly  drawn  off,  and  the  sandy 
mud  on  the  bottom  of  the  artificial  canal,  con- 
tained gold  dust :  and  in  other  brooks,  diamonds 
were  obtained  by  a  similar  process. 

A  gigantic  negress,  with  a  short  Italian  to- 
bacco pipe,  in  her  wide  mouth,  did  the  honors  to 
theguests.  ItwasSra.  Motura,oneof  the"mul- 
heres  de  cama"  of  the  fazendeiro,  Mr.  Dujour. 
"  Do  not  disturb  him,"  whispered  she  to  the 
naturalist,  as  he  approached  the  old  man,  who, 
stretched  upon  the  ground,  groped  about  with 
both  hands  in  the  mud  of  a  canal,  and  carefully 
took  out  the  pebbles,  putting  them  in  a  little  box 
beside  them.  "  Do  not  disturb  him — he  some 
times  has  convulsions  when  he  is  interrupted; 
He  must  first  have  his  .appointed  quantity ; 
there  lie  the  scales ;  he  weighs  his  gold  and  his 
diamonds,  and  packs  them  carefully  away,  and 
thea  he  calls  for  his  supper,  and  a  negro  brino-a 
him  letters,  as  if  the  letter  carrier  had  been 
here." 

Mr.  Banko  had  placed  himself  near  Closting, 
and  looked  upon  the  old  man,  whose  counte- 
nance bore  the  distorted  expression  of  quiet 
lunacy,  amidst  the  traces  of  forraer  noble  fea- 
tures. Coarse  white  hair  fell  over  high,  broad 
forehead,  and  his  unsteady  light  brown  eye 
stared  into  the  mud,  and  saw  nothing  but  gold 
and  diamonds.  .Jacket  and  pantaloons,  stiffened 
with  the  dirt  of  the  ground  in  which  he  groped 
about,  formed  his  attire.  A  tin  star  on  hi3 
bi-eaat,  many  variegated  ribands  in  his  button- 
holes, and  a  knit  band  under  his  knee,  for  tha 
"order  of  tlic  garter,"  were  his  ornaments. 

He  ended  his  day's  work,  took  up  the  scales, 
atid  ap])eared  uueommouly  satisfied  with  the 
result.  He  then  placed  himself  in  a  command- 
ing posture,  while  he  .addressed  a  troop  of  ne- 
groes whom  nobody  saw  but  himself.  He  praised 
one,  and  scolded  another — complained  ofthisone 
for  having  incurred  the  suspicion  of  swallowinc 
a  diamond,  and  ordered  one  of  the  others  to  shut 
him  up,  and  give  liim  a  bur-glass  full  of  castor 
oil,  and  not  to  let  him  ont  until  it  had  operated. 
After  these  measures,  he  tottered  to  a  beech 
near  the  door,  slowly  seated  himself,  all  tha 
while  staring  before  him,  without  taking  notice 
of  any  one,  ordered  his  supper,  and  inquired  if 
the  letter-carrier  had  come  ?  (who,  by-the-byfe, 
only  made  his  appearance  once  a  month  at  the 
utmost,  unless  a  p.articul.ar  occasion  rexuirod  a 
letter  bag  to  be  forwarded  into  the  mountains. 
Nestor,  an  old  eervant  of  the  house,  camo 
running  out,  and  wiped  the  sweat  from  his  brow 
with  his  bare  hand,  as  if  he  had  hurried  there 
from  a  distance,  and  handed  tlie  newly  arrived 
letters  to  the  grimpeiro,  which  he  had  already 
unfolded  a  hundred  times,  they  having  been 
daily  put  into  other  envelopes. 

He  prepared  for  reading  with  peculiar  zeal, 
placed  apair  of  spectacles,  without  glasses,  upoa 


130 


DOLORES. 


his  meagre  nose,  and  first  contemplated  the  post 
mark  and  stamp  of  each  cover,  before  he  broke 
it  open.  Without  noticing  whether  he  held  the 
writing  right  or  wrong  side  up,  he  read,  after  his 
manner,  the  important  correspondence,  extem- 
porizing the  contents  of  the  letters  with  wonder- 
ful facility,  and  in  an  exhaustless  variety  en- 
riched by  his  remarks,  and  manifested  iii  his 
improvisations  the  fixed  idea  of  his  insanity. 

The  unfortunate  man  had  been  in  this  situa- 
tion, since  he  had  sold,  through  an  agent,  a  con- 
siderable supply  of  diamonds  to  an  European 
court,  and  received  the  payment  for  them  in 
government  paper,  which  had,  unfortunately, 
become  worthless,  and  ruined  him.  He  con- 
sidered himself  now  the  minister  of  finance  to 
the  fallen  dynasty,  and  wished  to  overturn  the 
ai>cient  dynasties  in  all  parts  of  the  world,  and 
found  new  ones  in  their  stead,  that  he  might 
make  a  successful  business,  and  marry  his  co- 
lored daughters  to  legitimate  princes. 

"  No  letter  to-day  from  my  principal  agent .' 
that  is  very  singular!"  he  muttered  to  himself, 
contemplating  the  envelopes.  "0,yes  !  here  it 
is  !  that  is  his  handwriting  and  seal,  and  the 
Lisbon  post  mark.  '  Lisbon,  the  4th  of  May.' 
May  !  this  is  the  15th  of  August — September,  or 
January.  The  date  is  correct ;  the  letter  has  not 
been  long  coming.  '  May  it  please  your  Ex- 
cellency— 1  have  received  your  orders  of  the 
tenth  of  last  month,  and  in  a  private  audience 
with  his  majesty,  I  requested  him  to  prolong 
your  leave  of  absence  six  months,  which  he  has 
been  graciously  pleased  to  grant.' 

"Excellent!  I  can  remain  here  six  months 
longer,  and  direct  the  mines  of  Brazil  in  person ; 
that  is  excellent ! 

*'  *  As  concerning  the  marriage  of  your  daugh- 
ter, Senhora  Amphitrite,  with  his  royal  high- 
ness the  Grand  Duke  Alexander ;  his  highness 
is  approaching  man's  estate,  and  I  have  sent  the 
Baror  von  Dachspot  as  envoy  extraordinary  in 
this  matter,  tc  St.  Petersburgh,  who  will  return 
before  the  arrival  of  your  excellency,  and  bring 
back  the  imperial  consent  with  him.' 

"  Then  that  afl'air,  is  arranged !  excellent  ! 
Senhnra  Amphitrite,  will  be  Grand  Duchess  of 
Russia,  and  in  time  Empress. 

"  '  1  have  learned  that  the  great  diamond  of  the 
Russian  crown  has  been  broken  by  a  pistol  shot, 
fired  by  the  emperor  at  a  rock  in  Poland ;  the 
ball  bounded  back  in  a  most  surprising  manner, 
against  the  crown.  I  have  received  the  commis- 
sion to  replace  it,  with  a  new  one  of  similar 
weight.' 

"Hem!  my  son's  diamond  is  not  heavy  enough, 
otherwise  it  would  be  an  excellent  opportunity ; 
it  has  fire  like  a  sun.  Well,  I  must  see,  and  pro- 
duce one  for  my  Amphiti-ite's  future  father-in- 
law. 

"  '  It  is  a  most  remarkable  fact  in  regard  to  the 
European  crowns  of  modern  days,  that  they  will 
not  sit  steadily  upon  anointed  heads;  every 
now  and  then  one  falls  down  and  breaks,  and 
the  boys  in  the  streets,  peH  each  other  with 
the  diamonds.' 

"  The  young  dogs  !  I  %vill  send  over  a  dozen 
chicotes,  that  will  soon  subdue  the  '  rascals.' 

"  '  Her  royal  highness,  the  Princess  Victoria, 
begs  your  excellency  to  send  her  an  Ethiopian 
prince,  naturalized  in  Brazil,  as  chamberlain  for 
herself,  and  as  adjutant  for  her  future  husband. 


She  sends  you,  herewith,  the  measure  of  the 
'  Apollo  of  Belvidere,'  from  the  British  museum 
taken  with  her  own  hand ;  in  height,  hips, 
thighs,  calves,  etc.,  to  be  as  far  as  possible  iden- 
tical. It  will  be  required,  moreover,  that  the 
said  mulatto  prince  should  be  legitimate  on  the 
mother's  side,  and  musical ;  he  must  also  pos- 
sess dramatic  talent,  and  be  able  to  play  Othel- 
lo— from  state  economy,  to  save  the  enormous 
salaries  of  the  singers  in  the  Italian  opera.' 

"  Very  well,  I  will  take  a  note  of  that.  I 
know  a  legitimate  Ethiopian  princess ;  she  be- 
longs to  our  neighbor  over  the  way,  and  is  an  ex- 
quisite laundress ;  she  is  old  enough,  and  has 
grown  up  sons — mulattoes.  I  will  copy  the 
measure  ;  it  is  given  here  below,  in  the  letter,  in 
feet  and  inches,  all  connect.    It  shall  be  seen  too." 

"  '  There  is  good  prospect  of  marrying  all  of 
your  excellency's  daughters  to  German  princes, 
whose  number  is  more  than  sufficient.' 

"  Yes,  I  know  that,  but  it  does  not  suit  me — 
such  a  duodecimo  German  prince,  with  two  and 
a  half  soldiers  for  a  garrison,  and  one  and  a  half 
riding  horses  in  the  court  stable.  No;  my  Sen- 
horas  aim  a  little  higher  !  nothing  will  come  of 
that !  they  never  send  over  orders  for  crown 
diamonds.  Bohemian  stones  are  even  too  high 
priced  for  them  !  If  it  were  a  prince  of  Aus- 
tria !  or  Russia — or  Bavaria — very  well,  that 
might  answer  ;  but  Bavaria  is  constitutional,  and 
I  have  nothing  more  to  do  [with  constitutions — I 
require  legitimacy  !  legitimacy,  and  a  guarantee 
for  my  diamonds  ! 

"  '  There  is  quite  a  prospect  for  a  couple  of 
dozen  dynasties  in  the  United  States  of  North 
America ;  they  have  no  nobility,  but  there  is  a 
lively  demand  there  for  that  article.' 

"  Capital !  something  may  be  made  out  of 
that !  I  will  reply  by  the  next  post ;  that  must 
be  attended  to. 

"  '  Valets  of  European  princes  are  already 
sent  to  the  United  States,  and  received  there  with 
the  greatest  enthusiasm,  as  representatives  of 
their  monarchs  and  other  sovereigns,  furnished 
with  secret  dynastic  commisions  and  powers  ! 
Fifteen  per  cent,  increase  in  the  price  of  cotton 
in  fifteen  years,  guarantied  to  each  dynasty — of 
course  there  is  hardly  a  doubt  but  that  the  afiair 
will  succeed,especiaily  in  some  particular  States.' 

"  That  looks  very  reasonable.  1  could  not  have 
heard  any  thing  more  desirable. 

" '  There  is  a  great  throng  of  future  North 
American  noblesse  in  the  royal  zoological  gar- 
dens and  menageries  of  European  princes,  as  a 
debut  and  preparatory  school  for  the  necessary 
manners  and  etiquette.' 

"  That  is  likewise  quite  in  accordance  with  the 
spirit  of  the  times,  and  can  do  no  sort  of  harm. 

"  '  Mrs.  Whiteskin  a  widow,  who  has  become 
worth  a  million  and  a  half,  by  the  death  of  her 
husband,  requires  from  you  a  gamifure  of  dia- 
monds, of  about  the  value  of  half  a  million, 
that  she  may  carry  one  third  of  her  worth  in 
plain  sight.  She  is  going  from  here  to  Paris,  for 
exhibition,  to  show  herself  in  the  Theatre  Eran- 
gais,  and  in  her  box  at  the  Italian  opera.' 

"  I  will  take  note  of  that — of  the  order;  the  lady 
does  quite  right ;  but  she  is  very  modest.  Why 
does  she  not  wear  her  whole  worth  in  sight,  like 
ray  Amarosa — who  knows  that  her  worth  consisf.i 
in  her  beauty,  and  goes  almost  entirely  naked,  not 
from  vanity,  but  because  she  wi^es  to  be  mar- 


DOLORES. 


131 


f  kil,  and  wiU  not  deceive  any  one  My  f'itiir<> 
fions-in-!aw  'by  the  grace  of  God,'  may  know 
what  they  get  Many  a  man  marries  a  woman, 
and  when  she  is  seen  by  the  light,  she  is  a  skele- 
ton, covered  with  untanned  leather.  '  All  is  not 
gold  that  glitters,'  and  cotton  is  just  now  a  cheap 
article  for  the  toilet. 

"  There  is  a  letter  from  Bnenos  Ayre^— from 
my  chai'ge  d'affaires  there,     I  am  very  curious 

"  '  The  monarchical  principle  makes  the  most 
brilliant  progress  here,  where  only  the  crown  is 
yet  wanting,  for  which  yon  must  furnish  the  dia- 
monds, if  possible,  in  e.\change  for  buffulo  hides, 
for  Rosas  has  already  sent  the  gold  which  is  re- 
quired for  the  crown,  with  all  his  other  saving-s, 
to  the  bank  of  England,  for  safe  keeping,' 

"  In  exchange  for  buffalo  hides  !  Is  the  future 
monarch  of  La  Plata  crazy,  or  is  he  a  merchant .' 
What  should  I  do  with  so  many  bufi'alo  hides? 
I  should  like  to  know  !  There  are  oxen  enough  in 
Brazil,  native  and  foreign,  that  carry  their  hides 
to  market.  I  only  use  a  few  hides  for  my 
gold  dust,  and  require  no  cargoes  from  Rozas  ! 
That  does  not  suit  me  at  all !  No !  a  dynasty 
that  traffics  with  ox  hides,  cannot  trade  with 
me.  I  desire  legitimacy  and  ready  money— I 
will  have  nothing  to  do  with  legitimate  oxen ; 
I  might,  perhaps,  barter  diamonds  against  men — 
black  or  white,  it  makes  no  difference.  "The 
people  must  pay  taxes  for  my  diamonds,  that  is 
natural.  '  Telestnotre  plaisir  !'  And  so  a  quasi 
legitimate  citizen,  or  oxen  king,  may  sell  his  sub- 
jects, and  his  oxen,  where  he  will,  and  to  whom 
he  will.  Stupid  stuff!  ox  hides,  for  diamonds  ! 
Who  ever  heard  of  such  a  thing  before.  But  what 
else  can  be  expected  from  a  Gaucho — an  ox  dri- 
ver who  wishes  to  be  king,  and  will  not  spend 
much  on  his  crown  !  Let  him  marry  a  legitimate 
princess,  and  he  will  soon  carry  another  orna- 
ment on  his  forehead,  which  has  a  great  family 
likeness  to  the  head  ornaments  of  oxen." 

After  this  monologue,  the  old  man  stared  long 
before  him,  as  if  some  image  had  attracted  his 
fancy,  and  afterwards  looked  round  on  the  by- 
standers, and  at  length  upon  Mr.  Closting. 

"  Where  have  yx)\i  left  my  son  .'  and  where  is 
his  diamond .'"  he  inquired,  rising  from  his  seat, 
as  if  he  would  seize  the  stranger  by  the  throat. 

The  murderer  turned  pale,  and  stepped  aside 
some  paces,  but  by  no  means  lost  his  self-posses- 
sion, though  he  cast  a  glance  sideways  at  his  ne- 
groes, and  beckoned  to  Matura  to  take  hold  of 
the  old  man,  Matura,  stepped  bet%veen  the  guest 
and  the  lunatic,  but  appeared  suddenly  to  have 
become  observant  of  the  protracted  stay  of  hei- 
man,  as  she  called  Mr.  Dujour. 

"  Did  not  my  man  travel  with  your  tropa  ?"  she 
asked  the  naturalist ;  "  I  thought  he  had  only 
staid  behind  accidentally,  and  would  be  here  di- 
rectly ?" 

"  Who  are  you  ?  and  where  have  you  lefr  my 
son  .'  and  where  is  his  diamond  .'"  repeated  the 
lunatic,  as  Mr.  Closting  was  about  to  begin  his 
reply, 

"  Be  q\iiet,  father  !"  whispered  Matura,  in 
the  old  man"3  ear,  at  the  same  time  taking  his 
hand,  "  This  gentleman  is  a  friend  of  your  son. 
Sr.  Xavier  will  soon  be  here.  This  gentleman 
knows  nothing  of  the  diamond  !" 

"  Who  are  you  ?"  said  the  lunatic  to  Closting, 
"  an  European  ?  Let  us  see  you  once  !  What  is 
written  on  your  forehead ,'   I  wish  to  read  it ! 


Take  ofT  your  hat '.  lake  off  yonr  hat,  I  eay,  or  I 
will  call  the  life  guard  I  my  grenadiers  are  down 
there,  in  front  of  the  palace.  Let  me  tee  you,  I 
say  !  1  wish  to  read  who  you  are  !  the  good  God 
writes  a  legible  hand,  and  men's  countenances 
do  not  lie  !     Show  yourself,  I  tell  you  '." 

"  Let  the  old  man  be  taken  to  bed,"  wliisperd 
Mr.  Closting  in  the  ear  of  a  young  negress,  who 
stood  near  him,  with  a  mulatto  child  in  her 
arms. 

"  Now  I  see  the  writing  through  your  straw 
hat— th.ere  it  is  !  but  you,  yourself,  know  best 
what  you  are  worth,  and  the  negroes  here,  have 
no  occasion  to  know  it,  for  they  are  negroes, 
and  you  are  a  branco.  Ha,  ha,  ha  !"  he  laughed, 
frightfully  ;  "  a  branco  !  a  respectable  branco  !" 

He  observed  him  again,  with  a  fixed  gaze,  and 
continued  :  "  Of  what  nation  are  you  .'  What  na- 
tion has  the  honor  to  call  you  son  .'  You  must  be 
a  cosmopolite  !  one  of  those  who  belong  to  any 
nation,  where  they  can  do  a  good  business! 
Quite  right  I  yoa  are  a  cosmopolite,  and  wear 
the  cloak  of  cosmopolitism,  lined  with  philan- 
throphy  !  That  becomes  you  very  well !  it's  the 
fashion,  now  I" 

Mr.  Closting  heard  this  speech  of  the  lunatic 
with  the  same  apparent  indifiijrence  which  any 
one  ivith  a  clear  conscience  would  have  main- 
tained in  his  place ;  but  he  appeared  to  find  such 
a  string  of  titles  superfluous,  and  was  just  about 
to  withdraw,  as  Francisco,  the  negro  of  the  mur- 
dered man,  came  galloping  in,  with  his  com- 
panion. 

"  Where  is  my  man  .>"  cried  three  black  wo- 
men !  "  Where  is  my  man !"  repeated  Matura, 
letting  go  tl-.e  hand  of  the  old  man,  who  con- 
tinued to  stare  at  the  guest,  with  a  piercing  look. 

The  danger  of  being  seized,  and  perhaps 
strangled  by  the  lunatic,  threatened  the  mur- 
derer, who  knew  sufficiently  the  unbounded 
physical  strength  of  a  man  under  such  circum- 
stances, though  the  old  man  appcai-ed  to  be  so 
weak  that  a  boy  might  hold  him  back. 

"  He  is  murdered  !"  shrieked  the  lunatic  ;  be- 
fore the  two  negroes  had  uttered  the  same  ex- 
clamation. "  Do  you  see  him  there  .'  There  lies 
the  pretty  Sevandija,"  and  his  companion  of  the 
dirt,  that  rooted  about  with  him,  has  murdered 
him  I  There  he  lies!  And  the  other  sevandija 
crawls  about,  unconcerned  ;  but  he  has  not  stolen 
any  thing  from  him—only  the  bright  spark  has 
gone  from  the  breast  of  the  murdered  sevandija — 
it  has  gone,  disappeared." 

"  Sr.  Sevandija  !  Sr.  Branco  Sevandija !" 
cried  he  to  the  slave  trader,  "  come  !  come  !  sit 
down  by  me  !  1  have  state  affairs  to  discuss  with 
you  !  Do  you  wish  to  become  charge  d'affaires  ? 
I  have  a  post  for  you  !"  He  pursued  this  mono- 
logue, while  the  lamenting  shrieks  of  the  women 
broke  forth,  who  had  now  received,  from  the  ne- 
groes, the  news  of  the  murder.  But  he  seemed 
not  to  hear  it,  and  stared  again  at  the  spot  in  the 
sand,  where  he  thought  he  saw  the  murdered 
muckworm. 

"  He  is  murdered  !"  cried  the  negroes,  with- 
out concerning  themselves  about  the  old  man's 
soliloquy. 

"  Murdered  !"  resounded  from  all  mouths, 
and  Mr.  Closting  now  stepped  into  the  midts  of 
the  four  concubines. 

'  MHckwoiTii 


132 


DOLORES. 


"  HoTT  so  ?  mnrdereri  ?"'  lie  inquired  of  the  ne- 
gro, who  leaped  from  the  saddle  aud  gave  his 
torse  to  the  charge  of  another. 

"  Tell  what  you  know  !  wliere  ia  Mr.  Dnjotir?" 
Francisco  now  reported,  after  his  manner,  in 
broken  Portuguese,  where  he  had  fonnd  the 
corpse.  He  wag  interrupted  by  the  weeping 
nnd  lamentations  of  the  fonr  women,  which 
knew  no  Ixjunds,  and  permitted  no  one  to  pay 
the  least  attention  to  the  circumstantial  relation 
of  the  uegi-o. 

Mr.  Closting  now  stepped  up,  as  the  friend  of 
the  murdered  man,  and  endeavored  to  impose 
upon  all  present  by  his  resolute  behaviour.  He 
informed,  himself,  precisely,  of  all  the  circtim- 
Btances,  as  far  as  the  negroes  were  able  to  relate 
them,  and  gave  the  women  the  assurance  that 
he  would  take  upon  himself  the  investigation  for 
the  discovery  of  the  murderer,  and  wonld  go 
back  the  next  morning  and  bury  the  body. 

But  the  women  did  not  hear  him,  and  went 
on  lamenting,  without  cessation. 

"  Shut  up  the  old  man  in  his  room !"  he  whis- 
pered in  the  ear  of  the  negro,  Francisco,  contin- 
ually apprehensive  that  he  might  spring  upon 
tim  and  strangle  him.  The  Innatic,  however, 
remained  standing  upon  the  spot  where  he  had 
made  the  last  outcry,  and  stared,  as  if  petrified 
cu  the  ground,  at  his  murdered  sevandija. 

"  "W'ho  disturbs  me  while  I  am  reading  my 
lettere  .■■'  cried  he,  as  Francisco  approached  him, 
with  several  negroes,  to  fulfil  ths  order  of  the 
authoritative  guest. 

"  We  will  attend  you  to  your  room,  Senhor. 
Vou  must  read  your  letters  there,  Senhor !" 

"  First  bury  this  sevandija  for  me,  and  erect 
him  a  monument,  for  he  deserves  as  good  a  mon- 
ument as  any  other '  honiea  sujo.'*  Now  I  will 
read  my  letters  ;  bnt  do  not  let  any  one  disturb 
me!  Invite  the  gnest  to  sup  with  me —the  branco! 
He  seems  to  me  to  be  a  gentleman  !  a  perfect 
gentleman  !  The  man  pleases  me  !  Take  him 
into  the  strangers'  room,  and  give  him  a  jacket 
and  fresh  linen. "f 

The  unfortunate  Mr.  Daily  went  into  his  room 
and  again  opened  some  letters,  while  he  laid 
himself  down  on  an  old  cane  bottomed  sofa. 
Francisco  softly  locked  the  door  on  the  outside, 
and  went  back  to  Mr.  Closting,  who  employed 
all  his  eloquence  to  console  the  sui-vivors  of  the 
murdered  man,  and  offered  them  his  friendly 
services. 

The  women  surrounded  the  Sr.  Branco  with 
the  confidence  of  necessity,  and  were  far  from 
entertaining  the  least  donbt  and  STispicion  of 
him,  since  they  had  known  him  for  years  as  the 
btisiness  friend  of  their  fourfold  man  ;  and 
gradually  dried  their  honest  tears  of  grief,  con- 
soled by  the  circumstance  that  chance  had 
brought  a  Sr.  Branco  to  them,  who,  they  hoped 
would,  in  many  respects,  take  the  place  of  the 
murdered  man. 

Banko  and  Nols  observed  their  employer  since 
the  arrival  of  the  two  negroes,  with  the  mute 
understanding  that  existed  between  them,  aud 
exhausted  their  thoughts  by  many  .■ftclen  glinoes. 

If  Nolsh.ad  not  learned  the  fact  of  the  murder, 
through  the  credible  youth,  and  had  not  for  a 
long  time  h.ad  many  reasons  for  believing  his 

«  A  dirty,  vulgar  fello'.v — a  muckworm. 

t  A  Bcaziliun  cualuui  oa  tlic  arrival  of  any  stranger. 


employer  capable  of  such  a  deed,  he  -would  haw 
doubled  its  reality. 

If  the  deportment  of  the  betrayer  cotild  work 
such  an  impression  upon  a  man  who  had  known 
him  as  such  for  years,  it  might  very  well  strike 
the  negroes  dumb  with  amazement,  who  had  en- 
tertained the  strongest  suspicions,  and  now  saw 
them  all  weakened. 

Francisco  was  unable  to  conceive  of  that  de- 
gree  of  European  civilization,  by  which  a  man  ig 
enabled  to  master  every  internal  emotion  before 
the  world,  and  by  means  of  a  preparation  for 
practical  life,  to  maintain  his  self-possession  ia 
every  sitn.ation,  and,  as  was  the  case  with  the 
European  in  the  present  instance,  to  assvmie  any 
mask  the  occasion  required. 

The  stupid  negro,  not  possessing  any  know- 
ledge of  that  sort,  became  more  and  more  em- 
barrassed, and  conld  hardly  understand  how  it 
was  that  he  could  have  believed  the  Sr.  Branco 
capable  of  the  murder. 

Mr.  Closting  saw  very  well  that  his  assnrsnce 
had  produced  its  intended  effect,  whereby  he 
gained  a  wider  field  in  which  to  move  withouj 
restraint. 

IVithont  having  imagined  that  the  wholesale 
murder  in  the  venda  of  old  Senhor  Braga  would 
serve  him  to  lead  the  suspicion,  in  respect  to  the 
corpse  of  the  grinipeiro,  t:pon  the  "  holy  gentle- 
men," he  had,  in  anticipation,  (a,?  the  reader 
will  recollect,)  let  fall  some  words,  in  conversa- 
tion with  the  officer  of  the  permanentos,  signify- 
ing that  he  exposed  himself  to  the  vengeance  of 
the  faronpilhas,  by  promoting  the  apprehension 
of  Serafini.  Although  the  grirapeiro,  Dujour, 
had  not  had  the  le.ast  to  do  with  the  affair,  and 
llr.  Closting  had  never  spoken  to  him  about 
Seratini's  political  standing,  he,  ne\'ertheless, 
represented  him  as  the  informer,  that  he  might 
afterwards  be  able  to  make  the  intended  murder, 
in  case  it  were  successfully  accomplished,  ap- 
pear as  a  deed  of  i  engeance  on  the  part  of  the 
hiroupilhas. 

Accident  had  now  doubly  favored  hira,  (as  it 
has  so  many  other  rascals  on  earth,  who  are 
elevated  by  "  saccess  in  business,")  and  he  now 
availed  himself,  most  Judiciously,  of  these  cir- 
cumstances, in  conversation  with  his  two  white 
attendants  and  the  women  of  the  murdered  man, 
to  divert  suspicion  from  himself. 

"  If  he  be  not  murdered,  through  mistake,  by 
the  holy  gentlemen',"  he  remarked,  among 
other  things,  "  which  will  soon^ie  aseertaineil, 
then  the  faroupilhas  have  had  a  hand  in  it,  for 
suspicion  rested  upou  him  of  having  denounced 
Senlior  Serafini.  It  is  not  at  al!  improbable," 
continued  he,  farther,  "  that  some  negro,  or 
white  person  with  atiendai;ts,may  have  followed 
us  from  Villa  Tasso,  to  revenge  the  treachery 
which  Mr.  Dujour,  according  to  their  view,  had 
bciu  guilty  of  towards  Senhor  Serafini.  We 
know,  unhappily,  by  experience,  the  blood- 
tiiirsfy  vengeance  of  the  faroupilhas,  ia  such 
cases  of  treacliery  as  they  call  su';h  a  transaction 
though  a  man,  in  comniittiiig  it,  may  act  in  it — 
acconlance  to  his  convictioni9 — for  the  public 
service.  In  tho  other  ease,  it  is  just  as  possible 
that  one  of  the  '  holy  gentlemen's'  negroes  has 
mistaken  him  for  the  old  dragoon.  Tliere  is  as 
much  to  be  said  ou  the  one  side  as  on  the  other." 

All  this  was  more  than  sufiicient  to  screen  tho 
Jutowa  bu,siucss  friend  of  the  uurdered  man  frvni 


DOLORES. 


133 


all  suspicion  in  the  eyes  of  the  guileless  colored 
people,  and  even,  if  not  to  extinguish,  at  least  to 
weaken,  the  suspicion  of  the  faithful  Francisco, 
80  that  he  did  not  dare  (as  miglit  have  been  ex- 
pected before)  to  come  forward  against  the 
"  Senhor  Branco,"  with  all  the  decision  of  a 
brave  negro. 

The  two  white  attendants  of  the  latter  had 
each  their  own  thoughts,  and  often  looked  at 
each  other  significantly,  with  all  respect  for  the 
practical  dexterity  of  their  employer. 

All  measures  for  the  discovery  of  the  mur- 
derer, and  the  interring  of  the  corpse,  were  set- 
tled in  the  best  manner.  Mr.  Closting  decided 
upon  making  a  circuit  the  next  morning,  to 
lodge  an  information  of  the  affair  in  the  above 
mentioned  town,  and,  if  possible,  to  conduct  an 
examination  from  thence — at  least,  to  give  over 
the  whole  affair  into  the  hands  of  the  judge, 
where  he  knew,  beforehand,  that  it  would  soon 
be  forgotten. 

Banko  had  already  learned  the  name  of  the 
town  that  he  had  seen,  and,  so  far  as  concerned 
himself,  had  resolved  to  separate,  the  next  day, 
from  his  employer.  It  happened  that  a  young 
man  of  his  acquaintance,  from  Europe,  lived  in 
this  town,  as  a  physician^at  least,  according  to 
the  information  that  he  had  obtained  in  Rio  de 
Janeiro,  he  hoped  to  meet  him  there  ;  and  it  was 
now  more  than  ever  evident  to  him  that  Mr. 
Closting  had  concealed  from  him  in  what  co- 
tnarca  they  were. 

Mr.  Nols  was  obliged  to  remain  some  time 
longer  in  the  service  of  the  naturalist,  for  he  had 
Btill  a  demand  upon  him  for  a  considerable  sum 
of  arrears  of  salary,  and  Mr.  Closting  had 
adopted  the  custom  of  the  business  men  of  our 
time,  to  put  off  the  payment  of  money  as  long  as 
possible.  According  to  the  above  custom,  he 
generally  paid  his  subordinate  creditors  the 
interest  of  their  claim  with  rudeness,  for  their 
urgency  implied  a  doubt  of  his  ability  to  pay, 
and,  of  course,  was  an  insult  to  his  respecta- 
bility. 

The  unfortunate  widowed  mulheres  de  cama 
wept  through  the  comfortless  night,  each  in  the 
conviction  that  her  man  loved  her  in  his  heart 
above  all  others  ;  and  in  case  he,  in  the  moment 
of  his  death,  had  found  time  to  take  leave,  in 
spirit,  of  any  one,  he  certainly  had  thought  of 
her,  and  of  her  only. 

Mr.  Closting  personally  convinced  himself, 
before  he  went  to  rest,  that  the  door  of  the  room 
in  which  old  Mr.  Daily  raved,  was  well  fast- 
ened. 

He  then  betook  himself  to  the  before  men- 
tioned stranger's  room,  which  was  a  very  mise- 
rable one,  to  be  sure,  but  kept  with  Brazilian 
neatness.  He  carefully  bolted  his  door  and 
window  shutters,  examined  the  locks  and  load- 
ing of  his  pistols  and  his  double-barrelled  gun, 
and  laid  himself  down  to  rest. 

Banko  and  Nols  arranged  their  beds  as  com- 
fortably as  the  circumstances  permitted,  in  a 
corner  of  the  hospitable  house,  where  the  negro 
Francisco  had  sjiread  out  some  straw  mats  for 
them.  The  thought  of  the  proverb,  that  "  walls 
have  ears,"  prevented  them  from  speaking  on  the 
paramount  subject  which  chased  away  their 
sleep.  When  all  was  quiet  in  the  house,  Fran- 
cisco came  again  to  the  couch  of  the  two  whites 
to  wieh  them  good  night,  and  whispered  in  their 


ears,  "  Your  Senhor  Branco  is  innocent,  or  he  is 
as  great  a  Velhacaz*  as  there  is  in  Brazil !" 

"  Pst !  pst !"  whispered  Mr.  Banko  to  him  ; 
"  if  Francisco  is  prudent,  he  will  not  say  any 
thing,  or  he  runs  the  risk  of  being  shot,  like  his 
master,  by  the  Senhor  Branco,  who  is,  probably, 
a  highly  respectable  velhacaz.  Good  night, 
Senhor  Francisco!" 


CHAPTER    XIV. 


At  the  extreme  boundary  of  the  southern 
tropical  zone,  almost  directly  under  the  Tropic  of 
Capricorn — where  the  sun  is  at  its  zenith  when 
we,  north  of  the  equator,  have  the  shortest  days — 
nature  has  hollowed  out  a  bay,  nearly  seventeen 
English  miles  in  length,  and  varying  from  lour 
to  five  in  width,  upon  whose  environs  she  seems 
to  have  expended  all  that  she  is  able  to  effect 
upon  our  planet,  in  beauty  and  wealth,  in  gran- 
deur and  elevation,  in  variety  and  luxuriance,  in 
idyllian  charms  and  romantic  wildness.  It  is 
the  world-famed  bay  of  Rio  de  Janeiro. 

Like  the  whole  coast  of  Brazil,  from  Pernam- 
buco  to  Rio  Grande — bordered  by  a  colossal 
chain  of  mountains,  broken  off  at  several  places 
and  retiring  more  or  less  into  the  interior,  which 
penetrate  the  clouds  in  their  sublime  grandeur 
— the  entrance  into  the  "  bay  of  tropical  splen- 
dor and  magniticence,"  is,  also,  surrounded  by 
high  mountains. 

Two  conical  masses  of  rock,  hardly  three 
quarters  of  an  English  mile  apart,  stand  opposite 
to  each  other,  and  nearly  perpendicular,  appear- 
ing like  the  hewn  pillars  of  a  gate,  and  afford, 
even  directly  at  their  bases,  safe  navigation  for 
the  largest  ships  to  enter  the  bay. 

As  we  enter  from  without,  the  so  called 
"  sugar  loaf"  rises,  on  the  left  hand,  a  guide  to 
the  mariner,  who  does  not  see  the  entrance  until 
he  tinds  himself  in  a  straight  line  before  it,  and 
who  readily  recognises  the  famous  "  sugar  loaf," 
from  the  circumstance  that  it,  unlike  every  other 
conical  point  along  that  coast,  inclines  to  the 
southwest.  At  the  foot  of  the  opposite  rocks  of 
pure  granite,  and  at  an  inconsiderable  distance  in 
front,  extends  the  fortress  of  Santa  Cruz.  Inside 
of  the  *'  sugar  loaf,"  upon  a  low  rocky  island, 
stands  the  bastion  of  St.  Joao  ;  and  between  these 
two  points,  a  view  unfolds  itself  that  fills  with 
amazement  the  heai't  even  of  the  traveller,  who 
has  admired  the  beauty  and  grandeur  of  nature  in 
Europe,  from  the  Archipelago  to  the  North  Cape. 

Towards  the  southwest,  at  the  foot  of  a  group 
of  mountains,  fully  three  thousand  feet  high, 
whose  peculiar  forms  recall  no  landscape  in 
Europe,  lies  the  city  of  Rio  de  Janeiro,  with  the 
cultivated  villages  and  suburbs  of  the  bay,  ex- 
tending, in  terrace-formed  alternation,  to  a  dis- 
tance of  some  seven  English  miles. 

From  the  naked  heights  of  the  cloudcapt 
rocky  summits,  the  ever  fresh,  green,  and  luxu- 
riant vegetation  descends  in  an  endless  variety 
of  colors,  down  to  the  little  hills,  upon  whose 

•  Scoundrel — pronounced  ve^acaz 


1S4 


DOLORES. 


misty  back-ground  stands  ttiB  city,  with  ils 
churches  and  unassuming  palaces,  with  its  mon- 
asteries and  chapels,  with  ils  mass  of  dwellings, 
and  its  terraces,  with  its  gigantic  aqueduct  and 
its  fountains,  overlooked  by  countless  chacaras,* 
gene. ally  painted  white,  and  kept  neat  and 
clean,  and  reflected  in  the  dark  bluish  green  of 
the  sparkling  waves,  which  play  around  the 
keels  of  vessels,  arriving  here  from  all  parts  of 
the  world,  decorated  with  the  flags  of  every 
civilized  nation  upon  earth. 

Opposite  to  these  rocky  tops,  on  the  other  side 
of  the  bay,  appeared  the  heaven-piercing  pipes 
of  tlie  "  Organ  Mountains,"  (Serra  dos  Orges,) 
which  receives  its  narae  from  its  singular  form. 
It  is  about  seven  thousand  feet  high,  and  appears 
like  a  deep  blue  stone  wall,  sharp  distinguished 
at  almost  all  times  of  day,  from  the  •therially 
clear  horizon. 

The  Organ  Mountains  descend,  in  the  fore- 
ground, by  various  gradations  in  hills,  valleys, 
and  meadows,  to  the  sandy  shore  of  the  bay, 
where  the  little  towns  of  Praya  Grande  and  St. 
Domingo  are  seen,  with  their  idyllian  chacaras. 
Mountain  upon  mountain,  near  and  remote, 
and  countless  islets  rising  above  the  ever  mur- 
muring waves,  partly  inhabited,  and  partly  ap- 
pearing as  if  placed  there  by  nature,  as  altar 
steps  in  the  mysterious  temple  of  solitude,  to 
remind  the  feeling  human  heart  to  bring  its 
offering  there  in  hours  of  devotion,  in  contem- 
plation of  the  splendor  and  magnificence  of  di- 
vine ceation. 

The  same  moon  which  shone  upon  the  hospi- 
table dwelling  of  the  murdered  grimpeiro,  in 
the  interior  of  the  country,  cast  its  bright  rays, 
through  the  clear  tropical  atmosphere,  into  the 
half  open  window  of  a  chacara,  which  stood 
upon  the  ridge  of  a  hill  at  the  foot  of  the  Corco- 
vado.f 

The  long  leaves  of  the  bananas  rustled  in  the 
silence  of  the  night  above  the  fragrant  tops  of 
the  blooming  orange  tiees,  and  the  waves  of  the 
bay  beat  against  the  beach,  with  a  splashing 
noise,  in  the  regular  "  pulse-throb  of  nature." 
Their  advance  and  falling  back  were  distinctly 
audible,  far  below,  on  the  nearest  shore,  and  far 
away  from  the  granite  foundations  of  the  fortress 
of  Santa  Cruz,  notwithstanding  the  distance  of 
some  miles. 

In  strong  contrast  with  the  gloomy,  almost 
black  masses  of  mountains,  above  which  the 
moon  had  just  risen,  and  whose  shadows  still 
enveloped  the  walls  of  the  fortress  of  Santa  Cruz, 
glittered  the  mirrorlike  surface  of  the  bay,  like 
an  outspread  silver  veil,  inwrought  with  my- 
riads of  sparkling  diamonds,  wliose  brilliancy 
was  only  exceeded  by  the  inexpressible  splendor 
of  the  cloudless  firmanent.  Although  the  south- 
ern hemisphere  presents  fewer  constellations  of 
prominent  magnitude  than  the  northern,  it 
adords,  in  their  place,  by  the  indescribable  ethe- 
real cleai'ness  of  its  atmosphere,  a  view  into  the 
awe-inspiring  regions  of  immensity,  which  agi- 
tates the  soul,  while,  after  long  gazing,  another 
universe  of  co.untless  stars  is  revealed,  to  which 
there  is  no  bound. 


*  Country  houses, 
f  A  vock  ofS.OOO  fuefhigh,  at  the  foot  of  which,  the 
cliuri*.h  NoBsa  Scnhora  da  Gloria,  the  raonastury  Stuitn 
Tlicrcsa,  and  apart  oltho  citj-,  are  built. 


At  the  half  open  window  sat  a  female  Cirm, 
with  her  unadorned  head  supported  upon  a  lisod 
of  childlike  delicacy,  over  which  a  luxuriant 
wealth  of  coal  black  hair  rolled  **  in  regular 
confusion."  She  appeared  self-absorbed.  Her 
look  was  directed  towards  a  bright  sparkling 
star,  withont  noticing  it,  for  the  long  dark  lashes 
were  moist  with  tears,  and  the  eye  of  the  ob- 
server might  penetrate  into  the  inner  world  of  a 
son-ow  burdened  soul. 

The  gentle  swelling  form  of  a  Venus  de  Medici 
was  enveloped  in  a  simple,  dazzling  white  robe, 
fastened  over  the  breast  by  an  agrafe ;  the  folds 
of  which,  like  the  artistically  arranged  drapery 
of  an  antique  statue,  revealed  the  form  the  more 
it  veiled  it. 

In  natural  harmony  with  such  a  noble  figure, 
(which  did  not  exceed  tlie  middling  size  of  the 
antique  models,)  the  expressive  countenance  bor- 
dered upon  that  admired  Grecian  form  which 
the  trn])ical  nature  of  Brazil  renders  so  glorious 
with  luxuriant  charms,  while  the  hardly  per- 
ceptibly projecting  arch  of  the  nose  bordered  on 
Roman  beauty,  and  at  the  same  time  it  often  un- 
deniably manifests  a  consciousness  of  womanly 
dignity,  commanding  reverence,  and  pride,whicl» 
would  repel,  with  contempt,  every  indiscreet 
approach. 

The  charmingly  formed  lips  had  already  as- 
sumed the  impression  so  peculiar  to  the  Brazil- 
ian women,  which  is  manifested  in  the  depressed 
corners  of  the  mouth,  and,  in  a  greater  or  less 
degree,  betrays  inward  contradiction,  discontent 
with  one's  self  and  with  tlie  world,  disregard  of 
outward  appearances,  ill  humor ,and  melancholy, 
which,  however,  according  to  the  assertion  of 
experienced  psychologists,  is  founded  on  an 
early  satiety  of  the  pleasures  of  life, without  love. 
Eittulating  the  brilliancy  of  the  star  on  which 
her  gaze  a])peared  to  he  fixed,  the  eye  of  the 
Brazilian  lady  was  lighted  by  a  peculiai'  expres- 
sion. 

The  dark  ball  of  the  cornea,  appeared  only 
one  large,  deeply  black  pu[->il,  without  even  a 
shade  of  another  color,  surrounded  by  a  bluish 
white,  and  rich,  notwithstanding,  in  the  mag- 
netic fluid,  which  is  often  almost  entirely  want- 
ing in  dark  eyes. 

The  room,  at  the  window  of  which  this  female 
sat,  in  an  unpi-emeditated  attitude,  upon  a  divan, 
was  simply  furnished  in  the  French  style.  An 
open  door  near  a  forte  piano,  led  into  a  sleeping 
apartment,  in  which  re|)osed  a  little  girl  of  some 
four  years  of  age,  that  hardly  any  one  would  have 
taken  for  the  daughter  oi'  the  Brazilian  lady, 
since  she,  herself,  resembled  a  childish  girl,  and 
the  child's  features  bore  not  tlie  slightest  resem- 
blance to  her  own. 

Sunk  in  contemplations,  which  probably 
would  have  found  no  effusion,  if  her  most  confi- 
dential friend  (in  case  she  possessed  one)  had 
been  present,  she  gazed  upward  at  the  starry 
night,  unconscious  of  the  lapse  of  time. 

A  colossal  bat,  of  the  size  of  an  owl,  flitted 
about  the  window,  and  touched  with  its  pronged 
wings  the  broad  curtains,  which  lightly  moved 
near  her,  uniler  the  breath  of  the  wind.  Re- 
minded of  her  earthly  existence,  she  suddenly 
recollected  herself,  and  awakened  from  her  world 
of  thought.  She  hurried  to  the  ojien  door  of  tho 
sleeping  apartment,  satisfied  hei-self  of  the 
peaceful  slumber  of  the  little  one,  and  puUed  i 


DOLORES. 


125 


bi-ll  rope.  An  oH  negress  appeared,  who  had 
once  been  lier  nurse,  and  now  waited  upon  her 
as  Ihe  attendant  of  her  child. 

"  Where  is  the  book  that  the  doctor  sent  me, 
lately  ?"  she  asked,  with  a  feeble  voice.  "  Bring 
a  light  and  look  for  it.  I  cannot  sleep,  and  must 
read  something." 

The  old  woman  lit  the  wax  candles,  which 
stood  ready  upon  a  table,  in  silver  candlesticks, 
under  glass  cylinders — sought  for,  and  found  the 
book,  and  would  have  left  the  room. 

"  Are  the  pistols  well  loaded?"  inquired  the 
lady  ;  "  can  1  depend  upon  them  .'" 

"  Certainly,  Senhora,  certainly ;  I  have  loaded 
so  many  pistols  in  my  life,  and  know  how,  as 
well  as  a  man.  They  lie  there  on  the  night 
table,  by  your  bed." 

"  Then  you  may  go  to  rest ;  but  if  you  notice 
the  least  thing,  if  any  one  should  be  lurking 
about  here,  if  you  hear  footsteps  at  the  gardeii 
gate,  come  to  me  directly — without  such  disturb- 
ance, you  may  sleep  on,  but  be  at  hand  imme- 
diately, when  I  ring." 

"  Better,  Senhora,  to  tie  a  string  around  my 
arm,  and  pass  it  tlirough  the  key  hole — if  you 
want  to  wake  me  quickly,  pull  it,  and  I  shall 
awake  right  away." 

The  lady  agreed  to  this  proposal ;  the  old 
woman  aranged  the  string  as  she  had  proposed, 
and  left  the  room.  The  title  of  the  book,  which 
the  lady  now  took  in  her  hand,  was  : 


PSYCHOLOGY    OF   LOVE.- 


-1S34.' 


She  seated  herself  in  an  armchair,  threw  her 
tamancas*  from  her  naked,  childlike  little  feet, 
stretched  them  out  upon  a  velvet  footstool, 
stroked  her  locks,  which  rolled  down  to  the 
floor,  behind  her  ears,  looked  into  the  book, 
and  read : 

WOMAN 

A  mighty,  incalculable  influence  upon  the 
education,  and  consequently,  upon  the  condition 
of  mankind,  is  effected  by  ttie  female  sex. 

The  female  sex  is  able  to  decide  the  freedom 
or  slavery,  the  deliverance  or  subjugation,  of  a 
rising  generation.  The  cliild  receives  the  first 
impressions  of  life,  the  first  foundation  of  edu- 
cation, from  its  mother,  and  grows  up  (as  well 
the  boy  as  tlie  girl)  under  the  mother's  gui- 
dance. Hardly  ripened  to  youth,  the  man  is 
placed  anew  under  female  influence,  by  the 
power  of  love. 

The  character  of  a  slavish  mother  will  never 
develop  freedom  in  tlie  boy,  and  the  power  of 
the  "love"  of  a  slavish  being,  threatens  danger  and 
destruction  to  the  moral  Ireedom  of  the  man,  as 
well  as  of  the  youth. 

Woman  is  endowed,  by  nature,  with  the  same 
capacities  and  abilities  for  moral  iudependence, 
as  man. 

Woman  has  the  same  right  to  social  indepen- 
dence and  moral  freedom,  as  man. 


tunes  are  disposed  of,  and  settlements,  jointures, 
and  life  annuities,  are  created. 

Woman  has  become  a  secondary  object  in  the 
sacrament  of  marriage,  whereby  two  fortunes  are 
united  to  each  other. 

Woman  is  degraded  to  a  propagating  machine, 
to  bear  male  and  female  slaves  in  lawful  mar- 
riage, and  sensuality  has  become  the  element  of 
female  existence. 

All  social  usuages  indicate  the  moral  condi- 
tion of  the  nation  in  which  they  are  current. 
The  conditions  of  nature  in  woman,  are  as  sa- 
cred and  powerful  as  in  man  ;  but  woman  is 
deprived  of  the  rights  of  nature  ;  woman  cannot 
seek  a  moral  union  with  a  man,  under  the  yoke 
of  senseless,  unreasonable  social  laws. 

Falsification  of  the  notions  of  virtue,  inno- 
cence, and  honor,  indicate  man  to  be  a  brutal, 
savage  creature,  whom  no  young  woman  can  ap- 
proach without  the  risk  of  losing  "her  virtue, 
her  innocence,  and  her  honor." 

Where  such  social  laws  prevail,  morality  mast 
have  sunk  low,  indeed. 

Where  confidence  in  virtue  and  honor  is  ex- 
tinguished in  the  hearts  of  the  people,  there  is 
full  room  made  for  the  predominance  of  vice. 

A  woman,  driven  todespair  by  circumstances, 
dares  not  seek  refuge  nor  protection  from  a 
vvorlhy  man,  but  only  from  those  who  develop 
vice  under  the  protection  of  the  laws. 

Virtue  finds  no  asylum  in  the  breast  of  a  man, 
unless  he  will  hazard  his  "  good  name"  and  his 
honor,  as  a  citizen,  by  innocent  intercourse  with 
the  female  sex. 

To  destroy  virtue,  to  subvert  innocence,  to 
lead  women  to  suicide  or  wretchedness — all  this 
in  nowise  injures  a  man's  good  name  or  honor, 
as  a  citizen,  so  long  as  he  does  not  ofl^end  against 
"  good  manners."  The  woman,  however,who  has 
been  seduced,  has  lost  her  honor,  becomes  des- 
pised or  laughed  at,  and  remains  debarred  from 
"  respectable  society  !" 

Education  has,  until  now,  instead  of  confirm- 
ing morality  and  virtue,  promoted  vice  and  cor- 
ruption of  manners 

Where  virtue  and  morality  have  become  chi- 
meras, neither  rules  of  deportment,  nor  govern- 
esses and  teachers,  will  be  able  to  awalceu  them. 
If  a  young  woman  must  be  guarded  like  a  wild 
turkey,  to  prevent  her  from  coming  into  the 
society  of  a  young  man,  miserable,  indeed, 
must  be  the  state  of  virtue  in  her  heart. 

Where  the  innocence  of  a  young  woman  ia 
endangered,  as  soon  as  she  goes  alone  into  the 
garden  or  into  the  street  with  a  young  man,  mo- 
rality cannot  be  particulai-ly  flourishing  in  the 
hearts  of  youth. 

The  education  of  the  female  sex  has,  until 
now,  been  directed  to  the  training  of  an  automa- 
ton, to  dance,  speak  some  phrases,  sew,  read  and 
write,  and  fill  the  marriage  bed. 

Where   such   an  automaton  possesses  a  con- 


But  woman  has  been  degraded,  by  disgraceful   ^iderable  fortune,  she  is  a  pattern  to  the  female 


prejudice,  to  slavery ,to  legal  bondage,  under  man. 

Woman  is  degraded  to  a  ware,  which  is  bar- 
gained away  by  parents  or  relations,  and  if  no 
one  will  take  her  "  on  commission,"  she  sells 
herself  for  a  personal  existence^fnr  a  living. 

Marriage  has  become  a  contract  by  which  for- 

•  Nent  wooden  slippers,  witli  colored  leather  over  the 


sex,  and  becomes  a  wife  and  mother,  to  the  joy 
of  legitimacy. 

An  excellent  mother  lays  the  foundation  of 
her  children's  welfare  by  a  careful  training, 
she  teaches  them  to  pray  before  they  can  speak, 
keeps  them  from  playing  with  other  children 
who  are  in  a  lower  station,  and  directs  them  tc 
bow  to  a  stranger,  if  he  be  well  dressed. 

A  good  mother  derives  joy  from  the  bringing 


136 


DOLORES. 


I 


dp  of  her  children,  when  the  daughters  make 
good  mothers,  and  the  sons  are  doing  a  good 
business,  or  have  obtained  good  situations  under 
government,  «'ithout  being  put  in  the  pillory,  or 
sent  to  the  house  of  correction ;  when  they  are 
not  slandered  as  being  men  of  heads  and  hearts, 
who  trouble  themselves  about  the  cause  of  hu- 
manity, and  when  they  are  not  persecuted  as 
"  rebels." 

It  is  only  a  wonder  that  the  human  race  has 
not  fallen  lower,  when  we  consider  the  morally 
wretched  condition  of  woman,  and  weigh  the 
influence  of  the  female  sex  upon  rising  genera- 
tions. 

For  the  maintenance  of  public  order  and  mo- 
rality, a  union  of  both  sexes  is  necessary,  which 
has,  until  now,  been  called  "  marriage." 

The  union  of  the  two  sexes  should  take  place 
with  harmony  of  character,  under  the  guarantee 
of  physical  existence. 

The  alliance  should  be  based  on  love. 

Where  no  sympathy  of  soul  prevails,  the  union 
will  become  what,  for  the  most  part,  marriage 
has  been  until  now — a  business  alliance  on  spe- 
culation, or  a  legally  sensual  mode  of  living 
tediously  together. 

The  connubial  relation  exercises  the  most 
powerful  influence  upon  the  moral  condition  of 
future  generations. 

So  long  as  the  female  sex  are  not  conscious  of 
their  dignity,  mankind  will  remain  fettered,  as 
hitherto,  in  slavery. 

Luxury  and  fasliion  have  become  the  world  of 
women,  and  the  dutiful  mother,  who  may  form 
an  advantageous  exception,  gives  to  the  state,  at 
the  utmost,  creatures  who  are  not "  obnoxious  to 
the  police." 

A  woman  who  develops  her  moral  powers, 
who  manifests  understanding  and  feeling,  and  is 
concerned  for  the  lot  of  humanity,  is  considered 
an  "  enthusiast,"  who  ti-oubles  herself  about 
things  which  do  not  concern  her. 

Youths  and  men,  who  have  glowed  in  the 
cause  of  the  people  before  they  were  enchained 
by  slavish  women,  lose  their  honorable  senti- 
ments and  their  moral  freedom  in  connubial 
union,  and  shake  off  their  convictions,  that  they 
may  propagate  a  race  of  slaves. 

The  charms  of  sensuality,  and  the  force  of 
habit,  lessen  the  power  of  resistance  of  oppressed 
humanity  in  the  contest  against  every  enemy, 
increasing  the  number  of  slaves,  and  the  might 
of  the  oppressor. 

Woman's  duties  are  different  from  those  of 
man  ;  but  the  duties  of  reasonable  beings  upon 
earth,  the  duties  of  humanity,  (of  man  towards 
mankind,)  should  be  fulfilled,  by  woman,  as  well 
as  by  man. 

Notwithstanding  the  slavery  in  which  woman 
is  held,  we  recognise  in  her  the  most  exalted 
being  in  creation,  who  not  unfrequently  sur- 
passes man  in  power  of  mind  and  strength  of 
Eoul,  in  fortitude  under  sufi'ering,  and  courage 
and  firmness  in  danger. 

The  development  of  the  human  race  will 
advance  with  giant  strides,  so  soon  as  woman 
assumes  the  position  in  human  society  which 
is  her  due,  according  to  the  requirements  of  na- 
ture, and  reason. 

The  young  lady  had  read  to  this  place,  with 
increasing  attention — and  now  looked  again  at 
the  title  page  of  the  book,  as  if  seeking,  by  a 


view  of  the  author's  name,  an  intimate  acquaint- 
ance with  him,  whose  mind  attracted  her  own 
towards  it. 

"  I  should  like  to  know  if  this  man  is,  or  has 
been  married,"'  said  she,  half  aloud,  to  herself; 
"  and  I  would  like  to  know  the  woman  who  made 
him  happy — and  she,  also,  must  have  been  happy 
in  the  love  of  a  man  who  prizes  our  sex  so 
highly."  She  read  further  :  "  Marriage  without 
Love" and  hesitated. 

"  A  fearful  chapter  !  shall  I  read  to  night  ?' 
said  she  to  herself  "  How  came  I  to  take  it 
into  my  head  to  read  this  book  to-night  ?  Did 
the  doctor  give  it  to  me  intentionally  ?  The 
doctor?  Can  he  know  my  thoughts  .'  my  inner 
mind?  but  what  has  that  to  do  with  this  chap- 
ter ?" 

She  seemed  again  to  sink  into  reflection,  and 
then  read : 

MARRIAGE    WrTHOUT    LOVE. 

There  is  a  crime,  which  is  committed  thou- 
sands of  times  under  the  sanction  of  the  church 
and  the  state,  and  whose  consequences  are  often 
brought  before  the  tribunals  of  justice,  without 
the  legislation  of  any  country  being,  as  yet,  able 
to  remedy  the  evil,  which  is  based  upon  the  de- 
ficient organization  of  human  society.  It  is  the 
crime  of  marriage,  without   love. 

Love  is  the  union  of  two  beings  in  unity  of 
soul,  thought,  attraction,  upon  a  similar ,or  equal, 
grade  of  sentiment. 

Marriage,  as  an  absolutely  necessary  social  in- 
stitution, should  be  founded  upon  love,  upon  re- 
lationship of  the  souls  of  two  beings,  brought 
together  by  spiritual  sympathy.  In  any  other 
case,  (even  if  it  be  confirmed  as  a  contract  by 
church  and  state,)  it  becomes  a  crime  against 
nature  and  humanity,  and  produces  eft'ects, 
which  extend  their  destructive  influence  to  the 
second  generation,  and  even  further. 

Woman  serves  as  the  ornament  of  creation — 
an  ennobled  being  by  reason  of  her  delicate  ner- 
vous organization,  insomuch  as  we  recognise 
the  nervous  system  as  the  organ  of  spiritual  life. 
Woman  has  so  much  the  more  righteous  claim  to 
love,  in  proportion  as  she  is  susceptible  of  love, 
and  is  so  much  the  more  capable  of  returning 

love,  in  the  higher  sphere  of  sentiment. 

"  Fearfully  true  1"  sighed  the  lady,  and  read  fur- 
ther :" 

— But  if  we  consider  the  social  position  of  wo- 
man, in  all  so  called  civil  countries,  we  behold 
her  a  slave,  deprived  of  her  moral  and  personal 
freedom,  subordinate  to  man,  so  soon  as  she 
forms  a  connexion  against  her  convictions,  and 
without  love,  upon  which  her  future  fate  her 
whole  earthly  happiness  depends. 

"  Terrible  !"  sighed  the  lady,  and  read  further : 

— As  in  the  male  sex,  so  do  we  observe  in  the 
female,  various  aims  in  the  improvement  of  the 
heart  and  the  understanding,  various  and  endless 
gradations  of  the  soul's  lilt!  in  spirituality,  and 
of  the  soul's  death  in  materialism. 

But  woman  is  the  more  capable  of  developing 
the  life  of  the  soul,  the  more  sensitively  and  sus- 
ceptibly the  organ  of  the  soul,  tlie  fluid  of  the 
nerves,  is  unfolded  in  her. 

The  heart  (as  the  symbol  of  the  soul)  is  the 
basis  and  the  sanctuary  of  all  ennoblement,  and 
when,  in  woman,  the  so  called  understanding  is 
developed  at  the  expense  of  the  heart,  together 
with  suppression  of  the  feelings,  she  stands  ia 


DOLORES. 


137 


contradiction  with  the  nature  of  female  existence, 
and  its  high  destiny  on  earth. 

Love  is  the  element  of  the  soul's  life,  and,  as 
such,  the  absolute  condition  of  spiritual  existence. 
Woman  longs  after  love,  so  soon  as  she  arrives 
at  a  consciousness  of  her  dignity.  In  the  reci- 
procation of  this  longing,  or  in  its  denial,  (when- 
ever she  forms  a  connexion  without  love,)  lies 
the  difference  between  spiritual  life  and  moral 
death. 

The  book  trembled  in  the  lady's  hand ;  she 
gazed  before  her,  and  then  read  further : 

— The  more  the  men  of  our  civilized  century, 
sunk  in  materialism,  choke  the  inward  life 
within  them,  and  recognise  no  higher  aim  than 
to  satisfy  the  demands  of  a  refined  sensuality,  by 
the  most  luxurious  possible  gratification  of  their 
physical  wants,  the  more  tragical  becomes  the 
lot  of  woman. 

She  seeks,  in  man,  a  heart,  a  soul ;  and  finds, 
at  the  utmost,  the  cold  calculations  of  the  under- 
standing, material  speculation,  animal  instinct, 
without  spirit. 

Modesty,  at  the  expense  of  the  consciousness 
of  inward  worth,  as  well  in  woman  as  in  man, 
is  ratlier  a  weakness  than  a  virtue.  A  woman 
should  feel  whom  she  is  capable  of  making 
happy.  She  who  does  not  value  herself,  re- 
nounces, also,  the  respect  of  others. 

A  woman  who  renounces  love,  and,  induced 
by  so  called  reasonable  motives,  resolves  upon 
an  alliance  in  which  the  most  sacred  conditions 
of  the  race,  the  relation  of  man  to  mankind, 
comes  into  consideration,  commits  a  crime 
against  nature. 

A  woman  who,  under  pretence  of  a  right  to 
independence,  endeavors  to  dispose  of  herself  in 
exchange  for  the  satisfaction  of  external  wants, 
and  proclaims  the  result  of  her  "  reasonable  mo- 
tives" as  love,  deceives,  beforehand,  the  com- 
panion of  her  life,  who,  as  a  man,  whoever  he 
may  be,  has  a  right  to  require  love,  if  he  is  able 
to  return  love. 

In  thousands  of  cases,  a  woman  believes  that 
she  loves,  and,  nevertheless,  does  not  love,  and 
her  deceit  is,  of  course,  not  intentional ;  but  the 
man  who,  for  material  ends,  feigns  love  to  gain 
a  woman,  is  guilty  of  the  crime  of  soul  murder. 

If  woman  enters  upon  the  holiest  connexion 
which  human  society  has  ever  been  able  to  insti- 
tute, with  a  renunciation  of  love,  that  she  may 
be  outwardly  provided  for,  if  she  expects  no  love 
irom  the  man  to  whom  she  gives  herself,  in  the 
most  sacred  and  solemn  sense  of  the  word,  she 
appears  no  longer  like  a  woman,  but  an  unnatu- 
ral being,  in  contradiction  with  herself  and  with 
God.  She  becomes  dangerous  to  human  society, 
and  her  whole  life  fashions  itself  into  a  succes- 
sion of  rugged  contradictions.  She  will,  sooner 
or  later,  feel  her  self-deceit,  and  recognise  the 
crime  which  she  has  committed  against  herself — 
against  the  divine  nature  in  mankind. ■ 

The  lady  shuddered,  and  was  about  to  lay 
aside  the  book — then  took  another  look  at  the 
name  of  the  author,  dried  a  tear  from  her  long 
lashes  and  sighed  :  "  No  !  he  cannot  and  will  not 
injure  a  woman !  1  forgive  him  these  hard 
words.  Who  knows  what  anguish  has  forced 
them  from  him  .'"     She  read  on  : 

— If  we  regard  marriage  as  a  holy  institution 
of  the  Christian  religion,  (apart  from  the  degra- 
dation of  its  sacredness  by  the  church,  which 
18 


imparts  its  blessing,  at  a  stipulated  price,  to 
every  pair  who  announce  themselves  ready  to 
pay,)  the  connexion  appears  to  he  a  sacred  sym- 
bol of  the  union  of  two  souls  in  the  element  of 
love — insomuch  as  there  is  only  one  love  exist- 
ing upon  earth,  in  whatever  form  it  may  be. 

A  woman  who  resolves  upon  the  holiest  of  all 
connexions,  from  "reasonable  motives,"  and, with 
so  called  self-control,  suppresses  her  feelings, 
calculating  thus  to  secure  her  external  subsist- 
ence, profanes  and  desecrates  the  sacrament  o. 
marriage,  which  should  establish  a  union  of 
souls  on  earth,  that  was  **  made  in  heaven,"  in 
the  exalted  region  of  spiritual  life. 

Such  a  woman  is  only  distinguished  from  so 
called /fmmes  entretenues  by  her  cunning  and 
foresight,  for  with  less  faith  in  man's  heart,  she 
requires  and  abuses  the  formal  bonds  of  the 
church,  that  she  may  attain  a  better  guarantee 
for  her  future  existence. 

"  Who  is  the  man  that  wrote  this  .'"  the  lady 
exclaimed,  letting  the  book  fall  again  ;  "  I  would 
choke  him,  strangle  him,  with  my  own  hands,  it 
he  were  here  !  No !"  continued  she,  after  a  pause ; 
"  no  !  I  would  press  his  hand,  and  look  him  in 
the  face !  Who  will  deny  that  he  has  told  the 
truth  .'"     She  read  further  : 

— The  welfare  of  all  mankind  lies  in  mar- 
riage. It  is  the  spirit  of  love  which  breathes 
through  the  universe,  and  love  is  the  mystery 
of  all  creation.  The,  man  however,  who,  from 
sensuality,  meddles  with  the  Creatoi-  in  his  crea- 
tion, wants  the  spirit  of  love,  and  a  second 
innocent  generation  sutlers  the  penalty  of  his 
crime. 

A  generation  that  owes  its  existence  to  the 
forced  performance  of  so  called  "  duty,"  stands  on 
low  scale  in  the  fellowship  of  humanity,  and 
bears  the  germ  of  slavery,  the  essence  of  selfish- 
ness, in  itself. 

— Forced  performance  of  so  called  duty  .'"inter- 
rupted she.  "  Forced  ?  The  good  man  who 
wrote  that  was  never  married.  A  woman  does 
not  allow  herself  to  be  forced  to  any  so  called 
'  performance  of  duty,'  or  she  must  be  a  goose, 
and  her  husband  a  monster."     She  read  on  : 

—There  is  a  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  it  is  the 
sin  against  the  holy  spirit  of  love,  the  contemning 
of  moral  freedom  in  the  slavish  service  of  legally 
privileged  sensuality — opposed  to  the  bugbear  of 
the  forced  fulfilment  of  duty 

•'  Why  is  he  all  the  while  prating  about  the 
forced  fulfilment  of  duty  ?"  said  she,  again  in- 
terrupting her  reading.  "  Where  love  is  ex- 
tinct, there  is  no  longer  any  duty  in  this  re- 
spect."    She  read  further: 

— on  the  other  hand,  stands  the  mourning 
genius  of  love,  fettered  and  despised  by  the 
precepts  of  the  Church  and  the  State,  which 
are  based  upon  slavery,  and  mankind  grope 
about,  in  chains  and  fetters,  from  generation  tc 
generation. 


Wtat,  then,  is  love  ?    Th'  attraction  of  the  soul 

To  kindred  soul — the  striving  after  union, 

Union  of  souls  witliin  the  spirit's  realm, 

Fit  consequence  of  light  and  purity. 

Love  is  the  divine  spiri  's  spheral  note, 

In  mj  st'ry  sounding  for  the  hastening  on 

Of  the  soul's  elevation  ;  source  of  liti;ht, 

Piercing  through  matter's  darkness  clear  and  bright. 

The  soul's  attraction  to  its  kindred  soul, 
Its  longing  its  existence  to  extend, 
As  a  part,  still  striving  upward  to  th"  unknowli— 


138 


DOLORES. 


The  soorce  of  life,  who«:e  tones  encircle  him  - 
Proud  of  the  spirit's  union  to  its  lilie  ; 
The  nameless  longing  of  th'  excited  soul, 
To  merge  itself  with  others,  and  to  soar 
To  being's  heights  upon  the  wings  of  thought ; 
That  is  true  LfJVE— the  element  of  life, 
Endless  condition  of  the  living  soul. 
From  freedom's  spirit  imUvisible, 

Only  through  freedom  can  the  soul  prolong 
Existence  ;  and  the  more  is  granted  her, 
The  moreexrHlted  the  victorious  strife. 
True  love  will,  in  its  object,  lose  itself. 
And  sacrifice  itself  for  whom  it  glows. 

Love  is  so  far  estranged  from  selfishness, 
It  hopes,  it  sutfc-rs,  an.l  endureth  all, 
If  matter  rigidly  opposes  it. 
Its  essence  is  allied  to  that  of  sound, 
Or  light,  which  know  no  circumscribed  botmd. 
It  is  the  holy  spirit  of  sacrifice 
On  the  heart's  altar,  to  God  consecrated — 
Its  being,  endlessness,  eternity. 

"  The  man  who  wrote  this,  has  felt  what  love 
is,"  sighed  she  ;  "  whether  he  has  ever  found  a 
being  yet  who  understood  him — that  is  another 
question."     She  read  further  : 

— If  we  recognise  love  as  an  unity,  it  follows 
that  the  sentiment  which  raises  us  in  longing 
and  faith  to  the  idea  of  the  Deity,  (as  religious 
love.)  is  one  and  the  same  with  the  conscious- 
ness of  liive  which  binds  us  on  earth  to  one  be- 
ing, whose  soul  is  united  to  ours  on  the  same 
scale  of  sentiment. 

It  is  one  and  the  same  divine  power,  which, 
striving  after  ennoblement,  seeks  its  point  of 
spiritual  support  in  higher  spheres,  and  on 
earth.  The  bond  of  souls,  ih  love  on  earth,  bears 
us  upward  to  the  idea  of  the  Deity  ;  and  religious 
love  (love  of  God)  is  again  illustrated  in  us,  in 
the  union  with  a  kindred  soul;  it  is  the  divine 
blending  of  two  being's  natures  in  the  idea, 
God! 

It  is  the  "  point  of  Archimedes,"  without  the 
corporeal  world,  upon  which  the  two  kindred 
natures  are  in  a  condition  "  to  heave  out  of  joint" 
the  whole  terresHsial  universe,  with  its  circum- 
scribed relations. 

As  every  man  is  capaple  of  religious  love, 
(apart  from  all  cultivation  of  the  understanding,) 
80  is  every  human  heart  susceptible  of  that  love 
which  is  presupposed  in  the  sacred  institution  of 
marriage,  provided  the  spiritual  life  within  it 
be  not  wasted  and  destroyed,  and  sunk  into  ma- 
terialism. In  the  latter  case,  a  man  is  capable  of 
neither  the  one  love  nor  the  other,  and  stands 
in  tlie  scale  of  brutes,  that  follow  their  instincts, 
and  know  no  passion. 

The  unity  o(  the  idea  of  love  is  proved  in  this, 
that  men  who  substitute  sensuality  for  love,  and 
under  the  protection  of  the  church  and  the  state, 
lead  a  woman  into  a  connexion  which  licenses 
sensuality  are  also  incapable  of  religious  love ;  and 
on  the  other  hand,  men,  whose  spiritual  life  has 
become  extinct,  and  who  are  thus  incapable  of  re- 
ligious love,  are  also  strangers  to  that  love,  which 
presupposes  union  of  souls.  Where  there  is  no 
spiritual  life,  no  soul,  there  is  also  no  religion, 
no  love. 

The  book  dropped  from  her  hand,  while  she 
tremblingly  shrunk  together,  and  with  an  ex- 
pression of  despair,  sank  upon  her  knees,  and 
stretched  her  hands  towards  heaven.  Suddenly 
a  bright  ray  of  consolation  appeared  to  pervade 
her  soul.  She  gazed,  with  a  smile  of  spiritual 
efTulgence,  upon  a  crucifix,  that  bung  opposite  to 
her,  under  a  picture  of  Saint  Theresa,  and  ; 
gleam  of  spiritual  peace  overspread  her  counte 


nance.  What  passed  within  her,  who  may 
know  .'  Who  could  know  but  the  All  wise  Being. 
who  watched  over,  and  looked  into  the  soul  ot", 
this  unhappy  child  of  earth. 

A  noise  at  the  outside  garden  gate,  as  if  some 
one  were  turning  the  lock,  startled  her.  She  lis- 
tened, and  satisfied  herself  of  the  reality  of  the 
disturbance,  then  quickly  pulled  on  the  string 
before  mentioned,  hurried  into  the  next  room, 
seized  a  pistol,  and  a'.vaited,  trembling  and  shud- 
dering, the  entrance  of  the  old  attendant. 


CHAPTER    XV. 

SHORT    WORK. 

The  old  negress  did  not  keep  her  mistress  long 
waiting  for  her  ;  she  found  her  in  the  above 
mentioned  situation,  listening  to  the  noise,which 
was  repeated  from  time  to  time. 

"  He  seems  to  be  trying  a  key,"  whispered 
the  old  woman ;  "butl  have  drawn  both  bolts 
carefully — he  cannot  get  in — and  the  wall  is  too 
high." 

"  Take  the  other  pistol,  and  follow  me  !"  whis- 
pered the  lady  ;  "  have  it  ready  when  I  require 
it." 

The  old  woman  obeyed  the  command,  while 
the  young  lady  wrapped  herself  in  a  shawl,  and 
stepped  out  on  the  verandah. 

The  moon  had  risen  considerably  higher,  and 
lighted  the  garden  with  almost  the  clearness  of 
day.  The  flowers  had  closed  their  chalices,  and 
drooped  their  heads;  diminutive  lizards,  of  a 
beautiful  species,  scarcely  an  inch  and  a  half 
long,  glided  around  upon  the  white  walls  of  the 
chacara  and  garden,  caressing  each  other  in  the 
undisturbed  happiness  of  their  mysterious  and 
useful  lives,  (for  their  glance  arrests  the  mosqui- 
toes, which  they  instantly  swallow.) 

The  lady  stepped  forward,  silently  and  care- 
fully, to  avoid  the  least  rustling,  and  approached 
the  threatened  gate,  upon  which  fruitless  etlbrts 
were  still  being  made  to  open  it. 

At  the  distance  of  about  five  paces,  she  aimed, 
with  presence  of  mind,  at  a  point  above  the 
usual  height  of  a  man,  fired,  and  the  bullet 
pierced  through  the  gate. 

"  The  second  bullet  shall  be  aimed  lower,  if 
you  do  not  take  yourself  off!"  cried  she,  while 
she  took  the  other  pistol  in  her  hand,  and  stepped 
up  to  the  entrance.  "  Mark  that !  you  know 
what   you  have  to  expect.'" 

The  departing  steps  of  a  man,  evidently  booted 
and  spurred,  at  that  instant  clattered  on  the 
rocky  ground,  over  which  a  footpath  led  to  the 
chacara,  and  soon  ceased  to  be  heard.  The  lady 
remained  for  a  moment  leaning,  nearly  exhaust- 
ed, against  the  gate,  then  seizing  the  arm  of 
the  old  negress,  she  tottered  back  to  the  room, 
and  threw  herself  on  the  divan. 

"  Sit  down,  Anna,"  said  site,  after  a  long 
pause,  during  which,  both  listened  attentively; 
"  sit  down  ;  we  are  safe  now,  for  to-night." 

"  it  was  certainly  he,  and  no  one  else,"  said 
the  old  woman,  while  she  set  about  reloading 
the  pistols. 


DOLORES, 


139 


"'Tin  very  probable,"  replied  the  lady ;  "who 
else,  would  desire  to  intrude  here  ?  But  how  he 
has  discovered  our  flight,  and  found  us  out ;  that 
is  more  inexplicable  to  me  than  his  temerity,  his 
insolence  !" 

"  Do  you  know  how  I  can  explain  it,  Senhora .' 
how  he  discovered  us  !" 

"  How  ?" 

**  By  your  piano ;  by  the  tune  you  are  so  fond 
of  playing — and  music  can  be  heard  so  far,  far 
away !" 

"  Indeed,  Anna,  you  are  right ;  I  will  play 
the  melody  no  more  !  What  you  suspect,  is  very 
probable  ;  but  he  did  not  imiuire  after  me,  when 
he  was  here  yesterday  .'" 

"  When  he  knocked  at  the  gate,  I  did 
not  go  to  open  it,  but  sent  Maria,  whom  he 
would  not  so  readily  recognise  ;  and  Maria  said 
it  was  he ;  she  also  described  his  figure  and 
dress,  and  all  agreed  together.  He  asked  her  if 
there  was  not  a  room  to  let  here,  and  when  she 
told  him  no,  he  observed  that  tlie  pavilion,  over 
there,  was  uninhabited  ;  he  wished  to  hire  it, 
so  Maria  said." 

"  My  God  !  why  did  you  not  tell  me .'"  inter- 
rupted the  lady  ;  "  you  only  told  me  that  he  had 
made  general  inquiries  affer  lodgings !" 

"  I  did  not  want  to  make  you  uneasy." 

"  But,  Anna !  if  he  should  really  hire  the  pa- 
vilion .'  what  then  ?  We  must  then  move  imme- 
diately I" 

"  That  is  taken  care  of  already,"  said  the  old 
attendant  smiling,  "  When  Maria  went  into  the 
city  to-day,  I  gave  her  an  order  to  hurry  to  Senhor 
Moreto,  and  tell  him  to  get  possession  of  the 
pavilion  next  to  us,  and  assume  the  right  of 
letting  it  himself  ;  that  no  one  should  come  into 
it  without  your  consent  Senhora  !  and  that  I 
would  speak  to  him  al)out  it  myself,  to-morrow, 
when  Maria  was  here  with  you  again.  I  told 
Maria  that  she  must  say  to  Senhor  Moreto  not, 
for  any  thing  in  the  world,  to  tell  any  body  who 
you  were,  or  what  your  name  was." 

"  I  thank  you  my  good  Anna,  for  your  fore- 
thought; that  is  like  you.  Indeed,  if  I  oould 
trust  even  one  man  on  earth,  I  might  desire  that 
the  pavilion  were  inhabited  by  some  man  on 
whom  1  could  rely,  who,  however,  must  not 
know  my  situation.  Perhaps  some  stranger 
may  soon  be  casually  informed  of  it,  and  I  shall 
then  make  new  enquiries no  one  shall  ea- 
sily come  to  us,  who  is  in  the  least  suspicious." 

"  This  pavilion  will  not  stand  empty  long," 
remarked  Anna;  "  the  situation  is  too  charming, 
and  the  prospect  from  here  too  well  known,  not 
to  be  inquired  after,  when  a  dwelling  is  to  let 
here." 

She  had  loaded  the  pistols  again,  and  laid 
them  both  on  the  night  table  in  the  inaer  apart- 
ment. 

"  Go  to  bed  now  !"  said  the  lady ;  "  I  feel  my- 
self strengthened — my  mind  is  tranquil — tran- 
quil as  it  can  be — more  tranquil  than  before. 
I  have  prayed — and  God  has  heard  me  !" 

"  God  indeed  hears  the  prayers  of  the  whites 
and  the  blacks,"  said  Anna;  *' but  he  does  not 
always  grant  them  !  So  many  thousands  pray 
to  him  !  how  can  he  hear  and  attend  to  so  many 
prayers  at  once  ?  and  then,  in  so  many  lan- 
guages !  Among  us,  here  from  Africa,  we  count 
fortj'  different  Ethiopian  languages  !  forty,  Sen- 
hora, and  many  tribes  do  not  understand  each 


other's  language  !  and  all  pray  to  God  .  even  if 
they  have  not  been  baptized  !  All  pray  to  the 
Great  Spirit,  as  we  call  him  !  and  the  Great 
Spirit  must  understand  all  these  languages  !  I 
have  thought,  that,  if  he  understood  them,  he 
would  have  freed  us,  long  ago,  from  slavery  to  the 
white  people  !" 

"  Every  man  has  his  invisible  genius,  Anna  ! 
we  all  have  our  gardian  angels,  who  hover  round 
us,  and  see  into  our  hearts  before  the  thoughts 
pass  our  lips  in  words  !  and  God  will  deliver  u* 
—you  blacks,  and  us  whites — from  all  slavery,  if 
we  show  ourselves  vvortliy  of  freedom,  and  bave 
God  before  our  eyes  and  in  our  hearts,  and  take 
care  that  we  consent  to  no  sin." 

"  All  the  slaves  in  Brazil  do  not  have  such 
good  times  and  feel  sn  happy  as  we,  with  your 
pai'ents  and  with  you  ;  if  only  your  husband, 
our  master,  would  not " 

"  How  ?  what .'"  cried  the  lady,  who  now  con- 
tracted her  strongly  defined  eyebrows,  and  sud- 
denly burst  into  a  passion. 

"  Do  you  presume  to  make  remarks  upon  my 
husband  .'  upon  his  treatment  of  negroes .'  Is 
there  a  white  man  in  Brazil,  who  treats  his  ne- 
groes better  .'  Is  there  any  one  who  generally 
maintains  abetter  character,  a  worthier  man,  ia 
every  respect,  than  my  husband  ?" 

Poor  old  Anna  trembled,  and  seemed,  with  a 
low,  hardly  articulate  voice,  to  repent  having 
caused  such  a  convulsive  excitement  in  her 
mistress. 

"Pardon  me!  pardon  me!  Senhora;"  said 
she,  imploringly,  and  with  repeated  courtesies; 
"  I  will  not  say  any  thing  more — I  will  never  say 
any  thing  again  about  our  master !  never  more  ! 
no,  never  !" 

I  don't  thank  you  for  that  I  Go  now  !  get  off 
with  you  !  go  to  your  rcjom  !  march  !  !" 

The  old  attendant  gazed  after  her  command- 
ress,  like  a  faithful  dog  at  his  mistress,  who  has 
given  him  a  kick,  because  her  husband's  night- 
cap had  fallen  into  the  wash  basin,  which  the 
poor  animal  had  not  touched. 

Anna  arranged  the  string,  in  case  of  the  ne- 
cessity of  being  again  awakened,  raised  her  right 
hand  towards  her  mistress,  according  to  Ethio- 
pian custom,  wished  her  good  night  in  a  mourn- 
ful tone,  and  departed.  Instead  of  replying,  the 
lady  tossed  one  of  iier  tamancas  from  her  with 
her  foot,  to  vent  her  ill  humor  on  some  object. 

"  I  wish  the  doctor  had  kept  this  miserable 
book  to  himself!"  grumbled  she,  throwing  the 
book  after  the  tamanca,  and  then  disajjpeared  be- 
hind the  mosquito  net  in  her  sleeping  apartment. 


-«**V^#*^^.#.^^^^SA« — 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

HINANGO. 

"  There  is  a  light  before  us,  captain  !"  cried 
Rolufls,  the  young  sailor  at  the  helm  of  the  brig 
Nordstjernan,  and  pointed  directly  north. 

Capt.  Fingreen  was  sitting  with  Hinango  and 
Robert  Walker,  upon  a  bench  on  the  quarterdeck, 
enjoying  the  fine  breeze  and  mild  atmosphere 
They   were  engaged  iu  con^'crsation  upon  lli« 


140 


DOLORES. 


movements  amona;  the  Scandinavian  races  to- 
wards the  foundation  of  a  national  unity. 

All  three  now  sprang  up,  and  Robert  called 
down  through  the  open  skylight — "  the  light  of 
the  island  of  Raza,  Senor  Horatio  1  The  light 
upon  Riza !" 

"  True,"  said  the  captain,  when  he  had  ob- 
served it  for  some  time,  and  counted  the  appear- 
ance of  the  revolving  light  by  the  second-hand 
of  his  watch.  "  We  may  be  some  twenty  miles 
distant  from  it." 

"  Perhaps  still  further,  captain,"  replied  Hi- 
nango  ;  "  ibr  nothing  is  more  deceptive  than  the 
distance  in  a  tropical  atmosphere — though  ob- 
jects may  appear  near  to  us,  through  the  purity 
of  the  air." 

"  At  any  rate,  thank  God!  we  have  the  light 
in  view,"  remarked  the  other,  and  hurried  to  the 
cabin  to  his  chart,  to  reckon  tlie  course  of  the 
vessel  since  he  took  the  last  latitude.  Horatio 
and  Alvarez  did  not  long  delay  to  take  a  view  of 
the  wished  for  light. 

Dolores  had  heard  the  call  of  young  Walker, 
and  made  her  appearance  in  a  wide  mantilla, 
with  a  shawl  wound  round  her  head  like  a  tur- 
ban, for  she  was  just  on  the  point  of  retiring  to 
rest.  It  was  after  midnight,  and  the  moon, 
which  lighted  the  walls  of  the  chacara,  at  the 
gate  of  which  the  pistol  shot  had  fallen,  threw 
her  dazzling  light,  from  the  same  altitude,  down 
upon  the  deck  of  the  Nordstjernan. 

"  There,  then,  is  land  !"  sighed  Dolores,  from 
an  oppressed  heart;  "  and  to-morrow,  perhaps, 
we  shall  step  upon  it,  and  it  will  unfold  to  us  a 
'  new  world'  of  personal  relations." 

"  The  coast,  which  we  shall  see  early  in  the 
morning,  forms  a  title-page  vignette  to  a  new 
division  of  our  lives,  which  we  shall  begin 
there,"  remarked  Hinango. 

"  And  how  rich  in  contents  may  many  chap- 
ters be  that  our  fate  shall  inscribe  in  the  book  of 
our  lives.  The  so  much  talked  of  happiness 
that  man  cannot  see  the  distance  of  a  span  into 
the  future,  or,  at  least,  cannot  foresee,  with  cer- 
tainty, the  events  which  are  likely  to  befall  him," 
asserted  Hinango,  "  is  all  that  makes  eai'thly 
life  endurable,  in  the  everyday  routine  of 
which  existence  would  become  wearisome  to 
many  intellectual  men,  if  they  might  not  hope 
for  some  alteration  of  things." 

"  I  am  of  your  opinion,  and  find,  in  the  limi 
tation   of  human   knowledge  in  respect  to  the 
future,   a  sublime   regulation   of   the    AUwise 
God,"  said  Dolores. 

'*  As  concerns  our  fate,"  said  Hinango,  "  I 
maintain  that  every  man  is  master  of  his  own 
fate,  every  man  spins  the  thread  of  his  own 
fate,  as  far  as  his  lot  and  his  circumstances 
are  developed  from  his  actions.  A  youth,  for 
instance,  who  goes  to  sea,  ought  not  to  com- 
plain of  storm  and  shipwreck ;  and  a  maiden  who, 
from  her  own  free  will,  marries  a  man  from  so 
called  '  reasonable  motives,'  ought  not,  as  a  wife 
to  wonder,  if,  instead  of  love,  she  finds  heart, 
lessness." 

"  Rcet  sa  som  hun  gar  !"  (steady  as  she  is 
going !)  cried  Capt.  Finngreen  to  the  man  at  the 
helm,  as  he  stepped  upon  deck  again ;  and  he 
added : 

"  Ottar !  make  a  fire,  and  put  on  the  teakettle 
Heat  some  water  for  a  bowl  of  punch — do  you 
Ucar  ?" 


"  Put  on  the  teakettle !  water  for  a  bowl  of 
punch  !"  repeated  the  long  Ottar,  and  hurried  to 
the  caboose. 

"  The  levity  with  which  people  so  often  de- 
cide on  the  most  important  step  of  their  lives," 
continued  Dolores,  "  tends  very  little  to  the 
honor  of  their  hearts ;  and  what  they  call  the  re- 
sult of  their  reason,  often  stands  in  contradiction 
to  sound  reason,  and,  for  the  most  part,  at  least, 
to  their  feelings." 

"  Many  men  very  soon  extinguish  their  feel- 
ings, and,  of  course,  generally  act  from  cold 
calculation,"  replied  Hinango:  "and  those  are 
the  ones  who  are  first  wrecked  upon  the  future, 
which  cannot  be  calculated  like  the  per  centage 
of  a  business," 

"  The  women  of  our  day  exceed  the  men  in 
cold  calculation,"  remarked  Dolores  ;  "  for  they 
sell  themselves,  and  often  for  a  very  small  price  ; 
and  the  very  suppression  and  extinction  of  feel- 
ing in  female  hearts,  is  a  requisition  of  so  called 
civilization,  by  which  mankind  are,  at  length, 
alienated  from  every  exalted  aim.  The  internal 
sentiments,  in  the  depths  of  which  lie  the  whole 
moral  worth  of  mankind,  especially  in  the  female 
sex,  are  considered,  according  to  tlie  precepts  of 
fashion,  as  an  infirmity,  and  everybody  endea- 
vors to  make  it  ridiculous,  whenever  It  shows 
itself  Civilization,  as  the  term  is  usually  un- 
derstood, requires  simply  machines — not  men." 

"  This  truth  would  long  since  have  driven  me  to 
despair,"  rejoined  Hinango,  "  if  I  did  not  regard 
men  from  a  higher  point  of  view,  and  consider 
our  epoch  as  a  transition  period.  Mankind  press 
forward  towards  the  design  of  their  destiny, 
which  will  ever  remain  contracted,  and  eternally 
be  confined  withm  the  bounds  of  their  planet- 
ary mediocrity." 

Dolores  appeared  to  follow,  with  peculiar  at- 
tention, the  course  of  her  friend's  ideas,  and  now 
looked  inquiringly  at  him,  as  if  she  desired  an 
explanation  of  the  last  assertion.  Instead  of  an- 
swering, the  Scandinavian  returned  the  look  of 
the  South  American  lady.  He  then  cast  his  eyes 
upward,  towards  the  stars,  as  if  he  would  have 
said,  "  Accompany  me  I"  and  continued  : 

"  Think  of  the  universe,  consisting  of  solar 
systems  upon  solar  systems,  as  we  express  in 
mortal  language  the  assemblage  of  a  collection 
of  worlds ;  think  of  the  sun,  as  the  material  cen- 
tre of  motion  of  the  planetary  orbits,  and  my- 
riads of  suns,  as  similar  centres  of  similar  orbits, 
like  planets  with  their  satellites  about  a  sun 
within  suns ;  and  again,  myriads  of  these  suns 
surrounding  other  suns,  and  all  revolving  about 
a  spark  of  light — the  idea  of  the  Deity  ! 

'•  Ask  yourself  where  the  space  terminates,  in 
which  moves  the  most  distant  star  that  our  eyes 
behold  ?  Ask  yourself  when  time  began,  upon 
whose  wings  our  lives  are  borne,  and  when  time 
will  end  ?  Think  of  an  eternal  continuation  of 
spiritual  development,  from  satellite  to  satellite, 
from  planet  to  planet,  from  solar  system  to  so- 
lar system,  of  which  our  system  contains  a 
greater  number  of  larger  planets  than  of  smaller 
ones — and  there  are  still  smaller  planets  of  our 
solar  system  than  the  human  eye  has  hitherto 
discovered.  Then  think  of  our  poor  little  earth, 
as  a  subordinate  planet,  in  a  solar  system,  which 
contains  a  greater  number  of  planets,  larger. 
Then  measure,  by  this  rule  of  the  planetary  pro- 
portions, man,  as  an  inhabitant  of  the  eartb," 


DOLORES. 


141 


"  7ou  mount  high,  and  fly  swiftly  !"  said  Do- 
lores, after  a  pause  ;  "  but  I  follow  you,  from 
one  elevation  to  another.     I  accompany  you  !" 

"  Accompany  me  then  to  a  world  of  intuition, 
in  which  I  have  been  at  home  from  childhood, 
and  whose  spheres  have  drawn  me  upward,  above 
this  earthly  world,  by  the  mighty  bond  of  attrac- 
tion. Think  of  our  spiritual  life  as  a  unity ; 
this  shell  of  clay  only  as  the  instrument,  the 
organ  of  connexion  with  the  corporeal  world. 
Think  of  our  spiritual  existence  as  a  reality,  and 
this  earthly  life  only  as  a  dream,  in  whose  fetters 
thousands  live  along  without  awakening  to  a 
consciousness  of  the  spiritual  reality — and  ac 
company  me  now  to  my  home." 

"  To  your  home  ?"  inquired  Dolores,  with 
surprise !  "  How  so  .'  What  do  you  mean  by 
that?" 

"  Accompany  me  to  Uranus  !" 
_  "  To  Uranus  !"  she  repeated,  with  an  expres- 
«ion  of  amazement ;  "  Oh,  yes  !  I  know — you  are 
a  poet,  and  your  imagination  may  certainly  have 
ventured  on  many  an  audacious  flight !" 

"  Horatio,  who  was  seated  next  to  Hinango, 
held  fast  to  his  arm,  and  gazed  upward,  at  him. 

"  Call  it  a  flight  of  imagination — I  have  no 
name  for  the  expansion  of  my  spiritual  life,  which 
I  seek  to  make  evident  to  you.  I  lay  at  one  time 
severely  wounded^how  I  received  the  wound — 
whether  I  inflicted  it  upon  myself — that  must 
remain  untold.  1  lay  there,  on  the  confines  of 
this  earthly  existence,  and  hoped  to  die.  It  ap- 
peared to  me  as  if  I  vanished  from  the  earth ,  and 
suddenly  awoke  to  a  consciousness  of  spiritual 
reality.  And  my  whole  past  existence  was  re- 
vealed to  me  in  a  single  spiritual  survey.  And 
I  knew  that  I  was  living  here  on  earth  for  the 
second  time." 

"  For  the  second  time '"  inquired  Dolores, 
who  listened  to  the  revelation  of  her  friend  with 
increased  attention. 

"  Behold  the  moon,  there !"  continued  Hi- 
nango, turning  to  Horatio.  "  Did  you  ever  long 
to  return  back  to  the  moon  .'" 

"  Long  to  return  back  ?"  inquired  both,  as 
with  one  voice. 

"  Or,  have  you  longed  to  be  upon  the  moon  ! 
if  I  have  too  soon  used  the  word  back." 

Both  looked  at  each  other,  and  remained 
silent. 

"  I  have  never  found  a  man,"  continued  the 
Scandinavian,  "  who  would  give  me  an  affirma- 
tive reply  to  this  question;  while  I  have  often 
found  people  who  longed  to  reside  upon  tliis  or 
that  star." 

"  I  must  acknowledge,"  replied  Horatio,  "that 
the  moon  has  for  me  something  gloomy.  I  have, 
indeed,  never  experienced  a  wish  to  inhabit  it." 

"  You  explain  sensations  that  I  have  often 
felt,"  began  Dolores,  looking  earnestly  at  Hi- 
ango,  "  that  have  long  darkly  slumbered  within 
me.  I  have  indeed  longed,  a  thousand  times,  to 
be  upon  some  one  of  those  sparkling  stars,  but 
never  to  live  upon  the  moon — never." 

"  In  that  state  of  spiritual  intuition,"  conti- 
nued Hinango,  "  it  seemed  to  me,  that  we  had 
all  been  upon  the  moon  once,  without  being  con- 
scious of  our  existence  there.  Call  my  com- 
munication of  to-night,  madness;  my  madness 
has,  at  lea-st,  (like  Hamlet's,)  '  method'  in  it,  and 
I  ask  of  you  to  inform  me  of  any  con'radiction 
in  what  J  am  going  to  state  to  you. 


'  "  The  effect  of  the  moon  upon  the  physical  na- 
ture of  man,  is  incontestible  ;  no  observing  phy- 
sician, will  deny  it,  let  him  be  ever  so  much  oi 
a  materialist.  There  exists  an  effectual  telluric 
bond — a  bond  of  existence,  which  is  manifested 
in  the  nervous  system,  and  especially  in  the  fe- 
male sex,  whose  nervous  organization,  is  so 
much  more  delicate  and  sensitive  than  ours. 

"  In  a  state  pronounced  dead  by  ray  physicians 
and  friends,  my  spirit  flew  through  all  my  past 
existence,  as  thou.'iandfold  recollections  occur 
to  us  in  a  single  moment  of  joy,  or  of  grief.  I 
was  upon  the  moon,  the  single  satellite  of  a 
planet,  which,  forty-nine  times  greater  than  the 
moon,  observed  from  thence,  glittered  in  the 
zenith  of  the  firmament,  in  wonderful  majesty. 
And  my  existence  was  a  longing  after  a  brighter 
perfection,  which  this  planet  made  perceptible 
to  me ;  and  my  longing  was  borne  upward  to- 
wards the  earth,  in  the  full  splendor  of  its  rays, 
which  there  shone  about  me.  And  I  was  con- 
ceived and  born,  as  a  man  on  earth,  by  a  loving 
being,  to  whom  the  operation  of  my  longing, 
and  the  telluric  influence  of  the  moon,  upon 
her  inward  life,  remained  a  secret.  I  lived  here  a 
short  dream-life,  and  died.  And  I  rose  from  step 
to  step  of  development,  from  planet  to  planet; 
from  Jupiter  to  Saturn,  from  Saturn  to  Uranus. 
1  stood  then  in  a  brillaiit  scale  of  being  in  our 
solar  system,  ready  for  the  transition  to  one  more 
perfect;  for  entrance  into  life  upon  an  otlier 
planet  of  our  briglit  solar  system,  which  is, 
comparatively  larger  and  more  perfect  than  Ura- 
nus. 

"  What  I  saw  and  felt  in  those  spheres,  was  re- 
peated within  me  like  the  recollection  of  a 
dream.  There  are  dreams  from  which  we 
awake,  and  they  suddenly  vanish  ;  the  last  forms 
or  appearances  float  around  us,  as  il  to  take  leave, 
the  curtain  falls,  and  we  see  them  no  more. 
The  spheres  of  the  dream-world  form  a  sepa- 
rate spiritual  region,  into  which  no  bridge  leads 
that  man  can  tread  of  his  own  will,  and  the 
arbitrary  reminiscences  of  a  dream  are  capable 
of  exciting  a   nervous  disturbance. 

"  The  whole  universe  then  lay  before  me,  be- 
low me,  like  the  garden  of  my  horns  on  earth, 
in  which,  I  had  played  as  a  child  and  boy ; 
a  thousand  remembrances  awoke  within  me,  and 
genii,  who  had  been  allied  to  me  upon  one  and 
another  planet,  greeted  me,  and  mourned  over 
my  fearful  fate. 

"  Upon  earth,  words  are  the  organ  of  the 
communication  of  thought,  upon  Ceres,  per- 
fume, like  the  aroma  of  the  flowers,  of  which 
language  we  have  an  intimation,  here  on  earth, 
in  the  strong  perfume  of  flowers  at  the  time 
of  their  fructification.  Upon  Jupiter,  this  or- 
gan is  the  array  of  colors,  like  the  rainbow 
and  the  morning  dawn ;  upon  Saturn,  tune — the 
sound  of  harmony,  what  we  here  call  music, 
the  acoustic  ring  of  that  planet,  facilitating  the 
circular  movement  of  sound,  stands  in  connex- 
ion with  this  expression.  Upon  Uranus  how- 
ever, where  a  higher  degree  of  perfection  exists, 
the  ray  serves  as  the  medium  of  expression,  .si- 
milar to  the  spiritual  fluid  of  the  eye  here  on 
earth. 

'  What  we  are  here  unable  to  express  in  words, 
is  there  told  by  a  ray,  and  the  irradiating  opera- 
tion of  magnetism  here  on  earth,  is  an  inti- 
mation of  tlie  interchange  of  thought  and  feel- 


142 


DOLORES. 


ing  by  those  who  dwell  upon  Uranus.  In  the 
earne  manner  as  a  clairvoyanl,  or  somnambulist, 
perceives  and  becomes  sensible  of  the  thou;ihts 
ind  slightest  emotions  in  the  soul  of  a  distant 
person,  is  the  spiritual  intercourse  of  the  be- 
ings upon  Uranus  carried  on,  when  space  di- 
vides them.  The  invisible  operation  of  magnet- 
ism in  general,  is  only  a  feeble  foreboding  of  the 
medium  of  communion,  and  connexion  in  the 
spiritual  sphere  of  Uranus,  the  highest  in  our 
solar  system,  towards  which  our  longings  aspire 
on  earth. 

"  With  the  transition  to  the  smallest  planet  of 
a  briglitcr  system,  we  first  conceive  the  aspira- 
tion after  the  highest  degree  of  the  existence  of 
the  happy  beings  upon  the  largest  planet  of  that 
solar  system — and  so  onward,  from  step  to  step, 
from  perfection  to  yet  greater  perfection.  The 
higher  the  planetary  degree,  the  less  is  the  soul 
fettered  by  matter,  tlie  more  easy  becomes  the 
upward  tendency  towards  the  source  of  love,  the 
more  powerful  the  expression  of  the  ray." 

"  The  ray  !  similar  to  the  spiritual  tluid  of  the 
eye-glance  !"  interrupted  Dolores.  "  Your  reve- 
lation penetrates  me  with  a  holy  seriousness." 
She  seemed  to  wish  to  say  more,  but  interrupted 
herself,  and  said  ;  "  Pardon  me  this  interrup- 
tion ;  I  beg  you  will  proceed." 

The  Scandinavian  continued :  "  As  upon  our 
planet,  and  upon  all  the  others,  progress  through 
struggle,  eflbrt  through  motion,  is  the  condition 
of  all  being,  so  it  is,  also,  upon  Uranus  ;  and  love 
is,  also,  there,  the  element  of  life. 

"  Love  and  friendsliip,  as  one  idea  in  various 
forms,  here  on  eai'th,  is  only  a  foietaste  of  that 
which  we  shall  feel  in  a  higher  degree  of  the 
soul's  life,  in  the  spheral  world.  The  less  we 
are  fettered  by  matter,  the  easier  does  the  soul 
eoar  upward  to  the  source  of  love,  of  light,  and 
of  strength,  (if  ever,  a  million  times  more  ca- 
pable of  purity,)  and  so  much  more  blissful  is, 
also,  the  sentiment  of  love.  The  nearer  to  the 
light,  the  more  powerful  is  the  spiritual  ray  that 
pervades  and  inflames  us.  But  tliere,  also,  is 
doubt,  and  there,  also,  is  the  foreboding  of  a 
higher  existence.  And  the  consciousness  of  faith 
upon  Uranus,  bears  the  same  relation,  in  clear- 
ness, to  the  darU  forebodings  of  the  inhabitants 
of  earth,  that  the  orbit  of  eighteen  hundred  mil- 
lions of  miles  bears  to  an  orbit  of  ninety-three 
millions.  But  there,  also,  is  a  striving  and 
struggling  after  the  idea  of  freedom,  as  the  con- 
dition of  all  spiritual  development.— —And  the 
clearer  the  foreboding  of  a  higher  existence  in  a 
brighter  solar  system  penetrated  me,  tlie  more 
boldly  I  struggled  upward,  despising  the  ordi- 
nances of  a  corporeal  world,  which  there,  also, 
fetter  the  spirit,  and  bind  it  the  more  oppres- 
sivety,  the  more  it  is  already  enfranchised  by  tile 
consciousness  of  its  dignity  in  the  higher  scale 
of  being.  I  contended  for  the  idea  of  freedom 
as  the  means  of  ennoblement,  and  1  loved ;  and  I 
confounded  the  limits  of  love  upon  Uranus,  with 
the  limits  of  freedom  beyond  the  sphere  of 
Uranus  ;  and  I  fell  out  with  myself,  and  with  tlie 
genius  who  loved  me  as  I  loved  him.  I  misun- 
derstood his  godlike  love,  because  I  suspected 
that  he  misunderstood  me ;  and,  in  a  moment  of 
anguish  and  soul-rending  emotion,  at  being  mis- 
apprehended by  the  being  whom  I  loved  the 
m.)st,  I  committed  suicide. 

"  I  was  hurled  back  to  Saturn,  burdened  by 


the  curse  of  a  hon-ible  existence,  tv)itc!i  eould 

only  be  delivered  by  love :  A  nature  allied  to 
mine,  with  the  sam.e  aspirations  towards  the 
divine  source,  with  equal  attraction  towards 
the  primitive  idea.  Was  to  deliver  me,  by  uni- 
ting our  two  beings  in  love,  and  reconcile  me 
to  the  Deity  through  love,  which,  in  my  de- 
spair, I  dared  to  despise.  I  now  sought  the 
genius  of  deliverance,  the  atonement  of  love,  but 
1  found  it  not.  With  the  clear  consciousnesl 
that  a  higher  World  existed,  I  was  a  stranger 
to  the  beings  of  Saturn  ;  for  the  most  of  them 
were  embai'rassed  by  doubt  and  unbelief,  (like 
mortals  here  upon  earth  ;)  and  when  I  taught 
them  of  the  existence  of  a  higher  sphere  of  life, 
they  ridiculed  me,  and  called  me  an  enthusia,^t, 
in  the  sharply  significant  expressions  of  their 
sound-language ;  and  I  was  neither  understood 
nor  loved  there.  In  the  g!ov,f  of  my  longing  after 
love,  I  drew  near  to  a  genius  of  Saturn  ;  but  the 
aspiration  and  faith  were  deficient  in  him,  and 
he  comprehended  me  not — he  understood  me 
not.  Powerfully  agitated  by  the  reality  of  the 
love  in  wliich  mortals,  there,  strive  upward  to- 
wards God,  borne  along  and  floating  upon  the 
soarings  of  the  melodiously  harmonious  world  of 
sound,  of  harmony,  I  felt  my  unhappy  fate,  to 
live  without  love  !  and  the  convulsiori  of  despair 
again  pervaded  me,  and  a  step,  similar  to  tlie  one 
which  caused  my  departure  from  Uranus,  threw 
me  downward,  back  upon  Jupiter.  Still  less 
understood  there  than  upon  Saturn,  I  vainly 
sought  after  the  atonement  of  love,  the  union  of 
a  kindred  nature  with  my  own,  through  spiritual 
attraction.  In  vain!  Mistaken  and' misunder- 
stood, with  hurt  and  wounded  feelings,  I  again 
renounced  the  hope  of  love,  bore  my  life  without 
love,  to  the  abyss  of  despair,  and  thus  rushed, 
headlong,  seeking  love,  and  meeting  injuries, 
from  despair  to  despair,  from  planet'  to  planet, 
downward  and  backward,  until  I  came  again 
upon  earth  ;   and  I   must  still  go  backward  to 

Venus,  and  then  to  Mercury," he  rose,  and 

continued,  slowly :  "  unless  the  Deity  should 
strengthen  me  with  supernatural  power  to  bear 
such  a  loveless  lite  to  the  grave,  and  to  linger 
and  to  endure,  until  this  earthly  covering,  that 
burdens  my  soul,  falls  away — until  I  am  again 
called,  by  divine  love,  to  the  radiant  region  of  my 
home  upon  Uranus." 

A  long  silence  ensued.  Dolores  and  Horatio 
looked,  with  unaverted  gaze,  at  tlie  friend  who 
had  honored  them  with  a  confidence  that  they 
knew  how  to  appreciate.  Hinango  stood  there, 
deadly  pale,  with  his  eyes  directed  upward  to 
the  stars,  and  a  bright  tear  glistened  upon  his 
eyelashes.  "  Forgive  me  !"  said  he,  at  length ; 
"  forgive  me,  for  having  awakened  your  sympa- 
thy by  my  revelation  ;  better,  perhaps,  that  I  had 
not  done  so." 

"  On  tlie  contrary,"  replied  Dohjres,  "  I  thank 
you,  with  all  the  warmth  of  my  heart,  for  the 
confidence  you  have  bestowed  upon  us  ;  but  my 
sorrow  is  heightened  by  the  thouglit,  that  our 
earthly  language  is  too  weak  to  allbrd  you  con- 
solation." 

"  It  is  too  late  !"  sighed  Hinango.  "  You  are 
a  woman,  and  are,  therefore,  the  less  able  to  heal 
wounds  which  "  He  shuddered,  and  re- 
mained silent. 

Dolores  observed  that  the  unhappy  man  had 
touched  that  subject  which  Barigaldi  had  men 


DOLORES. 


143 


Honed,  and  which  she  had,  unwittingly,  agitated. 

"I  pray  you,  tell  us  something  more  about 
the  world  of  splieres,"  entreated  Horatio,  to  lead 
him  away  from  his  earthly  griefs. 

Hinango  seated  himself  by  them  again,  and 
began  : 

"  Do  you  not  find  that  there  is,  at  times,  some- 
thing particularly  significant  in  the  names  of 
men  ?  as  il  they  had  been  given  them  from  pro- 
phetic inspiration ;  as,  for  example,  Pitt,  who, 
by  his  system,  has  dug  a  pit  into  which  the 
whole  empire  of  Great  Britain  may  fall  headlong. 

"Peel,  Robert  Peel,  the  'peel'  which  covers  the 
decaying  trunk  of  British  aristocracy  ;  likewise, 
to  'peel,'  to  shell  ofT,  to  flay,  insomuch  as  Peel's 
system  '  |)ulls  the  wool  over  the  eyes  of  the 
people,'  &c. 

"  Buonaparte,  the  family  (of  'buonaparte,'  of  a 
good  part,  or  good  portion,)  which  portioned  the 
wliole  of  Europe  among  themselves. 

"  Columbus,  the  dove,  which,  like  the  dove 
from  Noali's  ark,  flew  across  the  ocean,  and  con- 
firmed the  existence  of  the  transatlantic  world. 

*•  Lopez  de  Vega — vega,  a  broad,  fruitful 
plain,  a  rich,  blooming  field,  which  agrees  with 
tlie  wide  field  of  the  rich  dramatic  productions 
of  tliis  poet. 

"  Pfafli',  a  German  polemic  writer  of  the  former 
century,  who  zealously  endeavored  to  maintain 
that  Protestantism  was  more  accordant  with 
despotism  than  Catholicism.     A  true  pfafT.* 

*'  Fourrier,  the  'army  commissary'  for  the  bar- 
rack system,  by  which  he  would  supply  all  man- 
kind with  rations. 

"  Cuvier,  (from  cuver,  to  hatch,)  who  hatched 
out  a  new  system  ;  and  was  capable  of  hatching 
out  an  entirely  new  set  of  animals  from  the  bones 
of  past  ages. 

"Mirabeau,  {inirer,  to  aim,)  who,  as  an  orator, 
aimed  beautifully,  and  often  hit  the  centre. 

"  Volontiere,  who,  as  a  volunteer,  as  the 
leader  of  a  corps  in  Savoy,  was  the  first  prisoner 
taken  and  executed  in  lS34t. 

"  Washington,  who  was  'washing'  the  soil  of 
tlie  new  world  from  the  stain  of  British  mo- 
narchy. 

"  But  enough  !  it  would  be  easy  to  sketch  a 
numerous  nomenclature  in  all  languages. 

"  As  the  names  of  so  many  men  are  strongly 
significant,  and  each  often  express  what  the  men 
aiterwards  become,  so,  also,  the  planets,  through 
asingular  inspiration,  havebeen  named,  through- 
out, with  the  same  characteristic  significance. 
For  example,  JMercury,  the  god  of  merchants 
and  thieves — Venus,  the  personification  of  sen- 
suality. Both  planets  stand  far  below  our  earth 
in  respect  to  spiritual  and  moral  development. 
One  of  the  lowest  degree  of  the  inhabitants  of  our 
soliir  sy.item  is  that  of  Mercury,  since  the  dirty, 
selfish  interest  of  traflic,  of  gain,  and  of  cheat- 
ing, as  the  element  of  trade,  jirevails  there.  The 
inhabitants  of  JMercury  have  no  thoughts  for  any 
thing  but  material  gain,  and  the  higher  idea  of 
love  penetrates  weakly  and  faintly  through  the 
mire  of  materialism  in  which  they  wallow. 
They  rob  each  other  systematically,  sell  each 


*  Priest. 
f  Some  years  later,  Hinango  might  have,  alGO,  named 
Bandicra,  the  two  immortal  brothers,  of  "La  Giovine 
Italia,"  who  planted  the  banner  (Bandiera)  of  their  na- 
tionality, and  moistened  it  with  their  blood.  They  were 
executed  at  Coscnza,  on  the  20th  of  July,  18-14. 


other,  and  sell  themselves,  and  call  it  '  practical 
life" — while  they  despise  the  spiritual  existence, 
and  endeavor  to  dispose  of  every  spiritual  being 
among  themselves,  as  a  slave  for  their  own 
service. 

"  The  despicable  littleness  of  the  selfish  in- 
habitants of  Mercury,  is  seventeen  times  meaner 
than  that  of  the  men  of  the  earth  ;  the  dirty  sel- 
fishness wliich  prevails  there,  is  seventeen  times 
more  contemjitible  than  that  of  men. 

"  The  inhabitants  of  Venus,  less  thievish  and 
usurious  than  those  of  Mercury,  riot  in  extrava- 
gant sensuality,  and  the  ray  of  love  but  faintly 
penetrates  the  night  of  their  existence,  and  often 
first  aflects  a  being,  when  it  has  already  re- 
nounced love,  and  has  become  incapable  of  true 
love.  Many  beings  of  Venus  have  already  re- 
nounced, in  the  intoxication  of  sensuality,  the 
love  after  which  he  longed,  when  penetrated  by 
a  ray  of  the  spirit  of  love,  which  glimmers  even 
there. 

"The  beings  of  Venus  consider  sensual  enjoy- 
ment as  the  destination  of  their  existence,  and 
brute  propa;atiou  as  a  merit,  on  which  they 
pride  themselves. 

"  Under  the  pretence  of  a  fulfilment  of  the 
duty  of  propagation,  they  deaden  themselves  in 
sensuality,  and  hold  themselves  absolved  from 
every  other  duty,  whose  fulfilment  does  not  re- 
late to  their  doubled  and  multiplied  self 

"They  increase  like  rabbits,  and,  like  them, 
willingly  creep  into  the  material  of  their  planet, 
for  the  zealous  performance  of  the  so-called 
duty  of  their  existence. 

"Apart  from  the  element  of  sensuality,  the  in- 
habitants of  Venus  resemble  those  of  the  earth, 
and  appi'oach,  in  their  nature,  so  near  to  that  of 
mankind,  that  there  is  no  important  difference. 

"The  transition  of  theJr  entity  into  inhabitants 
of  the  earth  often  checks  the  progress  of  enno- 
blement, since  their  nature,  here  and  there, 
shows  forth,  and  binds  the  human  being  in  moral 
slavery,  through  sensuality. 

"We  are  acquainted  with  the  inhabitants  of  our 
earth.  The  name  earth  in  Greek  {grr/a,  similar 
to  gcinOf  to  generate)  is  likewise  suitable.  jMan 
named  his  world  according  to  his  human,  dark 
conceptions,  while  he  regarded  animal  propa- 
gation as  the  principal  object  of  life,  and  consi- 
dered the  earth  as  conceiving  and  propagating. 

"Less  meanly  material,  and  less  dishonest  than 
the  inhabitants  of  Mercury,  and  less  sensual 
than  the  hot-blooded  beings  of  Venus;  man, 
nevertheless,  bears  within  himself  a  trace  of 
both.  Our  spiritual  life  contains  a  germ  of  the 
development  which  unfolds  itself  in  higher  re- 
gions, and  the  ray  of  the  eye-glance  here  signifies 
an  alliance  with  the  mode  of  expression  upon 
Uranus. 

"  Man,  in  the  bands  of  earthly  imperfection, 
wallows  in  the  dust  of  the  ground,  clogged  by  the 
matter  in  which  his  spiritual  life  is  enclosed — 
while  he  receives,  at  the  same  time,  tlie  spirit- 
ual strength  to  subdue  matter,  by  means  of  the 
freedom  of  his  will. 

"  Man  was  endowed  with  reason,  as  were  also 
the  inhabitants  of  Mercury  and  Venus  ;  and  it  is 
easier  for  him  than  for  them,  to  develope  his 
spiritual  life,  if  he  will. 

"But  as  the  inhabitants  of  all  planets  and  con- 
stellations carry  with  them  the  peculiarities  ot 
those  stars  which  they  have  last  left,  so,  also,  do 


IH 


DOLORES. 


the  peeulIaritiM  of  Venus  and  Mercury  charac- 
terize man.  Sordid  material  interest  and  low 
eensuality  are  the  two  elements  in  which  the 
tnan  moves  upon  earth,  who  denies  in  himself 
the  presentiment  of  a  higher  degree  of  spivituiil 
life.  These  two  elements  sustain  so-called  'hu- 
man society  !'  And  the  more  a  man  denies  them, 
receiving  within  himself  the  ray  of  a  higher  ex- 
istence, the  more  does  he  become  a  stranger  to 
human  society — a  stranger  upon  the  earth — and 
the  more  powerfully  does  the  spiritual  attrac- 
tion draw  him  upward  to  the  higher  spheres. 

"The  seed  pollen  of  the  spirit  floats  across  from 
planet  to  planet,  into  the  flower  chalice  of  being, 
borne  by  the  breath  of  love ;  for  there  are  more 
perfect  planets  than  ours,  but  as  characteristic- 
Elly  denoted  by  their  names. 

"  The  inhabitants  of  Mars  are  morally  and  spi- 
ritually stronger  than  we,  and  strive  upwards 
with   more  manliness. 

"Believe  me,  the  love  of  a  being  of  Vesta,  is  a 
pure  love ;  it  imparts  a  felicity  which  I  saw 
there,  but  did  not  enjoy.  Higher  than  the  in- 
habitants of  Juno,  shine  the  beings  of  Pallas, 
exhalted  in  wisdom  and  divine  knowledge. 

"  Would  that  I  could  give  you  an  idea  of  the 
brilliant,  radiant  world  of  Jupiter,  as  it  once  sur- 
rounded me,  and  as  I  now  see  it,  at  times,  in  the 
dreams  of  remembrance  of  my  spheral  life — in 
sleep — here,  upon  earth  !  Even  upon  the  tran- 
sition stars,  the  four  satellites  of  Jupiter,  the 
operation  of  the  ray  is  above  all  human  con- 
ception. As  our  earth  appears  to  the  inhabit- 
ants of  the  moon,  forty-nine  times  larger  than 
the  moon  to  us — you  may  thereby  imagine  the 
aspect  of  Jupiter  to  those  upon  the  first  satellite, 
which  is  not  farther  from  it  than  the  earth  from 
the  moon,  wliile  Jupiter  is  sixty-eight  thousand 
times  larger  than  the  moon.  The  attraction  of 
the  ray  is  revealed  in  the  whole  universe,  as  the 
organ  of  spiritual  life,  as  the  organ  of  mysteri- 
ous love.  The  higher  the  degree  of  spheral  life 
in  our  planetary  system,  so  much  the  more  pow- 
erfully, purely,  and  deeply,  does  the  attraction  of 
the  ray  penetrate  the  beings  of  the  inhabitants  of 
those  higher  and  larger  planets,  and  the  more 
purely  is  the  perception  and  intention  of  the  Di- 
vinity developed  in  them  ;  but  they  are,  also,  so 
much  the  more  powerfully  penetrated  by  the 
mysterions  spheral  light,  in  the  anticipation  of  a 
higher  state,  and  in  the  longing  of  love.  The 
spirit  there,  illuminated  by  such  a  radiant  splen- 
dor, penetrated  by  such  a  powerful  attraction, 
strives  on,  scarcely  burdened  by  incorporation 
with  clogging  matter,  upon  the  wings  of  its  own 
developed  strength,  from  satellite  to  planet,  from 
planet  to  satelUte  and  planet.  To  tind  again 
kindred  souls,  as  beings  in  a  like  degree  recog- 
nise them  again  in  the  radiant  brilliancy  of  such 
a  firmament,  embraces  the  bliss  of  such  a  spheral 
e.'sistcnce,  increased  by  the  extent  of  the  means 
of  expression  of  our  sensations.  As,  for  in- 
stance, all  |iroportions  are  a  thousand  times 
greater  and  grander  upon  Saturn  than  upon  the 
earth,  so,  also,  the  communication  of  the  soul,  by 
the  organ  of  the  eye-glance,  is  a  thousand  times 
easier  and  more  heartfelt,  than  by  the  language 
of  the  tongue  upon  earth. 

"As  tluMuiiabitants  of  Jupiter,  at  times,  behold 
all  four  satellites  at  once,  in  their  colossal  gran- 
deur, the  radiant  world  of  the  seven  satellites  of 
Uranus,  indescribably  different  in  size  and  ro- 


tation, offers  to  the  beings  there  a  prcspeet 
which,  in  sublimity,  approaches  the  effect  which 
that  radiant  world  exercises  upon  them  spiritu- 
ally. As  the  eye-glance  is  the  organ  of  the 
soul  upon  Uranus,  upon  Jupiter  (as  [  have  al- 
ready told  you)  it  is  the  colors  caused  by  the  re- 
fraction of  rays.  The  ray,  in  itself,  can  there 
express  a  thought  by  forms  and  images,  as  well 
as  it  is  able  to  imbody  the  thought  as  an  image.* 

"In  accordance  with  the  expression  of  the  be- 
ings upon  Saturn,  as  the  sphere  of  sound,  (of 
wliich  we  upon  earth  have  obtained  an  idea 
by  music,)  the  communication  and  fastening  of 
thought  takes  place  there  (as  by  writing  upon 
the  earth)  by  means  of  those  acoustic  figures,  in 
an  easily  moved  bodily  mass,  which  we  can  con- 
ceive of  here  on  earth  by  the  acoustic  figures 
which  may  be  made  in  sand,  upon  glass,  by  the 
sound  of  a  musical  string.  Such  hieroglyphics 
are  fastened  in  the  moment  of  creation,  and  can 
serve  for  the  future,  like  the  written  word  upon 
earth.  As  there  the  organ  of  expression  is  mu- 
sic of  itself,  the  tone  of  the  communication  can, 
at  the  same  time,  produce  and  fasten  a  similar 
hieroglyphic  writing  in  the  element  of  sound. 

"  As  various  as  are  the  degrees  of  mental  cul- 
tivation in  the  inhabitants  of  the  stars,  are  the 
movements  of  their  more  or  less  material  or 
ethereal  bodies.  The  subordinate,  heavily  ma- 
terial creatures  of  Mercury,  creep  about  in  the 
mire  of  their  existence,  in  thieving  and  usury, 
and  their  '  progress'  is  seventeen  times  slower 
than  the  course  of  men  upon  earth.  The  sen- 
sual beings  of  Venus  partly  swim,  and  land  in 
the  moss-bedded  caves  of  their  luxurious  '  so- 
cial life' — in  which,  at  times,  they  act  without 
much  restraint.  The  ancients  appear  to  have 
had  an  obscure  recollection  of  the  world  of  Ve- 
nus, as  their  mythology  makes  Venus  Aphrodite 
ascend  out  of  the  sea  upon  a  mussel  shell,  as  a 
sym.bol  of  sensual  love.  Upon  higher  planets, 
movement  is  by  soaring  and  flying,  of  which 
many  a  spiritual  developed  inhabitant  of  the 
earth  may  conceive  an  idea — in  dreams — in  the 
freed  existence  of  the  soul  in  tlie  body — in  which 
it  moves  in  its  sphere  of  presentiment." 

**  Then  you  consider  the  state  of  dreams  as  the 
connecting  medium  with  the  spiritual  world  .'" 
interrupted  Dolores. 

"  Our  dream-life,  to  be  sure,"  replied  Hinan- 
go  ;  "  but  not  all  dreams,  by  any  means."  The 
realm  of  the  dream-life  is  twofold.  There  are 
animaticf  and  animal  dreams.  The  first  compose 
the  real  dream-life,  the  latter  are  the  edbcts  of 
external  or  physical  causes,  as,  for  instance,  di- 
gestion during  sleep,  the  contact  of  any  part  of 
our  body  with  another ;  as  the  weight  of  a  hand 
that  has  fallen  asleep,  resting  below  the  pit  of 
the  heart,  (plexus  ca-liacus,)  causes  the  night- 
mare. The  realm  of  the  true  dream-life  is  ani- 
matically  free,  foreign,  and  removed  from  all 
physical  causes,  as  well  as  from  the  corporeal 
world.  Only  the  dreams  in  this  s|)lu're  are  sig- 
nificant, as  the  continued  spiritual  life,  during 


*  This  imliodiment  of  an  image  by  rajs,  lilte  so  many 
things  in  Hinango's  '■  insane"  commuiiication,  would, 
somi!  years  ago,  have  been  considcroil  by  us,  inhabitants 
of  the  earth,  as  the  highest  degree  of  madness,  if  Mr 
Daguerre  had  not  manilesled  to  us  its  possibility,  even 
upon  earth,  it  can  be  luovcd,  by  manuscripts,  that 
Hinango  maintained  tlie  above  theory  of  the  spheral 
world  many  years  before  Mr.  Daguerre's  invention, 
t  From  anima — souL 


DOLORES. 


I 


tlie  rest  of  our  body.  Every  man  dreams  more 
or  less  livclily,  in  proportion  to  the  develop- 
ment of  his  animatic,  his  spiritnal  life.  Ani- 
mals and  plants  dream,  also,  in  proportionate 
indistinctness.  The  dreams  of  a  Newfoundland 
dog  can  he  easily  observed,  as  he  shows  the  mo- 
tions of  running  and  swimming  in  sleep,  barks 
in  a  strange  tone,  and  whines,  as  if  he  were  in 
suffering.  The  unea-^y  neighing  of  a  noble  Ara- 
bian horse  in  his  sleep,  can  al.so  be  considered 
as  an  evidence  in  this  respect.  The  dream-life 
of  plants  can  onlj'  be  suppossd.  The  mimosa 
pndica  (sensitive  plant)  manifests  susceptibility 
by  movement,  at  outward  touch,  and  e.xperience 
in  the  department  of  magnetism  shows  us  ani- 
matic  life,  as  magnetic  power,  in  many  trees 
and  shrubs.  Men  in  whom  animatic  life  is  op- 
pressed b}'  a  predominance  of  tl'.e  animal  nature, 
likewise  dream,  without  being  conscious  of  their 
dreams  when  they  awake — and  they  maintain 
that  tliey  seldom,  or  never  dream.  The  higher 
the  degree  of  animatic  life,  so  much  tlie  clearer 
is  the  perception  of  dreams,  and  so  much  the 
more  extended  is  their  province,  which  touches 
upon  the  boundaries  of  somnanbulisra,  and,  at 
times,  affords  a  view,  or  a  spiritual  passage, 
into  this  niystei'ious  realm  of  the  soul-world." 

"  Men  iu  whom  the  animatic  power  has  been 
cultivated  to  a  peculiarly  high  degree,  often  ex- 
perience a  continuation  of  their  dreams  after  the 
interruption  of  waking,  like  the  succeeding  acts 
of  a  drama.  Such  dreams  are  creations  in  the 
proper  animatic  sphere.  I,  myself,  for  instance, 
frequently  pass  through  the  regions  of  my  astral 
world,  on  such  often  interrupted  visions." 

"  Permit  me  to  ask  one  more  question,"  again 
interrupted  Dolores.  "  If  I  have  rightly  under- 
stood you,  there  are  sexes  upon  the  higher  pla- 
nets, as  upon  earth .' 

"  Certainly ! "  affirmed  the  '  spirit  from  Ura- 
nus.' "  There  are  sexes  wherever  there  are  Ijo- 
dies,  but  there  are  higher  planetary  systems  than 
ours,  and  with  every  degree  of  the  endless  pro- 
gression towards  perfection,  the  ethereal  cover- 
ing of  beings  is  tranfigured  to  a  wonderful  p\irity 
and  be.uty,  in  proportion  to  tlie  purity  of  the 
soul  and  tlie  degree  of  lieatitude.  Love,  as  the 
primitive  jo-inciple  of  all  being,  is  the  spiritual 
element  of  the  whole  spheral  world  ;  and  the 
attraction  of  everlasting  love,  received  and  re- 
turned by  kindred  souls,  is  the  coiulitiou  of  all 
striving  after  eternal  perfection,  in  the  ap- 
proach to  the  my.steriou3,  primtive  source  of 
love.  But  the  higher  the  sphere,  the  less  do  the 
relations  of  sex  come  in  consideration. 

"  There  are  male,  as  well  as  female  p'auets,  as 
there  are  male  and  female  plants — and  t!ie  spi- 
ritual conception  of  the  idea,  of  our  planetary 
system,  resembles  the  mysterious  impregnation 
of  plants  upon  the  earth,  by  the  wonderful,  and 
to  us  inconceivable,  transportation  of  the  seed- 
poilen  of  a  tlower,  in  the  unfulded  susceptible 
cup  of  a  kindred  '  flower  soul.' 

"  The  awakened,  suceptible  mind  of  man,  un- 
der the  influence  of  the  ray  of  the  idea,  (as  a  ray 
of  light  from  the  source  of  life,  of  love,  and  of 
strength,)  resembles  that  state  of  susceptibility 
of  a  flower  which  is  manifested  by  the  fullness 
and  increase  of  the  aromatic  fragrancy  at  the  pe- 
riod of  seed- conception,  and  affords  us  a  present- 
iment of  tlie  spiritual  life  upon  the  planet  Ceres. 

■'  i  say  there  arc  male  and  female  plants  iu 
19 


various  senses  of  the  word,  as  we  upon  earth  con- 
nect ideas  with  it.  The  same  (to  us)  inexplica- 
ble presentiments,  which  I  have  before  spoken 
of  to  you,  (and  by  which  '  Saint  Just,'  for  in- 
stance, was  named  when  a  child,)  lead  men  upon 
earth  to  the  suitable  nomenclature  of  the 
planets,  Venus,  Gasja,  Vesta,  Juno,  Palias, 
Ceres,  are  female  planets,  the  rest  male.  But 
these  terms  do  not  relate  as  well  to  the  bodily 
organization  of  the  inhabitants,  as  to  the  s.ystem 
of  spiritual  conception,  of  the  transportation  of 
the  divine  idea,  from  a  male  planet  to  a  feraalo 
one.  Upon  female  planets,  tlie  female  mind  is 
predominant,  as  the  conceiving  and  generating 
— as  man.  without  knowing  why,  called  the 
earth  'Mother  Earth,  (the  generating,)  in  its  in- 
fluence upon  moral  cultivation  and  enoblement ; 
as  is  the  case  upon  our  earth  :  the  woman  governs. 

"The  soul,  of  itself,  is  of  no  sex,  as  little  as 
God,  himself  (the  primitive  idea  of  being)  nei- 
ther of  the  male  nor  fem.ale  sex.  Only  the  more 
or  less  material  or  ethereal  covering  of  existence, 
of  the  soul,  requires  sex.  Therefore,  our  future 
existence,  as  a  being  of  a  higher  spher.il  world, 
has  not  the  least  reference  to  sex,  according  to 
earthly  ideas.  The  meeting  and  recognition 
liereafter,  of  .spiritual  kindred  beings,  whose 
attraction  mutually  bound  tliem  in  holy  sympa- 
thy upon  this,  or  upon  another  subordinate  star, 
is  the  everlasting,  inexhastible  source  of  the 
lilissful  happiness  of  a  higher  existence,  of  eter- 
nal blessedness. 

"  As  Jesus  has  already  intimated,  (who,  in  di- 
vine clairvoyance,  was  acquainted  with  tlie 
highest  spheres,) '  there  is,  in  the  world  to  come, 
no  earthly  social  bond,  but  love  alone.'  Beings 
of  both  sexes,  who,  from  deception,  mistake,  or 
error,  were  bound  to  each  other  upon  earth  by 
social  bonds,  without  sympathy,  foreign  to  each 
other,  and  inwardly  distant  from  each  other 
as  souls,  do  not  hereafter  find  each  other  again. 
Many  an  earthly  being,  which,  in  the  abyss  of 
materialism  here  upon  earth,  suppressed  or 
choked  in  itself  the  spiritual  life,  at  death 
awakes  in  the  subordinate  degree  of  Mercury 
or  Venus,  where  the  sovil  is  allowed,  as  before, 
to  receive  in  itself  the  light  of  divine  love, 
clogged  by  heavier  matter,  to  strive  after  a 
higher  perfection,  for  another  transition  to  a 
nobler  degree,  upon  a  higher  star. 

"  The  being  that  perhaps  upon  earth  was 
united  with  it  by  earthly  bonds,  knowing  itselt 
here  below,  and  already  strove  upwards  to  a 
higher  degree,  is  also,  scperated  from  it  there, 
in  the  con.sciousncss  of  the  divinity,  which  even 
upon  earth  elevates  us  from  dust,  as  love  and 
as  faith. 

"  The  struggle  of  the  spirit  with  matter, 
which  envelopes  it  as  its  instrument,  is  the  ever- 
lasting condition  of  all  effort — in  every  degree 
— u])on  every  star.  The  higher  the  sphere,  the 
lighler  and  more  ethereal  is  the  body,  the  easier 
tlie  victory  of  spirit,  the  higher  and  more  ex- 
alted the  happiness  by  the  attraction  of  love, 
by  a  common  striving  onward  after  perfection, 
in  the  clearer  and  clearer  contemplation  and 
perception  of  tlie  eternal,  mysterious,  primitive 
being — Oon." 

"  The  captain  begs  to  know  if  you  will  be  so 
good  as  to  take  a  glass  of  punch  with  him — all 
tliree  of  you — the  lady,  too  J"  interrupted  the 
long  Ottar. 


146 


DOLORES. 


This  prosaic  interruption  broke  up  the  com- 
munication of  the  Scandinavian. 

The  captain  approached  them,  lilcewise,  with 
Robert  Walker,  and  the  "  spiritual  drink  "  was 
tried.  Dolores  could  not  avoid  touching  a  glass, 
when  the  captain  cried  out : 

''  Good  luck  to  the  Mazzini  1" 

"  Long  life  to  our  iVIazzini!"  cried  Hinango 
and  the  glasses  clinked,  after  the  Scandinavian 
custom. 

"  The  Mazzini,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  13  long  since 
in  Rio  Grande  !"  remarked  the  captain. 

"  Probably  at  Rio  Negro,  on  the  coast  of  Pata- 
gonia," replied  Hinango.  "  We  are  now  sixteen 
days  from  the  English  bank,  in  the  Plata  river, 
and  it  is  ten  days  since  the  Mazzini  left  us,  in 
the  latitude  of  Rio  Grande.  Barigaldi  intended 
to  set  his  passengers  from  the  cutter  on  shore 
there,  and  then  to  make  a  digression  towards 
Rio  Negro,  where,  perhaps,  a  land  traveller 
might  be  greatly  served,  by  finding  a  passage  to 
Rio  Grande." 

"'  Do  you  really  hope  that  Celeste  may  have 
escaped  with  Testa  ?"  inquired  Dolores,  in  con- 
nexion witli  this  intimation. 

"  I  hope  so,  and  it  is  probable.  No  one  would 
be  likely  to  suspect  that  he  has  fled  by  land. 
The  flight  on  horseback,  through  the  pampas, 
to  Rio  Negro,  has  few  difficulties,  so  soon  as  the 
traveller  is  once  out  of  Buenos  Ayres ;  and  that 
seems  to  have  been  the  case,  according  to  some 
papers  in  the  portfolio  of  Perezoso. 

"  God  grant  that  we  may  soon  receive  intelli- 
gence and  letters  from  Celeste  and  Barigaldi  \" 
sighed  Dolores. 

"  God  grant,"  exclaimed  Hinango,  "  that  St. 
Paulo  and  Minas  Geraes  may  soon  unite  with  the 
insurrection  of  Rio  Grande,  and  that  the  brave 
Mineiros  may  put  aside  the  Brazilian  emppror, 
and  set  up  the  cap  of  liberty  upon  the  old  Sugar 
Loaf  there,  behind  Raza  Island." 

"  And  that  Scandinavia  may  proclaim  her 
unity — 

'  A  free,  united  fatherland, 
From  North  Cape  to  the  Eider  Strand  !' " 

cried  Captain  Finngreen. 

"  A  crisis  will  ensue  in  the  history  of  all  na- 
tions and  all  countries,"  remarked  Hinango, 
"  sooner  or  later !  Humanity  strides  onward. 
Nothing,  however,  injures  the  cause  of  the  na- 
tions so  much  as  the  spirit  of  littleness,  the  pro- 
vincial meanness  of  the  duodecimo  rulers,  who 
avail  themselves  of  a  corner  of  sovereignty  to 
play  their  role  as  heroes  of  a  day,  and,  instead 
of  comprehending  the  idea  of  nationality,  boast 
of  provmcial  trash,  preach  provincial  hatred,  and 
despise  the  spirit  of  humanity.  And  therein  lies 
the  evil  which  circumscribes  the  progress  of  all 
the  nations.  The  so-called  'liberals'  are  liltle- 
mindt  rt — miserably  so.  They  steadfastly  contem- 


plate the  provincial  map  of  their  birthplar*, 
without  surveying  the  general  map  of  their  father- 
land. Their  spirit  moves  in  a  cubic  space  of 
four  feet,  instead  of  soaring  upwards  to  the  con- 
templation of  their  epoch.  They  imagine  that 
they  promote  the  cause  of  the  people  for  the  mo- 
ment, and  dismember  their  country.  Thev  cling 
to  the  letter  of  the  past,  without  effort  for  the 
future.  They  beg  for  the  "  favor  of  liberty,  lib- 
erty of  the  press,"  like  efieminate  cowards,  and 
forget  that  no  people  has  ever  yet  become  free 
without  a  bloody  struggle.  For  a  long  time  the 
crowned  heads  of  Europe  have  not  been  the  bit- 
terest enemies  of  the  cause  of  the  people  ;  the 
bitterest  enemies  are  the  miserable  Constitu- 
tional lick-spittles,  whose  hearts  are  as  narrow 
as  the  bounds  of  the  countries  whose  provincial 
sovereignty  they  maintain.  Pity  that  there  is  no 
devil,  to  carry  away  this  inefficient  rabble." 

Dolores  could  not  avoid* laughing,  and  re- 
marked, that  it  was  already  half-past  one.  She 
stepped  aside  with  Hinango,  and  thanked  him, 
once  more,  in  the  most  impressive  manner,  for 
the  disclosure  of  his  inward  life,  and  added: 
"  You  have  bestowed  your  confidence  upon  me, 
and  I  know  how  to  honor  it.  You  shrink  from 
me,  because  I  am  a  woman.  I  feel  that  1  am 
one,  and  I  know  my  sex.  1  know  what  a  wo- 
man can  be  to  a  man,  as  his  genius  or  his  de- 
mon ;  as  an  angel  or  a  fury  ;  but  do  not,  there- 
fore, despair  of  the  female  sex  !" 

"  Despair  !"  interrupted  Ormur ;  "  on  the  con- 
trary, I  build  my  faith  in  the  deliverance  of 
mankind  wholly  upon  the  influence  of  woman 
upon  man,  as  boy,  as  youth,  and  as  man. 

"  The  redemption  of  all  mankind  rests  in  the 
heart  of  woman,  as  maid,  as  wife,  and  as  mother. 
May  woman  remember  this,  and  feel  her  dignity 
and  her  destination,  which  is  by  no  means  at- 
tained when  she  approaches  the  altar. 

"  As  I  sacrifice  my  individuality,  my  life,  as  an 
ofl'ering  to  the  cause  of  mankind,  1  also  separate 
my  individual  sufferings  from  the  great  sorrow 
which  I  sustain  on  account  of  the  martyrdom  of 
the  nations.  For  verily  I  say  to  you,  that  few 
men  would  have  less  cause  to  plead  for  the  dig- 
nity of  woman,  to  be  the  advocates  of  thefemalo 
sex,  than  I." 

The  paleness  of  his  countenance,  and  the  qtJi- 
vering  of  his  lips,  evinced  his  violent  agitation, 
which  a  retrospect  of  his  past  life  appeared  to 
awake  once  more  within  him. 

Dolores  pressed  the  hand  of  her  friend,  and 
withdrew  in  silence.  She  retired  to  her  cabin, 
to  rest  for  some  hours,  that  she  might  be  able  to 
enjoy,  with  strengthened  susceptibility,  the  en- 
trance into  the  "  bay  of  tropical  splendor  and 
magnificence." 


/ 


])  0  LORES. 


BOOK     IV. 


CHAPTER    I. 


HABAiCKTJK    DAJLT, 


Harclt  had  Dolores  left  the  deck,  when  a 
tailor  of  the  watch  broiip;ht  the  intelligence  that 
he  believed  a  little  craft  \va3  "malting  for  the 
t-ris,"  from  the  land. 

"  That  is  a  negro  smuggler,"  remarked  the 
captain,  now  likewise  perceiving  the  object. 
"  rte  taKes  us  lor  a  slave  ship,  and  is  willing  to 
<io  us  a  service." 

'*  And  so  he  can  V  interrupted  Robert  Walker ; 
'"  he  can  smuggle  our  Mr.  Daily  on  shore,  and 
tnen  Sr.  Alvarez  can  take  his  passport,  and 
land  with  \ia  at  Rio,  unmolested." 

Hinango  seemed  surprised  at  this  forethought 
cf  their  young  friend,  who,  during  the  voyage, 
had  taken  every  opp-jrtunity  of  being  obliging  to 
Alvarez. 

"Are  you  serious,  Mr.  Walker?"  inquired 
Ormur;  "will  you  really  do  us  this  great  service  .' 
I  say  us,  because  i  take  a  great  interest  in  the 
fugitive  from  the  river  La  Plata." 

"  The  captain  knew  my  intention  long  ago," 
replied  the  youth,  "  and  Mr.  Daily  is  already 
made  acquainted  with  the  affair.  It  is,  to  be 
sure,  forbidden,  as  yon  know,  under  a  heavy 
penalty,  to  communicate  with  any  of  these  Tea- 
sels on  the  coast ;  but  if  vTe  meet  them,  as  ap- 
pears likely  to  be  the  case  at  present,  I  will 
take  upon  myself  the  consequences." 

"  That  is  very  noble  of  you  !  it  dooa  you  honor!" 
rejoined  Hinango. 

"  I  hope  it  is  not  the  last  thing  that  I  shall  do 
for  the  cause  of  the  persecuted ;  1  have  not 
grown  up  with  Sra.  Dolores  in  vain,"  said 
Robert. 

"  It  is  a  smack  or  '  sumacca,'  as  these  vessels 
Bre  called  here,"  remarked  the  captain,  who 
was  observing  the  sail ;  "  she  bears  directly  for 
us ;  she  wants  to  come  up  with  us." 

"  At  any  rate,  I  will  have  Mr.  Daily  walced, 
that  he  may  hold  himself  in  readiness,  if  we  can 
succeed  in  despatching  him  with  this  sloop," 
observed  Mr.  Walker,  and  gave  orders  to  the 
long  Otfar,  to  call  his  clerk  in  all  haste. 

Ottar  had  a  certain  readine.ss  at  waking  others, 
since  (excepting  at  night)  he  found  an  opportu- 
nity to  exercise  himself  every  four  hours,  in 
"  calling  the  watch."  To  awake  himself,  was 
somewhat  more  difficult  for  him.  He  went 
atout  his  task  of  arousing  the  grandson  of  the 


"  European  minister  of  finances"  from  his  ileep, 
making  use  of  the  usual  cry,  with  which  ha 
brought  a  deck  watch  upon  their  legs.  This  in- 
stantly roused  somebody  between  decks ;  but 
instead  of  the  clerk.  Dr.  Mcrbold  stretched  forth 
his  nearly  bald  head,  and  cried,  in  a  peevish 
tone,  "  Now  !  what's  the  matter  I" 

"  Mr.  Daily!  Mr.  Daily  must  come  up  here!" 
cried  Ottar. 

"  Am  I  asleep  yet,  and  dreaming  that  T  on\ 
Dr.  MerboM  ? "  muttered  the  entomologist. 
"  Am  1  Mr.  Daily  .'  then  wake  me  up  properly, 
you  stupid  boy  !  that  I  may  be  brouglit  out  of 
my  dream,  for  I  dream  as  vividly,  that  I  am  Dr. 
Merbold,  as  if  1  were  he  in  reality  !" 

Mr.  Daily  had  heard  the  disturbance,  and  at 
last  his  own  name,  and  crept  up,  in  all  haste,  in 
the  moonshine,  to  the  German  aavant. 

"  Now  ?"  the  latter  asked  him,  "  are  you  Mr 
Daily,  or  am  I .'  If  you  do  not  know  it,  upon  my 
soul  I  don't,  for  I  cannot  get  rid  of  my  dream  ! 
the  negligent  boy,  there,  has  only  hzdf  waked 
me  !" 

"  What's  the  matter  .'  what's  the  matter .'"  in- 
quired the  other,  rubbing  his  eyes  ;  "  what  must 
1  do  >" 

"  Mr.  Walker  wishes  to  speak  to  you ;  you 
must  come  on  deck  ;  I  believe  you  are  to  go  on 
shore !" 

"  Directly  !  directly  !"  replied  he,  and  retired 
to  put  on,  at  least,  a  jacket. 

"  On  shore  !  on  shore  I  but  do  you  know,  for 
certain,  that  you  are  Mr.  Daily  and  not  Dr.  Mer- 
bold .'"  said  the  beetleman.  "  1  am  not  sure  that 
there  is  not  a  misunderstanding  ;  for  1  am  still 
dreaming,  vividly,  that  1  am  Dr.  Merbold  ;  and  if 
1  wake  up,  by  and  by,  and  Dr.  Merbold  has 
gone  on  shore,  1  do  not,  for  my  soul,  know  what 
will  become  of  me  !" 

Habakkuk  Daily  ."crambled  hastily  pa.st  the 
meditating  savant,  who  did  not,  in  fact,  seem  te 
be  thoroughly  awake,  and  who  hurried  quick!y 
back  to  hi.s  mnftres-s  again,  where  he  continued 
the  droam  that  lie  was  Dr.  Merbold,  until  ha 
finally  foil  asleep  again,  and  perhaps  dreamed 
nimself  into  the  individuality  of  Habakkuk 
Daily. 

"  Mr.  Daily!"  said  Robert,  meeting  his  clerk, 
'■  there  is  a  sumacca,  a  sort  of  smuggling  craft, 
and  we  will  see  if  you  can  go  on  shore  in  her." 

•'All  riglit,  Mr."  Walker  r'  replied  the  other, 
"  it  will  cast  something  however  !'' 

"  That  is  my  aSair.     If  you  will  only  play 


148 


DOLORES. 


your  part  well,  in  case  any  officer  should  ex- 
amine you." 

"  I  ?  play  roy  part  well  ?  As  to  that,  you  may 
rest  entirely  unconcerned !  I'll  bet  that  I  will 
play  my  part  so  well  that  you  ?hall,  yourself, 
tike  me  for  something  else  than  1  am." 

"  So  much  the  better  !  The  simiacca  will  be 
here  directly  .'  Get  yom-  baggage  ready.  Will 
jrou  take  all  your  things  with  you .'" 

"  Certainly  !  certainly !  1  shall  take  my 
trunks  with  me  !  for  the  sak-e  of  respectability. 
A  traveller  with  considerable  baggage  is  always 
examined  less  than  a  fellow  without  any,  or 
with  two  shirts  in  a  bundle.  But  I  require 
Boniething  for  my  rffle^sametbingseara^nlike:  a 
sextant,  a  couple  of  old  nautical  almanacs,  and 
gnch  like." 

"  We  will  consult  about  that,?'  replied  Robert ; 
"  only  make  yourself  ready  ;  let  your  trunks  be 
brought  on  deck." 
"  In  a  mon\ent  I"  cried  the  other,  and  disap- 
peared below,  where  he  now  kindled  a  light, 
and,  as  we  say  in  English,  "  laughed  in-  his 
sleeve." 

Robert  hurried  back  to  tbecapitaiDandHinan- 
go,  and  informed  them  what  Mr.  Daily  required. 
Both  were  ready  to  firrniih  the  aiiroit  «ctor  with 
whatever  he  desired  for  the  role  he  wa.'*  to  play 
as  seaman,  and  Robert  intimated  that  Mr.  Daily 
would  punctually  restore,  at  Rio,  all  that  was 
confided  to  him. 

"  We  (Jo  not  doubt  that,  in  theleast,"  observed 
Captain  Finngreen,  and,  at  the  same  instant,  the 
cry  of  *'  Brig  ahoy  !"  was  heard  from  the  su- 
macca,  followed  by  the  question,  in  good  Eng- 
lish, "  Where  are  you  from  ?" 

"  From  Buenos  Ayres '."  returned  the  captain, 
through  the  speaking  trumpet. 

"  Have  you  not  aiet  a  brig,  bound  for  St.  Catha- 
rine's .'" 

"  No !" 

"  Do  you  want  some  fresh  fish .'" 

"  If  you  will  not  let  the  Guarda  lEOi*  know 
that  we  met  you  here." 

"  Noneense !  we  have  as  little  desire  to  have 
any  dealings  with  the  Alfandegaf  as  you." 

"  Throw  Ihem  a  rope  '."  ordered  the  captain  ; 
and  it  wjb  not  long  before  the  spokesman  of  the 
sumacca,  with  two  of  liis  comrades,  stood  on  th<! 
gangway,  and  a  considerable  quantity  of  very  fine 
fish  lay  near  them. 

"  Arrah,  now,  and  is  that  you,  Dick  .'"  erred 
Pat  Geiitleboy,  who  took  his  turn,  as  a  sailor,  in 
the  watch,  and  was  now  looking  attentively  at 
the  man  who  spoke  as  good  English  as  himself. 

"  What,  the  devil  !  Pat  Gentleboy  !  is  it  pos- 
gible  ?  Vou  don't  say  that's  you  !  All  alive,  and 
the  same  as  ever  ?" 

"  But  how  did  you  come  in  this  smack,  honey  ? 
Have  you  got  to  ke  a  smuggler  of  slaves .'  sorrow 
lake  you  !  Didn't  we  two  cruise  together  agin  tlie 
slave  ships,  on  the  coast  of  Africa,  long  enough  !" 

"  Hush  !  Pat!  every  one  must  make  his  trade 
with  the  article  that  is  most  wanted  in  the  mar- 
ket. You  go  ■,\s  a  sailor,  I  see,  in  this  brig ;  or 
are  you  working  your  passage  :" 

"  I  go  boatswain,  here  !"  replied  the  other — 
clever  enough  not  to  let  his  old  acquaintance 
know  that  he  vv;is  '  commander  of  a  c\ttter,'  and 
had  come  into  collision  with  "  Ar-gentiles." 


^  Commandant  of  the  Itarbor, 


,  Custom  boMse 


Mr.  Habakkuk  Daily  made  his  appearancd,  frs 
a  blue  seaman's  jacket,  with  yellow  anchor  bnt' 
tons,  a  short  sword  at  his  side,  and  a  pilot  coat 
over  it,  an  oilcloth  cap  on  his  head,  and  an 
extraordinary  serious  quarterdeck  countenance,- 
and  stepped  up  to  the  people  of  the  sumacca. 

**  I  want  to  be  set  on  shore  this  side  of  the 
Sv>gar  Loaf.     How  much  do  you'  ask  ?" 

"  There  stands  the  caj^tain,"  replied  Dick — a 
former  sailor  in  the  British  navy,  and  an  ol(i 
shipmate  of  Pat  Gentleboy. 

"  I  am  an  English  officer,  said  Mr.  Daily,"  in 
Spanish^  to  the  captain  of  the  sumacca.  "  1 
wish  to  land  this  side  the  Sugar  Loaf,  as  I  am 
ordered  to  our  ambassador  at  Bota  Fogo.  Will  you 
take  me  on  board .'  This  brig  is  going  to  Bahia." 

The  Portuguese  understood  Spanish  quite 
well,  and  particularly  the  words  British  officer/ 
Bot;i  Fogo,  and  anvbassador.  He  regarded  the 
Englishman  from  head  to  foot,  and  replied, 
"■  That  may  be  done." 

To  the  question,  bow  mraih  he  asked  .'  he  re- 
plied, with  seamanlike  drj'ness,  "  A  hundred 
millreis,  if  you  wish  to  be  landed  immediately, 
and  fifty,  if  you  wait  until  1  choose  to  go  on 
shore." 

"  How  long  may  that  be  ?  When  are  you  going 
to  land  ?" 

"To-morrow,  toward*  midnight,  I  shall  ga 
into  a  cove  this  side  the  Sugar  Loaf." 

"Well,  1  will  give  you  thirty  millreis,  and  wait 
cntil  towards  midnight  to-mon'ow." 

"  You  will  give  forty  millreis,  senhor— forty  ? 
!  cannot  take  yoii  for  less  than  that." 

"  Then  1  shall  easily  find  another  sunrracca  or 
felouque,  before  we  reach  the  Sugar  Loaf,  I  will 
give  no  more  than  the  thirty  millreis,  except, 
perhaps,  a  half  dozen  bottles  of  Swedish  bi'andy 
besides,"  added  Mr.  Daily,  and  .stepped  on  the 
quarterdeck,  as  if  he  connnandod  there. 

The  negro  smuggler  rellected  lor  a  while,  and 
seemed  to  peiceive  the  possibility  that  the 
"  English  officer"  might  find  a  similar  opportu- 
nity. Thirty  millreis  was,  on  the  other  hand,  a 
very  reasonable  passage,  which  be  could  receive 
without  going  out  of  his  cour.se.  He  resolved, 
then,  to  take  the  money,  and  drew  near  the  quar- 
terdeck to  settle  the  atlair. 

Mr.  Daily  had  stopped  aade  with  Robert 
Walker,  received  the  needful  supply  of  money, 
and  the  address  of  the  house  in  Kio  where  he 
might  report  himself,  as  soon  as  he  bad  safely 
arrived. 

"  The  two  boxes  of  minerals,"  remarked  the 
clerk,  "  are  in  my  berth.  It  is  a  pity  we  had  not 
kept  the  others  on  board ;  I  could  easily  take 
them  on  shore  with  me  now." 

••  This  would  certainly  have  been  an  excellent 
opportunity  !  But — the  captain  would  not  risk  it ; 
and  perhaps  the  boxes  are  already  on  board  of 
another  vessel." 

"  Let  us  hope  that  they  have  been  taken  good 
care  of!"  whispered  Mr.  Daily,  and  stepped 
again,  in  his  character  of  an  English  officer,  to 
the  smuggler,  who  imparted  to  him  hisdecision. 
The  captain  bought  the  fi?h  at  a  very  reasonable 
price ;  and  Mr.  Daily's  luggage,  together  with 
sufficient  provisions  for  the  twenty  four  hours, 
was  lowered  into  the  sumacca. 

Mr.  Daily  desired  the  mate  to  pre-ient  his  com- 
pliments to  the  German  doctor,  who  had,  .some 
time  before,  noted  for  him  the  address  of  the  ceKv 


DOLORES. 


149 


brated  natnralist,  and  of  a  little  tarern,  where 
he  might  himself  be  met  with.  After  a  hasty 
farewell  to  his  "  young  master,"  and  all  those 
who  stood  near,  he  stepped  down  to  his  two 
trunks  in  the  smuggling  smack,  which  immedi- 
ately pushed  off,  and  pursued  her  course,  to  ob- 
tain intelligence  of  the  slaver,  expected  at  St, 
Catharine's,  fi-om  Angola. 


VMSAf^sr.^^ 


CHAPTER   II. 


THE    OLD    WIDOWER. 


The  immense  French  hotel,  Faronx,  situated' 
<lose  by  a  landing  place  of  the  bay,  opposite  to 
■the  station  of  the  foreign  vessels  of  war,  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  unpretending  imperial  pa- 
Jace,  formed  a  sort  of  Palais  Royal,  as  the  gatlier- 
ing  place  of  respectable  and  fashionable  guests, 
in  Rio  de  Janeiro,  from  all  parts  of  the  world. 

It  was  about  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  ;  the 
separate  tabks,  designed  for  private  dinners,  of 
four  tu  six  persons,  were,  one  after  the  other, 
nearly  all  occupied.  Men  and  youthe,  in  the 
naval  uniforms  of  legitimate,  quasi  legitimate, 
and  republican  powers,  divided,  for  the  most 
part,  according  to  nationality  and  rank,  were 
conspicuous  amongst  dandies  and  no  dandies,  in 
white  linen  spencers  and  considerably  darker 
complex!  ins. 

Men  of  different  ages  and  stations,  from  the 
commodore  of  a  ship  of  the  line,  and  his  excel-' 
lency,  a  colored  minister  of  state,  down  to  the, 
wliite  partner  of  an  inferior  commercial  house, 
were  mingjed  together,  according  to  the  repub- 
lican spirit  of  Brazdian  customs,  which  is  less 
clogged  with  narrow  prejudices  than  those  of 
many  republics. 

■'HespectabJe,  and  very  respectable  gentjemen," 
with  yellow  patent  gloves,  maintained  their 
British  fashions  in  spite  of  the  climate,  con- 
suming, "in  the  sweat  of  their  brows,"  their  roast 
beef  and  beef  steak,  in  thick  clotli  clothing  of 
British  manufacture,  and,  occasionally,  (as  an 
interesting  topic  of  conversation)  giving  each 
other  the  assurance  that  it  was  "  very  warm — 
very  warm  indeed !" 

Gayer  and  more  lively  than  at  the  British 
tables,  were  lieard  conversations  in  French 
Spanisli,  Italian,  and  Portuguese,  and,  here  and 
there,  in  the  German,  Danish,  and  Swedish  lan- 
guages;  while  each  group  desi)atched  its  own 
dishes,  and  troubled  itself  but  little  about  what 
the  others  ate  or  said. 

Entirtdy  contrary  to  ail  British  fashion  or  cus- 
tom, a  "degenerate  gentleman,"  in  a  white  linen 
hunting  frock,  sat  among*'foreigners"  at  a  foreign 
talde,  spoke  French,  and  dranlc  claret  instead  of 
port  and  sherry.  He  was  one  of  those  stereotj'pe 
iiritish  figures,  whom  we  meet  as  cabin  passen- 
gers, in  every  Englisli  steamer,  on  ditlt3rent 
courses,  from  JVIonte  Video  to  Gottenburg, 

Uur  gentleman  was  tall,  robust,  and  broad 
shouldered,  with  a  round,  fresh  colored  visage 
and  sliort  neck.  His  crown  was  nearly  bald  and 
adorned  with  weakly  grown  curling  hair,  some- 
what gray  ;  an  inquiring  and  yet  little  observ- 
lag  look,  a  shade  oi"  red   on  lie  oose,  a  strong 


under  jaw,  (the  muscles  of  which  had  acquired 
their  strength  by  long  service,)  united  with  a 
careless  expression,  and  an  excellent  appetite^ 
formed  a  whole  :  This  was  Mr.  George  Thom- 
son, brother-in-law  and  partner  of  Mr.  John 
Walk'er,  and  chief  representative  of  the  house 
of  Walker  and  Company  in  Rio  de  Janeiro ;  a 
man  about  sixty  years  old,  quick  in  his  move- 
ments, lively  in  conversation,  and  gay  and  good 
humored,  wiien  he  vvas  not  harassedby  his  sister. 

Opposite  to  him  sat  Monsieur  le  Baron  de 
Spandau,  "  chevalier  of  difhjrent  orders,  of  vari- 
ous kinds  of  imhi^'itrie^^'  universally  known  as  a 
very  respectalile  gentleman,  because  he  was  a 
stated  guest  at  the  Hotel  Faroux,  often  showed 
himself  in  a  box  at  the  Tlieatre  de  St.  Pedro  de 
.Ucantara,  kept  a  couple  of  riding  horses  and  a 
negro  in  livery,  always  wore  clean  gloves,  and 
often  waited  for  hours  irt  the  ante-chamber  of 
this  or  that  ambassador,  till  a  valet  informed 
him  that  his  e.xceUency  was  busy.  He  was  a 
lean  littie  fellow,  appai*ently  forty  years  old, 
with  blinking  gray  eyes,  and  sharply  defined 
features,  out  of  the  centre  of  which  arose  a 
tura-«p  nose,  the  wings  of  which  fell  in,  and 
peculiarly  exposed  the  nostrils.  Small,  hardly 
perceptible  lips,  closed  a  mouth  which  (ex- 
cept for  operations  similar  to  the  present)  was, 
for  the  moat  part,  only  opened  in  the  endeavor 
to  produce  something  piquant,  in  which  he  did 
not  always  succeed,  and  which  he  himself  antici- 
pated by  a  smile,  in  case  no  one  else  should 
laugh  at  his  wit.  His  narrow  forehead  was  co- 
vered with  dai'k  hair,  on  whi^h  he  apjjeared  to 
bestow  peculiar  care,  ae  it  dripped  with  oil  and 
pomatum,  which  the  tropical  heat  dissolved  into 
troublesome  fluidity. 

Between  the  two,  sat  a  tall,  serious  man,  who 
might  be  rather  above  forty  years  of  age,  with 
regular  features,  and  an  expression  of  settled 
melanchol}'.  His  whole  aspect  bore  the  stamp 
of  inward  cultivation,  which  is  indicated  by  a 
certain  something,  which  no  barber  can  frizxle, 
and  no  tailor  can  fit,  even  according  to  all  the 
rules  of  the  fashioning  art  of  our  days,  and  after 
all  the  precepts  of  the  last  number  of  the  "  Jour- 
nal des  Modes." 

"  You  have  then  been  married  four  times,  as 
your  portraits  at  Beta  Fogo,  show  ?"  inquired 
the  little  chevalier  of  the  Briton,  pursuing  the 
conversation,  while  the  third  turned  over  the 
rich  gastronomic  bill  of  fare,  and  seemed  to  find 
little  to  tempt  his  appetiteless  palate. 

"  Strictly  speaking,  four  times  and  a  half!" 
replied  Mr,  Thomson  ; "  for  1  was  betrothed  once, 
and,  so  to  say,  almost  married,  when  my  intended, 
whose  presence  made  me  happy  at  that  time, 
died  suddenly,  of  the  yellow  fever,  in  Havana." 

"  And  your  wives  were  all  English  women  !" 

"  By  no  means — but  they  were  stout  and  cor- 
pulent I  they  were  all  corpulent ;  for  this  quality 
was  always  my  first  requisite,  when  1  made  a 
choice  ;  and  where  1  found  this,  in  connexion 
with  other  desirable  qu.ilities,  I  troubled  myself 
little  about  the  nationrjity  ;  to  the  boundless 
vexation  of  my  family,  who  fairly  drove  me  from 
England  on  that  account.  My  first  wife  weighed 
two  hundred  and  tliree  pounds  !  She  was  an 
Irish  woman,  of  very  res]jcctable  family,  and 
beautiful  !  very  beautiful,  I  tell  you  !  that  is, 
corpulent !  stout  as  a  mau  could  desire  a  woman 
to  be!" 


150 


DOLORES. 


"  You  appear  to  have  Turkish  notions  of  beau- 
1} ,"  renLarkcd  the  baron;  "  for  stout,  corpulent, 
tnd  beautiful,  are  known  to  signify  one  and  the 
same  thing  among  the  Turks." 

"  The  Turks  are  pCTfcctly  ris^ht,  as  to  that  I 
perfectly  right  I  entirely  right  !  That  shows  that 
they  are  not  so  stupid  ;  and  I  am  quite  of  their 
opinion,  for  I  love  solidity  I  firmness  !  and  if  I 
were  to  find,  to-night,  ov  to-morrow,  an  object 
that  particularly  interests  me — by  a  tendency  to 
corpulency,  well  understood — 1  will  not  be  posi- 
tive that  I  would  not  once  more  pay  my  tax  to 
the  church,  and  marry,  for  the  fifth  time  !" 

"  You  would  do  perfectly  right !"  replied  the 
baron ;  "  a  man  like  you,  with  such  a  fortune  !" 

"  I  should  not  easily  find  again  a  lady  like 
my  last  wife  !"  interrupted  the  old  widower. 
"  She  displayed  a  degree  of  corpulence,  I  assure 
you — a  corpulence  which  exceeded  all  my  for- 
mer expectations ;  for  it  is  a  very  singular  thing, 
the  corpulence  of  women  !  It  has  its  crisis,  after 
which  the  corpulence  either  increases  or  sud- 
denly fails,  and  is  entirely  lost.  That  was  Oie 
case  with  my  first  wife,  who  brought  it  no  far- 
ther than  one  hundred  and  eighty-two  pounds, 
and  then  became  suflijring,  hypochondriac, 'mys- 
terical,*  as  the  doctors  call  it,  and  grew  as  lean, 
I  assure  you,  as  a  European  horse,  that  will  eat 
no  grass  here  in  Brazil ;  and  so  she  died,  the 
good  woman  !" 

"  As  regards  corpulence,"  remarked  the  baron, 
"  you  will  hardly  find  a  country,  besides  Tur- 
key, where  the  women  spread  as  they  do  here. 
jMany  mothers  of  families,  when  they  walk  to 
church  on  Sunday,  behind  their  generation,  can 
evidently  hardly  move,  from  mere  corpulence." 

"  Yes,  so  far  as  that  goes,"  interrupted  the 
widower,  "  it  is  not  to  be  denied,  that  female 
corpulence  increases  here  admirably  !  But  the 
girls  here  marry  at  thirteen,  and  even  younger  ! 
and  the  tendency  to  corpulence  is  then,  for  the 
most  part,  undecided  !  To  t>e  sure,  most  Brazilian 
ladies  become  corpulent  in  matrimojiy  ;  but. 
Baron  !  the  crisis,  the  crisis  of  which  I  have  just 
spoken,  that  must  be  guarantied,  and  it  often 
comes  on  very  late;  I  mean,  it  may  come  on 
four,  five,  or  even  six  years  after  marriage,  and 
even  later,  when  the  house  swarms  with  chil- 
dren; but,  you  see,  that  depends  on  circum- 
stances, on  relations.  A  happy  wife  Adds  to  her 
corpulence;  and  I  maintain,  from  experience, 
that  where  a  woman  suddenly  grows  thin,  and 
withers  .iway,  then  it  is  not  right  with  her  heart, 
then  there  is  mental  disease.  But  still  I  will  by 
no  means  assert  that  all  women  who  do  not  feci 
happy  in  marriage  grow  thin,  either  suddenly, 
or  by  degrees ;  by  no  means !  that  depends  on 
circumstances !  1  have  experience  in  these  mat- 
ters, baron  !  and  know  wliat  married  life  is  ! 
Indillerence !  indificrence,  baron  1  is  a  sure 
foundation  for  corpulence  and  domestic  happi- 
ness! Sentiment,  feeling,  or  the  like  quali- 
ties and  endowments,  are  dangerous,  and  gene- 
rally bring  on  the  crisis  of  which  1  speak.  But 
there  are,  nevertheless,  robust  natures,  who  defy 
all  attacUsof  sentiment, and  do  not  grow  thin,  as, 
for  example,  my  second  wife,  who  was  a  Russian. 
She  v.-eighed  a  hundred  and  ninety-four  pounds 
and  three-quarters  in  her  bloom,  and  only  eight 
pounds  less  as  a  corpse.  She  was  a  noble  wo- 
man, 1  tell  you  !  but  often  sufl'eredlrom  feeling, 
from   sentiment!   and  up   to  tliis  day,  I   cannot 


conceive  the  cause,  for  she  had  al?  sh^reqoi'reil, 
she  wanted  for  nothing  I  horses  and  carriage,  and 
country  house,  and  the  like !  and  1  gave  her  open 
credit  with  her  milliner  !  and,  notwithstanding 
all  tliat,  she  had  hardly  reached  the  crisis,  when 
slie  died — suddenly  died '.  as  I  told  you,  in  her 
bloom." 

"Indeed!"  said  the  third  gentleman,  who 
had  listened,  with  particular  attention,  to  the 
widnwcr*s  experiences. 

"  It  happened  nearly  the  same  with  my  last 
wife,"  continued  Mr.  Thomson,  "  who,  it  is  true, 
only  weighed  a  hundred  and  forty  pounds  when 
1  married  her;  but  »he  had  a  tendency  to  corpu- 
lency, a  tendency  of  wliich  I  am  a  tolerable 
judge,  and  six  months  after  her  first  confinement 
she  weiglied  a  iiundred  and  ninety-three  pounds; 
after  the  second,  two  hundre4l  and  thirty-six  and 
three  quarter  pounds  ;  but  then  came  the  crisis. 
She  became  melancholy,  and  learnt  foreign  lan- 
guages. She  was  an  Italian  by  birth,  and  at  last 
her  mind  became  diseased,  and  slie  got  certain 
notions  that  I  did  not  love  her,  and  the  like  stu- 
pid stuff',  that  women  take  into  their  heads.  And 
she  wanted  for  nothing  !  she  had  all  that  she  re- 
quired, all  that  my  other  wives  enjoyed,  and 
with  which  the  first  and  last  were  contented, 
until  their  happy  end  !  A  woman,  let  me  tell 
you,  is  like  a  cylinder  watch,  like  a  repeater, 
^vhich  will  often  keep  good  time  forye-ars,  if  you 
wind  it  up  regularly^but  at  length  it  stops,  for 
the  fii'st  time,  and  repeats  incorrectly ;  it  then 
requires  a  skilful  watchmaker  to  set  it  a  going 
;igain,  without  spoiling  it ;  and  the  watchmakers 
and  physicians  of  our  time,  generally  handle 
their  patients  very  superficially,  and  often  do  not 
know  themselves  what  part  of  the  works  is  out 
of  order.  That  was  the  reason  my  la-^t  wife  died, 
for,  1  tell  you,  she  was  shrunk  away  to  a  s!;ele- 
ton,  and  her  corpse  only  weighed  eighty-three 
pounds  !  think  of  that !  a  hundred  and  fifty- 
three  pounds  diflerence,  because  the  good  woman 
wa*  wanting  in  iiuiitlerence !  in  indiBerence,  I 
tell  you  !" 

"  You  are  yet  in  your  best  years,  Mr.  Thom- 
son," remarked  the  serious  man  next  to  him, 
who  had  laid  aside  the  hill  of  fare;  "you  will 
marry  again  !  I  will  make  a  bet  with  you,  that 
you  wilt  at  least  be  betrothed  in  a  year  and  a 
day." 

"  I  will  rather  bet  the  contrary  with  you,  for 

I  honestly  admit  that  I  cannot  live  without  a 
wife ;  I  am  so  accustomed  to  wedded  life,  from 
my  youth  upwai'ds,  and  shall  now  look  about 
me  in  earnest,  once  more,  if  I  can  find  some- 
thing according  to  my  taste,  with  a  tendency  to 
corpulency  and  the  other  qu,ilitips.  But,  alas !  I 
shall  never  again  meet  with  a  wife  like  my  last ! 

II  would,  indeed,  be  a  wonder  if  1  should  !  She 
was  from  the  Kio  de  la  Plata,  and,  it  is  true, 
only  weighed  a  hundred  and  forty  pounds  when 
1  married  her ;  but,  she  had  a  tendency  to  cor- 
pulence ;  a  tendency,  1  tell  you,  which  slic  de- 
veloped to  two  hundred  and  thirty-six  and  three 
quarter  pounds  in  lour  years;  in  four  years,  I 
tell  you  :  and  a  better  wife,"  he  added,  with  a 
sigh,  "  a  better  wife  I  shall  probably  never  meet 
with  !  such  a  comfortable  wife  as  tliat  !  and  if  I 
marry  again,  wliich  God  grant  may  soon  happen, 
1  shall  look  for  a  lady  from  La  Plata,  and  1  have 
already  written  to  my  brother-in-law,  in  Bneiioa 
Avres,  about  it.     He  knows  mv  taste  suid  Uv« 


DOLORES. 


151 


qualitips  I  require.  I  tell  yrm  what,  gentlemen, 
yoii  are  fools  ;  don't  take  it  ill  of  me  for  sayint; 
60  ;  you  are  fools  in  your  bachelor's  life  ;  you  will 
die  in  it,  without  having  lived,  I  can  tell  you  ! 
There  Is  nothing  so  pleasant  as  domestic  happi- 
ness and  married  life  ;  and  whoever  is  not  ac- 
quainted with  Ihem,  does  not  know  what  day  and 
night  are,  I  tell  you  I" 

"  Marriage  may  have  its  charming  side,"  re- 
plied the  serious  man,  "  that  I  do  not  deny ;  but 
I,  aa  a  physician  and  unmarried  man  besides, 
know  only  the  dark  side  of  matrimony,  and, 
above  all,  of  marriage  without  love." 

*'  Marriage  without  love  !"  cried  Mr.  Thom- 
son ;  "  the  devil !  what  has  love  to  do  with  mar- 
riage ?  A  girl  does  not  ask  you,  '  Do  you  love 
me.''  hut,  '  Will  you  marry  me.''  Marrying  is 
always  the  principal  thing  !  and  I  know  young 
ladies,  of  various  ages,  who  would  never  ask  a 
gentleman,  '  Do  you  love  me .''  for  fear  he  might 
honestly  answer, '  No  !'  and  draw  back,  if  love  is 
to  be  made  a  condition." 

"  1  am  entirely  of  your  opinion  ;"  affirmed  the 
baron,  pouring  a  tremendous  dose  of  vanilla  over 
his  fish.  "  The  fearful  thought  of  remaining  an 
old  maid,  has  brought  the  gallopade  into  favor." 

*'  You  must  marry,  doctor,"  said  Mr.  Thom- 
son. "You  suH'cr  with  hypochondria  and  melan- 
choly. There  is  no  such  cure  for  them,  as  matri- 
mony, I  assure  you  !  1  know  that,  by  experi- 
ence. Cream  of  tartar  and  castor  oil  will  do  no 
good.   Marriage  is  the  only  cure  for  melancholy!" 

"  Widowers,  for  the  most  part,  soon  marry 
again!"  remarked  the  doctor;  "that  is  easily 
explained — it  is  the  force  of  habit;  andawidow, 
likewise,  would  not  wait  long  and  remain  sin- 
gle, if  she  enjoved  the  same  freedom  of  choice 
as  a  man.  This  freedom,  1  affirm,  is  founded  in 
natur.il  rights,  and  we  should  find  less  of  ner- 
vous diseases  and  hysterical  maladies,  if  women 
were  dilferently  situated,  in  many  respects.  If 
they  were  allowed  to  choose  freely,  we  should 
certainly  witness  less  suli'ering  and  more  happi- 
ness on  earth." 

"  To  be  sure,  many  women  remain  single," 
observed  Mr.  Thomson,  "  because  they  are  de- 
prived of  the  liberty  of  making  a  free  choice; 
that  is  natural  !" 

•'  Pardon  me,  sir,"  said  the  baron,  "  I  am  by 
no  means  of  your  opinion ;  I  doubt  if  the  free 
choice  of  maids  or  widows  would  produce  much 
benefit,  for,  as  long  as  1  have  been  in  the  world, 
1  find  always  that  a  girl  chooses  rather  from 
caprice  than  love,  and,  in  hundreds  of  cases,  se- 
lects the  most  stupid  and  meanest  of  her  ad- 
mirers, who,  however,  may  possess  some  exte- 
rior qualities.  A  girl  seldom,  or  never,  chooses 
a  man  for  his  mental  accomplishments." 

"  Yovi  have  made  a  very  just  observation,"  as- 
serted the  doctor  ;  "  but,  notwithstanding  that, 
woman  does  not  lo.se  the  right  to  a  free  choice — 
errors,  and  even  crimes,  do  not  destroy  the  prin- 
ciple of  moral  freedom. 

"  I  agree  with  you  entirely,  doctor,  as  regards 
free  choice,"  observed  Mr.  Thomson.  "  I  assert 
that  some  nice  woman  would  have  chosen  me, 
long  ago — some  nice  woman,  with  a  tendency  ! 
with  a  tendency !" 

His  two  companions  smiled. 

"  How  many  pounds  of  domestic  happiness 
have  yuu  embraced,  in  all,  Mr.  Thomson  r"  in- 
quired the  baron.    Have  yuu  ever  summed  up  .'" 


"  Eight  hundred  and  forty-three  and  three 
quarter  pounds  !"  quickly  replied  the  old  wi- 
dower, "counted  in  the  bloom;  that  is  to  say, 
counted  in  the  very  bloom  !  fur  1  kept  correct 
books,  and  weighed  my  wives  every  month,  at  the 
new  moon  !" 

The  baron  laughed  heartily,  and  nearly  swal- 
lowed a  fish  bone. 

A  poor,  but  cleanly  dressed  man,  of  a  sickly 
aspect,  slowly  approached  the  table,  and  handed 
the  serious  man  a  document,  with  an  apology 
for  troubling  him.  The  latter  unfolded  it,  and 
cast  a  glance  over  it,  then  drew  a  millreis  bill 
from  his  vest  pocket,  handed  it  to  him,  with  the 
paper,  and  said,  in  a  low  voice,  "  there  !  but  do 
not  drink  it  up  ;  give  it  to  your  wife,  if  this  pa- 
per be  not  false." 

"  False  !  false  !  Oh,  God  !"  exclaimed  the  poor 
fellow,  while  he  ofl'ered  his  heartfelt  thanks. 
"  It  is,  alas  !  too  true  ;  I  have  been  here  eight 
years,  as  a  sergeant  of  the  German  legion,  and  am 
now  the  father  of  a  family,  with  six  little  chil- 
dren, and  am  sick,  as  you  see  !" 

"  That  is  all  very  well,  my  good  man ;  but 
how  can  you  have  six  children,  when  one,  like 
yourself — according  to  your  document,  has  only 
been  married  five  years  .'  Your  wife,  then,  has 
twins  :" 

"  No,  my  good  sir,  not  twins ;  but — but,  she 
is  a  French  woman,  from  Provence,  and — — " 

Mr.  Thomson  burst  into  loud  laughter,  in 
which  he  was  joined  by  his  two  companions. 

"That  is  all  very  well,  my  good  man,"  con- 
tinued the  physician ;  "  but  this  privilege  of  pa- 
rentage is  contrary  to  reason.  I  do  not  give  you 
this  alms,  as  the  father  of  a  family  ;  for  at  the 
utmost  I  must  consider  your  wife  and  children  ; 
for  you,  I  have  no  consideration — none  at  all  !" 

"  How  so,  sir .'"  inquired  the  invalid,  a  little 
embarrassed. 

"  Because  it  depended  upon  your  free  choice 
to  marry,  or  not  to  marry,  and  because  thousand? 
of  men  must  abstain  from  that  which  you  sought 
in  married  life  ;  thousands,  who  have  the  same 
claims  to  domestic  happiness  as  yourself;  but 
who  make  a  conscience  of  connecting  a  being 
with  their  late,  who  has  likewise  claims  on  life, 
and  who  then  must  share  the  sufferings  of 
her  husband.  If  a  person  came  to  me,  now,  and 
said,  '  Sir,  I  have  had  to  struggle  through  my 
life  in  desolate  loneliness ;  1  have  sacrificed 
myself,  from  conviction,  for  my  nation  and  coun- 
try, and  have  been  obliged  to  deny  myself  all 
domestic  happiness  ;  I  have  enjoyed  no  love,  and 
have  even  never  become  a  '  husband,'  which  yet 
every  dolt  may  be.  Sir!  1  know  nothing  of  love 
and  felicity — I  stand  alone  on  earth  !'  Whoever 
says  this  to  me,  Ibr  him  I  have  consideration — 
him,  1  understand." 

"  According  to  your  views,  doctor,"  said  the 
old  widower,  likewise  bestowing  a  gift  on  the 
poor  man,  "  according  to  your  views,  no  one 
ought  to  marry." 

"  No  one  .'  Pardon  me  ;  you  misunderstand 
me.  Let  him  marry,  who  finds  reciprocal  atfec- 
tion,  and  feels  himself  in  a  condition  to  pro- 
vide for  his  wife,  and  knows  how  to  bring  up 
his  children ;  but  let  no  one  imagine  that  he 
possesses  especial  claims  to  the  consideration  o{ 
others,  as  the  father  of  a  family."  The  invalid 
offered  his  thanks  again,  and  withdrew. 

"  I  consider  family  life  as  the  most  sacred 


152 


DOLORES. 


bond  nf  human  society,"  continued  the  doctor, 
"  but  niyt  propagation,  as  the  highest  vocation  or 
the  first  duty  of  man.  I  consider  education  the 
most  sacred  requirement !  The  mass,  or  crowd 
of  mankind,  is  not  to  be  considered,  but  the  cul- 
tivation. There  are  shiftless  creatures  enough, 
who  lie  about  the  sti-eets,  and  fill  the  prisons — 
led,  by  degrees,  from  wretchedness  to  crime ;  and 
the  source  of  their  crimes  is  the  levity  of  their 
parents,  in  the  '  gallopade  to  matrimony,'  as  our 
baron  justly  calls  it." 

"  You  attach  my  own  words  to  very  singular 
principles,  doctor,  which  will  hardy  admit  of 
defence,"  observed  the  baron. 

"  I  am,  nevertheless,  ready  to  maintain  them. 
The  unanimous  and  universal  complaint,  in  rela- 
tion to  the  wretchedness  of  Europe,  is  sought  to 
be  explained  by  the  over  population,  and  the 
want  of  political  and  pei-sonal  freedom.  I  think 
it  would  be  better  if  a  man  should  first  endeavor 
to  establish  a  free  fatherland  for  his  family,  be- 
fore he  increased  the  population  in  number,  and, 
of  course,  only  made  tiie  wretchedness  greater." 

"  Those  are  evidently  dangerous  principles  !" 
exclaimed  the  baron  ;  "  they  would  bring  you  to 
prison  in  Europe." 

"  I  believe  the  European  powers  have  spies 
enough  to  control  the  demagogue  principles  of 
an  individual  in  Brazil,  as  well  as  on  the  La 
Plata ;  only,  people  do  not  always  take  much 
notice  of  tiieir  investigations." 

"  Do  you  really  think  that  the  European  pow- 
ers have  spies  here  in  Rio  ?"  inquired  the  little 
man,  with  the  turned-up  nose. 

"  I  think  that  such  scamps  would  be  very  in- 
different to  me,  wherever  and  however  they 
might  seek  a  collision  with  me." 

The  Baron  shelled  a  banana,  and  filled  his  glass, 
while  Mr.  Thomson  again  took  up  the  word. 

"  You  are  then  opposed  to  all  emigi-ation  from 
excess  of  population,  doctor  .'" 

"  I  would  allow  each  one  the  personal  liberty 
to  travel  and  settle  himself  where  he  will,  or  as 
particular  circumstances  might  lead  him  ;  but 
no  nation  on  earth  will  ever  become  free  through 
emigration.  .'\s  to  the  rest,  I  believe  that  ex- 
cessive population  is  often  an  erroneous  idea  ; 
and  that  only  despotism  and  slavery  make  it  dif- 
ficult for  men  to  live,  while  there  would  be  room 
enough  in  the  country  for  each  nation  to  in- 
crease in  numbers,  if  it  were  only  politically 
free.  The  wretchedness  lies,  for  the  most  part, 
in  the  institutions  of  the  country.  The  govern- 
ment is  certainly  served  by  the  great  plurality  of 
the  population,  which  increases  the  income  of 
the  state  by  direct  and  indirect  taxes.  Whoever 
feels  no  patriotism  would  be  of  no  service  to  his 
country,  and  may  therefore  emigrate,  in  God's 
name." 

"  Certainly ;  as  to  that,  I  cannot  gainsay  you," 
observed  Mr.  Thomson. 

"  Did  you  not  tell  me,  lately,"  continued  the 
physician,  "  of  a  young  negro  who  would  not 
marry  his  black  sweetheart  until  he  had  pur- 
cliased  her  freedom  ?  he  would  not  increase  the 
number  of  his  master's  slaves  !" 

"  Certainly ;  the  young  woman  belonged  to  me, 
and  I  gave  her  her  marri;ige  portion." 

"  Bravo  !  Mr.  Thomson,  that  looks  like  you  ; 
I  must  thank  you  for  that,  myself,"  returned  the 
doctor.  "  I  renr.ember  at  least  ten  other  cases  of 
the  sort  here,  which  redound  to  the  honor  of  our 


mulacks.  But  do  you  not  find,  in  that,  the  direct 
reverse  of  what  I  affirm,  in  relation  to  the  levity 
of  the  whites  .'  It  is  a  crime  to  bring  slaves  into 
the  world,  from  convenience,  without  love; 
slaves  of  the  circumstances  under  which  they 
are  born.  If  not  exactly  bondmen,  they  often  be- 
come critninals." 

"  Certainly  !  I  understand  you,  now;  and  am 
entirely  of  your  opinion,"  alErmed  Mr  Thom- 
son, working  away  at  his  roast  beef. 

**  To  leave  an  oppressed  country,"  continued 
the  doctor, "  without  assisting  in  the  deliverance 
of  one's  fatherland,  to  wander  away  and  help  to 
increase  the  population  of  a  free  country,  to  en- 
joy the  freedom  for  which  a  former  generation 
shed  their  blood,  any  one  can  do,  and  I  find  noth- 
ing in  this,  either  meritorious  or  honorable ! 
Whoever  thus  leaves  his  nation  and  fatherland, 
from  selfishness,  to  promote  his  personal  happi- 
ness in  some  distant  portion  of  the  world,  is,  at 
least,  evidently,  an  egotist,  who  only  thinks  of 
himself,  and  recognises  no  duty  towards  his  na- 
tion.    That  is  my  view.     Can  you  gainsay  it.'" 

"  No  reasonable  man  could  ever  have  an  idea 
of  contradicting  you  in  that,"  observed  Mr. 
Thomson,"  for  your  principles  are  thoroughly 
patriotic,  British  principles,  as  we  have  mani- 
fested under  Chai-les  the  First." 

"  To  your  happy  betrothed,  within  a  year  and 
a  day,  Mr.  Thomson  !"  cried  the  l)aron,with  his 
glass  in  his  hand,  and  to  the  development  of  cor- 
pulence!" 

"  Thank  you,  baron  !"  returned  the  other,  "  I 
will  avail  myself  of  a  good  opportunity,  if  one 
offers  itself." 

"  An  officer  of  the  alfandega  entered  the  apart- 
ment, and  approached  the  Briton,  on  whom  his 
look  was  directed,  from  the  distance.  He  ad- 
dressed him  very  politely,  and  handed  him  a 
note:  "A  Swedish  brig,  from  Buenos  Ayres, 
consigned  to  you,  Senhor  Thomson  has  just  en- 
tered tlie  Franquia.*  There  are  passengers  of 
your  family  on  board,  a  young  Senhor  Walker 
and  his  sister." 

"Wh-a-t!"  cried  the  old  widower,  with  a 
glance  at  the  note  he  had  just  received;  "my 
nephew  and  niece  on  board  ?  on  board  the  Swe- 
dish brig  !  I  thank  you,  Senhor  Pedro  !  thank 
you!  Will  you  not  take  a  glass  of  wine.'  I  thank 
you  for  your  attention  !" 

"  I  was  on  board,  with  the  quarantine  boat, 
and  took  chai-ge  of  the  letter  bag,  and  the  young 
Senhor  desired  me  to  hand  you  this  note,  as  he 
was  told  that  I  was  personally  acquainted  with 
you." 

"  Are  there  no  other  passengers  on  board?" 
inquired  the  doctor. 

"  i  can  give  you  the  names,"  replied  the  oblig- 
ing custom  house  officer,  and  handed  a  card  to 
the  serious  man. 

"  Shall  we  go  out  Mr.  Thomson  .'"  whispered 
the  latter,  as  soon  as  he  had  cast  a  glance  at  the 
list  of  names. 

The  little  baron  burned  with  impatience  to 
read  the  list  likewise,  and  reached  out  his  dry 
fingers  towards  tlie  doctor. 

"This  instant  I  will  go  out!  this  instant!" 
answered  Mr.  Thomson.  "  I  shall  be  very  glad 
to  have  the  honor  of  your  company." 

"  I  should  like,  besides,  to  take  a  pleasure  ex- 

■  A  part  of  the  bay  of  Riou 


DOLORES 


153 


cursion  on  the  bay,  as  I  tjo  frequently,"  continu- 
ed the  doctor.  "  You  came  home  very  late,  last 
evening,"  said  he,  to  tlie  baron,  as  they  rose  from 
the  table.  "  If  I  am  not  mistaken,  you  galloped 
past  my  chacara  in  great  haste,  after  midiiight, 
from  the  Gloria.  I  recognised  you  by  your  spurs 
and  your  Chili  hat.  It  was  a  beautiful  moonlight 
night." 

The  baron  appeared,  for  the  moment,  a  little 
embarrassed,  swallowed  a  slice  of  anana,  cough- 
ed, and  at  length  replied  : 

"  Very  likely.  I  just  remember  that  I  had  been 
upon  the  Gloria,  to  enjoy  tlie  prospect  by  moon- 
light, and  found  it  so  lovely,  that  I  was  belated." 

"  F'eared  you  had  been  attacked,  for  shortly 
before  I  saw  you  a  shot  was  fired — a  very  heavy 
pistol  shot,  as  it  appeared,  or  a  buck  siiot.  The 
weapon  was  heavily  loaded." 

"  A  shot  ?  as  1  came  down  the  hill .'  I  did  not 
hear  a  shot.  I  was,  however,  very  much  ab- 
sorbed in  meditation." 

"  So  much  the  better  that  you  know  nothing 
of  the  shot ;  but  the  haste  with  which  you  passed 
my  garden  gave  me  a  certain  cunnexion  of  ideas, 
thank  God,  unfounded,  for  I  did  not  hoar  the 
shot  repeated 


"  A  long  Felouquc,*  with  an  awning  ar.J  a 
broad  government  (lag,  rowod  by  twelve  negroc3 
in  light  sailor's  dress,  with  straw  hats,  on  which 
fluttered  broad  black  ribands,  steered  towards  the 
brig.  It  was  tlie  gondola  of  the  guarda  mor, 
who  soon  mounted  (lie  quarterdeck,  attended  by 
a  subaltern  officer.  He  was  a  youn^  man,  of  a 
highly  respectable  family,  who  spoke  fluently 
five  languages,  and  was  not  unknown  as  a  satiri- 
cal poet  in  the  epigrammatic  style. 

The  appearance  of  this  man,  as  the  represen- 
tative of  a  nation,  on  board  of  an  arriving  vessel, 
had  in  it  something  peculiaidy  imposing. 

A  simple  blue  naval  uniform,  embroidered 
with  gold,  white  ])antaloons,  a  navil  hat,  and  a 
valuable  sword,  adorned  his  slender  fuure,  of  a 
middling  height.  His  sallfiw  countenaTice,  with 
dark  moustaches,  was  legibly  stamped  by  God's 
hand  with  the  impress  of  humanity. 

The  whole  appearance  of  this  man  was  evi- 
dently calculated  to  give  every  new  comer  the 
most  advantageous  idea  of  his  nation,  and  to 
infuse  unbounded  confidence  in  Brazilian  na- 
natinnal  character,  f 

He  took  possession  of  the  ship's  papers,  and 
list  of  passengers,  in  a  serious,  businesslike  man- 


Are  we  ready.  Dr.  Thorfin  .'"  whispered  the   ner,  cast  a  penetrating  glance  upon  the  several 


Englishman,  who  had  poured  out  a  couple  of' 
glasses  of  wine  for  the  custom  house  officer. 

"  I  am  at  your  service,"  replied  the  doctor. 
Both  took  a  courteous  leave  of  the  chevalier,  who 
now  scanned  over  the  passenger  list,  which, 
however,  the  custom  house  officer  demanded 
hastily,  as  he  required  it  in  his  duties. 


CHAPTER     III. 

PECULIAR    CIRCUMSTANCES. 

The  brig  Nordstjernan  had  reached  the  Fran- 
quia,  an  inlet  on  the  right  shore,  between  the 
fortresses  of  Santa  Cruz  and  Da  Vilhalcon,  also 
called  Do-Vilganhon,  which  latter  is  erected  on 
a  rocky  islet  in  the  middle  of  the  bay. 

Dolores  and  iier  frieniis  abandoned  themselves, 
from  the  first  ray  of  dawn,  to  a.stonishment  and 
admiration  of  nature.  The  gigantic  rocky  mas- 
ses of  the  nearest  coast  presented  the  ?ooear- 
ance  of  monuments  of  creation,  formed  I'rom 
chaos,  when  the  elements  were  separated  for  the 
formation  of  our  planet.  A  constant  succession 
of  amazing  natural  scenes  gradually  unfolded 
themselves  to  their  view,  in  the  interior  of  the 
bay,  like  a  panorama,  whose  several  parts  har- 
monized as  well  with  tlie  whole,  as  they  pro- 
duced a  harmonious  effect  upon  the  minds  of  the 
voyagers. 

Tile  Nordstjernan  lay  at  anchor.  The  shal- 
lops and  boats  of  the  authorities  came  out  to  her, 
according  to  the  established  regulations.  The 
quarantine  boat  had  already  returned  to  the  cily, 
as  we  have  learned  in  the  Hotel  Karoux,  and,  with 
greater  anxiety  than  perhaps  the  occasion  re- 
quired, Dolores  and  Alvarez  awaited  the  visit  of 
the  guarda  mor,  who  went  in  person  on  board 
of  every  newly  arrived  vessel,  to  take  possession 
of  the  ship's  papers  and  passports,  and  convince 
himself  of  thei'  accordance  with  the  passengers 
and  cargo. 

'20 


persons,  and,  among  the  rest,  upon  Miss  Fanny 
Walker  and  Mr.  Habakkuk  Daily,  and  exchanged 
a  friendly  word  with  the  captain,  and  this  and  that 
passenger.  He  commanded  the  flag  to  be  hoisted 
up  the  foremast,  prob  ibly  as  a  signal  thut  his 
duty  had  been  performed,  and  then  declared  that 
the  passengers  might  land  at  their  pleasure,  and 
left  the  vessel.  The  broad  national  flag  waved 
over  the  awning  of  the  long  gondola — the  twelve 
negroes  dipped  their  oars  in  regular  time  in  the 
mirrorlike  wave,  and  the  guarda  mor,  with  his 
subordinate,  swung  over  to  another  vessel,  which 
had  likewise  just  cast  anchor. 

With  a  less  burdening  heart,  Dolores  now  sat 
beside  Horatio,  and  observed,  with  a  wandering 
gaze,  now  one,  and  then  the  other,  of  the  land- 
scape groups  of  these  wonderful  environs  ;  but 
the  surrounding  forms  were  too  exuberantly  rich 
and  sublime  for  the  eye  to  embrace  a  single 
scene,  to  say  nothing  of  the  entire  panorama, 
in  case  the  immediate  situation  of  the  homeless 
exiles  had  allowed  them  leisure  to  give  them- 
selves up  to  enj'winent. 

The  sun  gradually  descended  towards  the 
western  horizon.  The  entire  rocky  mountains, 
the  Devil's  Flat,  the  Two  lirothers,  the  Corco- 
vado,  the  Gabia,  tile  Tijuca,  etc.,  at  whose  feet 
lay  the  city,  with  its  countless  forest  of  masts, 
glittered  in  the  reddish  purple  atmosphere, 
which,  notwithstanding  the  outlines  of  the  forma 
and  objects,  could  be  seen  through  with  Chinese 
distinctness.  Like  the  glance  of  a  volcano,  the 
sun  d-irted  upwards,  behind  the  pointed  forms 
of  the  rocivy  tops,  while  the  white  walls  of  all  the 

*  Gan tola.  " 

t  He  was  incorriiptibly  strict  against  the  illegal  im* 
portation  of  negi'o  staves,  ami  insisted  upon  tlie  enlbrce. 
ment  of  tlielaw.  His  |)u^ltiOll  but  too  frcqiiendy  olferuj 
him  opport unities  of  ybsurv  nig  tUe  system  of  ihe  govern- 
ment, by  which  Brazil  was  evidently  becoming  diplo. 
maticaliy  ruined;  whei-efoi-e,  his  secession  to  the  leaguo 
otthe  Faroupilhas  muy  more  readily  be  e.xplaiiied.  On 
a  line  Sunday  morning,  in  June,  IS4-2,  bis  house,  in  the 
Rua  Direita,  was  catered  by  pemianentos;  but  they  did 
not  find  bim  he  had  escaped.  A  noble  Briton  bad  ortered 
him  an  asylum,  and  kept  liim  concealed  in  his  bouse  lor 
months,  while  they  were  louiving  for  Kim  at  a  dijiaiico 


154 


DOLORES. 


buildinjs  of  the  city  anci  ifs  environs,  and  the 
sails  of  tlie  vesst^ls,  ri-llecteJ  a  rosy  hue,  and 
were  min-orail  in  tho  azure  blue  of  the  b.iv. 
Countless  ^onilyl-is  and  barks,  whose  colored 
crews  bore  the  appear .iiice  of  neatness  and  clean- 
liness, in  their  light  clothiji^,  glided  past  in  the 
fore,'roirid,  and  "were  lost  behind  tiie  1  ir^er 
vessels,  whose  motion  averted  the  tbou,'lit  that 
the  whole  was  a  wonderful  picture  andlio  real- 
ity, since  the  latter  was  hardly  able  to  present 
sucli  a  panorama  in  any  country  in  the  world. 

The  passe. liters,  by  de^'rees,  prepared  them- 
selves to  maUe  use  of  the  permission  of  tije 
guarda  mor  to  leave  the  bris;,  in  which  they 
had  encountered  many  dangers,  and  whiled  awa'v 
many  an  hour  in  cordial  inlorcourse. 

Dr.  iMerbold  approached  the  Russian  ex-naval 
officer,  with  German  good  humor,  and  endea- 
vored, in  (he  best  way  he  could,  to  apologize  for 
his  peevish  ebullition,  in  relation  to  the  fugi- 
tive, Alvarez,  on  tlie  La  Plata  river. 

He  explained  that  his  ill  humor,  in  that  case, 
was  to  be  attributed  to  an  attack  of  seasickness, 
and,  "like  all  otlier  mental  emotions,"  originated 
in  reasons  of  the  stomach.  He  gave  the  assurance 
that  he  was  very  liberal,  and  not  at  all  behind 
the  crown  prince  of  Prussia,  in  that  respect,  with 
whose  reign  a  new  Aurora  was  to  dawn  upon 
the  lauded  land  of  the  German  Confederacy,  and 
Prussia  (if  not  all  (lermany)  would  become  the 
most  free  country  upon  God's  earth.  "  1  assure 
you,"  added  he,  eloquently,  "  when  the  crown 
prince  of  Prussia  a.ssumes  the  government,  we 
shall  experience  a  new  epoch  in  the  history  of 
the  world,  for  his  royal  highness  invented  the 
powder  with  which  his  royal  highness  will  blow 
all  difficulties  into  the  air,  which  have,  until 
now,  stood  opposed  to  the  union,  in  a  legal  man- 
ner, (of  course,)  of  Germany,  as  required  by  the 
spirit  of  the  times.  I  can  assure  you,  he  is  the 
very  genius  of  liberalism  !  The  only  thing  that 
I  fear,  is  that  he  may  be  too  liberal  for  the  Ger- 
man people  ;  that  would  be  bad,  indeed  !  You 
will  find  this  to  be  the  case,  and  hereafter  vou 
will  think  of  me  !  And  if  you  should  happ'en, 
in  your  travels,  to  discover  a  species  of  beetle 
which  has,  as  yet,  remained  unknown,  you  would 
eternally  oblige  me,  if  you  would  send  one  or 
two  well  prepared  specimens,  addressed  to  ine, 
Dr.  Merbold,  and  directed  to  some  of  the  Prussian 
consuls.  I  would  be,  as  1  said,  eternally  obliged 
to  you." 

Hinango  promised  that  he  would  think  of  him, 
and  li.LS  luobahly  kept  his  word,  even  if  he  could 
not  succeed  in  discovering  a  new  species  ol 
beet!  ■,  except  the  gi-eat  crowd  of  tame  "  Krench 
haters,"  of  various  natures,  who,  on  the  acces- 
sion of  r'rederick  William  the  Third,  crawled  and 
buzzed  about,  in  Prussia  and  the  whole  of  Ger- 
many, and  hummed  the  so  called  "  Rhine  song." 
The  captain  had  his  shallop  got  ready  to  go  on 
shore  in  the  evening,  to  report  himself  at  the 
bureau  of  the  house  to  which  he  was  consigned  ; 
but  especially  to  place  Seiiora  Dolores  and  Mr. 
Robert  Walker  on  "  terra  firma,"  in  case  the 
officer  of  the  alfandega  had  not  met  with  the  old 
uncle.  He  ottered  the  same  opportunity  to  the 
other  passengers,  and  all  set  themselves  in  mo- 
tion to  pack  their  carpet  b,igs,  since  the  other 
baggage  was  to  be  left  on  board,  to  pass  the  in- 
spection of  the  alfandega. 

It  was  not  long  belore  the  mate  discovered  a 


felouque  making  for  the  brig;  and  Mr.  Robert 
Walker  recognised,  by  means  of  tlie  telescope, 
his  old  uncle,  whom  he  had  seen  in  Buenos 
.\yres  some  years  before. 

"  That  is  uncle  George  !  and,  as  it  seems,  hale 
and  hearty  !"  said  he  to  his  sister  Fanny,  who 
now  felt,  more  than  before,  the  oppressiveness  of 
her  situation,  in  being  compelled  to  seek  an  asy- 
lum and  receive  hospitality  in  a  strange  family, 
of  a  strange  nation,  with  foreign  customs  and 
foreign  prejudices. 

Notwithstanding  the  alleviation  of  her  spirit, 
and  all  tlie  decision  of  her  intellectual  character, 
she  felt  the  painful  restrictions  whicli  she,  as  a 
female,  was  subjected  to  by  the  regulations  of 
the  social  world,  which  concede  to  a  man  the 
privilege  of  standing  independently,  while  many 
men  have  less  of  moral  independence  than  wo- 
men. Dolores  felt  tlie  contradiction,  and  even 
the  ridiculousness,  of  the  social  idea  of  wishing  to 
protect  a  female  by  contesting  her  right  to  pro- 
tect herself,  which  many  women  are  often  better 
able  to  do  than  the  men  who  deny  all  moral 
independence.* 

The  felouque  approached,  and  Hinango  disco- 
vered, with  old  Mr.  Thomson,  one  of  his  friends, 
whom  we  have  previously  noticed  in  the  Hotr-1 
Faroux.  Dr.  Thorfin  was,  by  birth,  a  Norwe- 
gian, who  had  practised  as  a  physician  in  Odessa 
and  Moscow,  and  was  afterwards  in  the  Russian 
navy,  where  he  lived  for  some  years,  on  board 
the  same  frigate  with  Hinango. 

His  ill  health  had  served  him  as  a  pretext  to 
his  dismissal,  in  order  to  save  himself  from 
transportation  to  Siberia,  as,  on  the  other  hand,  it 
induced  him  to  take  up  his  residence  in  the  be- 
neficent and  wholesome  climate  of  Guenabara.f 
He  lived  quiet  and  retired,  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Rio,  absorbed  in  the  serious  stuily  of  natural 
science,  without  exactly  turning  away  the  sick, 
who  sometimes  made  demands  on  his  experi- 
ence as  a  physician. 

Robert  Walker  consulted  with  Dolores,  if  it 
would  not  be  better  for  her  to  remain  in  her 
cabin,  until  he  handed  his  father's  letter  to  liis 
uncle,  and  explained  the  existing  circumstances. 
Tlie  unhappy  one,  who  had  taken  leave  of 
her  beloved,  at  the  foot  of  his  scaflbld,  with  so 
much  strength  of  mind,  now  trembled  before  the 
entrance  into  relations,  the  elements  of  which 
were  as  distant  to  her  as  she  was  strange  to  the 
world  which  she  was  now  approacliing. 

Sighing  deeply,  she  gave  her  consent  to  all 
the  measures  which  the  confidant  of  her  child- 
hood thought  pro|)er  to  take  for  her,  and  with- 
drew from  the  quarterdeck. 

"  Halloo,  Bob,  my  boy!  halloo!  How  d've  do  .' 
Welcome  to  Rio  !  Whore's  Miss  Fanny .'  not 
seasick  yet.'"  cried  Mr.  Thomson,  from  the 
felouque. 

"  She  is  below,  getting  ready  to  go  on  shore," 
returned  Hob. 

"  How  you  have  grown  Robert!  you  are  fit  for 
the  London  grenadier  guard  !  you  have  become 
a  fine  young  man,  Bob  !  but  you  ought  not  to 
know  that  I" 

Old  Mr.  Thomson  scrambled  up  the  ladder, 

•  The  situation  and  circumstance!  in  whicli  we  here 
beholJ  Dulorei,  are  partly  strange  and  unknown  iu 
Norlli  Araei'ica,  where  women  enjoy  a  greater  degree  of 
social  indej»endencc  than  in  any  other  country, 

t  The  original  name  ol  the  jirovince  of  Rio  de  Janeiro 


DOLORES. 


155 


and  soon  stood,  with  Dr.  Thorfin,  on  the  gang- 
Way.  A  short,  British,  mutual  introduction  en- 
sued. Hinango  embraced  his  friend  from  the 
far  north,  and  stepped  aside  with  him,  while 
Robert  seized  the  arm  of  his  uncle  and  led  him 
to  a  bench  on  the  quarterdeck. 

"  Here  my  dear  uncle,  in  the  first  place,  is  a 
letter  from  my  father,  with  a  thousand  verbal 
greetings.  Read  it,  if  you  please.  I  will  run  down 
to  Fanny,  in  the  meanwhile,  and  tell  her  you 
are  here." 

"  Thank  you ;  but  first  get  me  a  little  fire  for 
my  cigar,  which  has  gone  out." 

Robert  gave  the  recjuisite  order  to  the  long 
Ottar,  and  hastily  withdrew,  that  he  might  not 
be  besieged  with  questions,  before  the  old  man 
had  read  the  clear  statement  of  circumstances  in 
the  letter.  The  latter  was  soon  absorbed  in  read- 
ing, and  his  broad,  good-humored,  jovial  coun- 
tenance, offered  a  different  expression  at  almost 
every  line.  First  he  drew  his  forehead  into  deep 
wrinkles ;  then  he  raised  his  eyebrows  to  the 
utmost  height,  and,  at  a  particular  place,  cried 
out,  "five  thousand  pesos  upon  her  head,  to  who- 
ever delivers  her  alive !"  He  then  hurried  on 
to  the  end  of  the  third  page,  hastily  sprang  up, 
and  exclaimed  :  "  Bob  !  Bob  !  its  all  right !  you 
are  welcome,  with  your  sister  !  Ask  Miss  Fanny 
to  come  on  deck ;  or  perhaps  I  had  better  step 
down !" 

^  Bob,  who  had  waited  with  peculiar  anxiety,  at 
the  door  of  Dolores'  cabin,  now  beckoned  her  to 
follow  him,  and  appeared  with  her,  upon  the 
quarterdeck,  before  his  uncle. 

"  Heigho  !"  muttered  the  old  widower  to  him- 
self, as  the  majestic  figure  from  La  Plata  came 
before  him,  "  there  is  a  tendency  ;  there  is  a  ten- 
dency to  corpulence  !  that  suits  me  right  well ! 
Thank  you,  brother  John !  you  have  executed 
my  commission,  well!" 

With  all  the  embarrassment  of  a  female,  in  a 
strange  country,  exiled  and  condemned  to  a  pain- 
ful incognito,  Dolores  approached  her  future 
protector,  whose  exterior  had  in  it  nothing  that 
was  repulsive,  if,  on  the  other  hand,  it  had  no 
particular  attraction  for  her. 

Like  a  chamberlain  in  Buckingham  Palace,  at 
the  appearance  of  Queen  Victoria,  only  bowing 
less  profoundly,  Mr.  Thomson  stepped  up  to 
the  young  lady,  held  out  his  hand  to  her,  and 
said,  in  a  carefully  measured  tone  : 

"  Miss  Fanny  !  as  such,  I  have  the  honor  to 
greet  you.  Receive  the  assurance,  that  Mr. 
Walker  has  afl'orded  me  a  high  gratification,  to 
receive  you  as  my  niece,  and,  as  such,  I  shall  be 
happy  to  receive  you^that  is,  my  sister.  Miss 
Thomson,  will ;  she  is  already  informed  of  your 
arrival." 

Dolores  expressed  her  thanks  for  his  sympa- 
thy, and  assured  him,  in  a  voice  full  of  emotion, 
that  she  should  greatly  regret,  if  her  visit  should 
be  in  the  least  troublesome  to  him  or  his  sister. 
Whereupon  the  old  widower  interrupted  her 
with  protestations  to  the  contrary,  and,  stepping 
backvyard  a  few  paces,  evidently  contemplated 
his  niece,  from  "  top  to  toe,"  with  increasing 
satisfaction. 

"  Do  you  think,  then,  my  dear  uncle,"  in- 
quired Robert,  "  that  Aunt  Susan  will  keep  the 
secret .'" 

"  Aunt  Susan  .'  Miss  Thomson  keep  the  se- 
cret !"  returned  the  old  gentleman,     "  She  must 


keep  it !  she  shall  be  silent ! — or — or  I  will  show 
her  that  I  am  master  of  the  house  !" 

"  I  have  no  doubt  of  that,  dear  uncle.  But  if 
she  should  not  be  silent — if  slie  should  let  out 
something,  then  it  would  be  too  late ;  even  your 
anger— your  just  anger,  my  dear  uncle,  would 
do  no  good  then  !" 

"  I  will  rather  make  short  work  !"  cried  Mr. 
Thomson.  "  Miss  Susan  is  very  anxious  to  be 
mijrried — she  is  in  love  with  a  German  baron ; 
she  may  take  him,  or  rather  he  may  take  her, 
and  I  will  get  a  housekeeper,  right  away,  and  be 
alone — that  will  be  best." 

Without  wishing  to  operate  in  the  least  against 
his  aunt's  desire  for  matrimony,  Robert  instantly 
made  the  very  just  remark,  that  lier  removal 
from  his  uncle's  house  would  throw  difficulties 
in  the  way  of  the  young  lady's  reception. 

"Difticulties!  what  difliculties  ?"  inquired  Mr. 
Thomson.    "  I  do  not  see  any  !" 

"  Excuse  me,  my  dear  uncle !"  replied  Ro- 
bert, in  very  low  tone,  "  if  Senora  Dolores  might 
live  alone  with  my  housekeeper,  it  would  be 
altogether  more  suitable  that  Aunt  Susan  should 
know  nothing  at  all  about  her  arrival ;  and 
she " 

"  But  she  knows  it  already — she  already 
knows,  that  Miss  Fanny  is  here  !  I  sent  a  negro, 
from  the  Hotel  Faroux,  to  my  house  at  Bot* 
Fogo,  to  inform  her,  and  to  order  my  carriage  to 
be  sent  to  the  hotel.  Miss  Susan  knows  it 
already." 

"  Very  well,  then,  my  dear  uncle  !  Aunt  Su- 
san expects  Miss  Fanny ;  could  we  not  tell  her 
it  was  a  misunderstanding  ?  that  you  misunder- 
stood the  officer  from  the  alfandega  ?  that  I  only 
had  come .'  We  could  then,  of  course,  immedi- 
ately engage  a  country  house  for  Senora  Dolores, 
and  a  trusty  housekeeper." 

"  That  will  not  do  !  that  will  not  do  ! !  Ro- 
bert," cried  Mr.  Thomson,  like  a  pilot  in  a 
storm.  "  That  is  contrary  to  custom  !  that  v/ould 
never  do  ! !" 

"Excuse me,  then,  my  dearuncle,but  it  would 
answer  still  worse  for  the  Senora  to  live  alone 
with  you,  with  a  housekeeper." 

Mr.  Thomson  sighed,  and  bit  oflT  a  piece  of  his 
cigar.  "  Hem  !  you  are  quite  right,  Robert ! 
you  are  quite  right !  the  stupid,  miserable  preju- 
dices !  I  see  it  all ;  it  will  not  do  !  and  nothing 
remains  for  us,  but  to  oblige  Miss  Susan  to  hold 
her  tongue." 

"  Alas !  there  appears  to  be  no  alternative," 
observed  Robert.  "  if  she  has  still  such  a  temper 
as  at  Buenos  Ayres,  where  she  wouki  not  once 
permit  me  to  play  the  forte  piano,  for " 

"Yes,  alas!  alas!"  sighed  Mr.  Thomson, 
"  that's  it !  there's  the  trouble  !  she  becomes 
more  insupportable  every  year.  Nevertheless," 
said  he,  suddenly  interrupting  himself,  for  he  felt 
that  he  had  already  said  too  much  in  tlie  presence 
of  the  newly  arrived  stranger,  "  nevertheless, 
that  is  nothing  to  the  purpose  !  I  am  master  of 

my  house,  and Miss  Fanny,  may  I   oflijr  you 

my  arm .'  Will  you  be  so  good  as  to  hold  yourself 
in  readiness  ?  We  shall  meet  my  carriage  at  the 
landing  place." 

Dolores  withdrew,  to  give  her  attendants  the 
necessary  orders,  and  to  complete  her  toilet  for 
the  voyage. 

'  Damn  !"  muttered  the  old'widower  to  him- 
self, as  he  looked  after  her  with  sparkling  ey 


156 


DOLORES. 


'  Damn  !  there's  a  tendency  !  there's  a  tenden 
c\  '.  my  word  for  it." 

"  Oh,  yes,  my  dear  uncle  !  I  assure  you  Senora 
Dolores  possesses  a  poetic^il  tendency,  one  of  tlie 

most  distin;^uished  ! '' 

Mr.  Thomson  found  that  he  had  muttered  a 
little  too  loud,  and  immediately  recollecting  him- 
self, he  added  : 

"  iVIore  than  a  tendency,  there  appears  already 
a  bloomin;  development!  She  must  produce 
admirable  works.  She  must  be  a  poetess  of  the 
lirst  class,  to  have  such  a  price  set  upon  her 
bead  !  Five  thousand  pesos  make  a  thousand 
pounds  sterliiig — the  e.vcliaiige  is  trifling;  cer- 
tainly the  danger  is  gre.it,  because  tlie  tempta- 
tion IS  great,  and  we  must  be  pruilent." 

Hinango  remained  in  the  middle  of  tlie  vessel, 
in  eai-nest  conversation  with  Dr.  Thorfin,  while 
this  introduction  of  the  lady  took  place. 

"  Your  position  is  discovered,"  continued  the 
doctor,  "  and  few  of  your  former  acquaintance 
will  speak  to  you,  if  they  meet  you.  The  fear  of 
compromising  themselves  will  naturally  remove 
all  those  people  from  you,  who  formerly  sought 
your  society.  You  were  an  object  of  curiosity 
to  many,  in  consequence  of  your  resignation  in 
Russia  and  the  fate  that  followed  it.  Now  you 
are  an  object  of  dread  to  your  former  friends  ; 
they  will  fly  from  you  as  from  the  cliolera." 

"  That  is  all  not  new  to  me,  my  dear  Thorfin," 
rejoined  Hinango  ;  "  it  is  only  a  tragical  re-edi- 
tion of  my  situation  and  circumstances  in  Eu- 
rope. I  know  the  world,  and  do  not,  therefore, 
hate  or  despise  the  men  who  comply  with  its 
regulations,  and  withdraw  themselves  from  me, 
because  the  circumstances  in  which  they  are 
placed  require  it.  But  nothing  is  more  sacred 
to  me,  than  the  silent  respect  of  noble  men,  who, 
even  though  controlled  by  the  power  of  circum- 
stances, acknowledge  and  honor  the  man  in  me  !" 
"  There  are  letters  for  you  i'rom  London,  un- 
der cover  to  Falter  and  Vernon,  but  open 

they  lie  open  in  the  envelope ;  and  the  docu- 
ments in  the  letters  also  unsealed. 

"  Why  !"  exclaimed  Hinango,  "  the  docu- 
ments opened,  too  !     You  are  joking !" 

"  Mr.  Vernon  sent  for  me,  and  showed  me  the 
packet  of  letters  :  and  you  may  be  satisfied  that 
the  letters  to  you  were  opened  ;  where,  and  by 
whom,  cannot  be  known.  No  suspicion  rests 
upon  t'alter  and  Vernon,  for  we  know  them  suf- 
ficieiLtly  well.  But  the  letters  arrived  by  the 
English  mail,  and  are  dated  at  London.  Could 
they  have  been  opened  in  England  .'" 

"  Opened,  and  not  sealed  again,  do  you  say  .' 
Perhaps,  this  may  have  occurred  through  care- 
lessness .'" 

"  You  may  soon  convince  yourself  of  the  fact, 
mysterious  as  it  is.  There  is,  besides,  a  fellow 
here  wlio  has  got  track  of  you,  and,  among 
others,  has  inti'uded  himself  upon  Fitz — since  he 
seems  to  know  that  you  were  friends  in  youth." 
"  A  spy,  then  !  probably  a  fellow  who  does  a 
commissiiMi  business  for  several  princely  houses, 
as  we  have  already  known  such  creatures." 

"  It  appears  so ;  I  even  suspect  that  he  does 
business  for  Rosas,  for  he  sneaks  around  here, 
ahiongst  the  Argentine  fugitives ;  and  probably 
tlii'j  government  also  gives  him  commissions, 
for  he  hjs  admittance  to  some  ministers  of  the 
carauiuro  party." 

"  Vthit  is  the  fellow's  name :" 


"He  calls  himself  the  Baron  de  Spanihiu 
Where  he  came  from,  I  do  not  know.  Accord 
ing  to  his  dialect,  he  is  a  Prussian." 

"  And  the  documents  are  probably  litho- 
graphic circulars  ?"  asked  Hinango,  interrupting 
himself. 

"  Cinder  the  former  title,  certainly ;  but,  very 
naturally,  they  can  compromise  no  one  besides 
you ;  you  only  are  br.uided  ;  because  it  is  en- 
tirely impossible  to  discover  any  one  of  the 
names,  for  no  one  knows  the  book  that  serves 
you  as  a  key." 

"  Vt-ry  well !  then  through  me  no  one  wilj 
be  easily  compromised ;  and,  as  concerns  my- 
self, 1  have,  long  since,  had  no  other  object  in 
life  than  to  labor  tor  the  cause  of  the  people,  s9 
far  as  1  am  able,"  replied  Hinango. 

Mr.  George  Thomson  just  then  led  his  niece 
to  the  gangway,  accompanied  by  Robert,  who 
was  followed  by  Achilles  and  Corinna. 

This  was,  of  course,  the  moment  in  which  Do- 
lores must  take  leave  of  her  travelling  compan- 
ions, Horatio,  Hinango,  and  Alvarez.  A  wide 
chasm  of  convenance  :xnd  etiquette,  vvhose  steep 
sides,  grown  up  with  all  the  thorny  bushes, 
thistle  growth,  and  belladonna  of  social  regula- 
tions and  prejudices,  must  henceforth  separate 
the  young  lady  from  social  intercourse  with  the 
men  to  whose  spirits  hers  was  so  nearly  allied, 
and  who  had  become  so  precious  to  her  heart. 
The  perception  of  this  reality  appeared  sud. 
denly  to  awaken,  in  ail  its  painfulness ;  her 
countenance  lost  the  last  trace  of  color,  a  tear 
dimmed  her  eye,  and  she  seized  the  hand  of  Ho- 
ratio, who  waited  by  the  steps  with  Alvarez  and 
the  two  Scandinavians. 

"  Seiior  Hinango,"  said  she,  and  laid  the 
hand  of  the  youth  in  his,  "  if  1  have  a  right  to 
your  friendship,  to  your  sympathy,  and  your  re- 
membrance, then  take  charge  of  our  Horatio,  or 
at  least  assist  him  to  find  a  place  of  rest,  some- 
where here  in  Rio." 

Hinango  replied  to  this  honoring  request,  with 
all  the  force  of  his  peculiarly  heartfelt  lan- 
gu.ige,  while  Mr.  Thomson  threw  a  criticising 
glance  upon  the  "  foreigner,"  who,  as  it  ap- 
peared, possessed,  in  such  a  high  degree,  the 
confidence  of  his  niece. 

Robert  informed  himself  of  tlie  hotel  where 
Hinango  would  stop,  and  Dolores  painfully  felt 
the  difficulties  of  her  s. (nation,  which  did  not 
permit  her  to  invite  eithei  Horatio  or  Hinango 
to  visit  her,  since  she,  as  a  young  unmarried 
lady,  had  no  "  Self" 

She  had,  through  the  regulations  of  the  social 
world,  no  independent  existence,  but  was  only  a 
being,  who  must  become  by  contract  the  lawful 
property  of  a  man,  b.-lbre  she  could  invite  a 
man,  as  the  "  friend  of  her  husbLuul,"  to  visit  her, 
inasmuch  as  this  "  self  had  then  become  "  plu- 
ral," in  which  the  "  singular"  of  female  indi- 
viduality was  merged. 

Nothing  can  more  strongly  designate  female 
nullity,  in  the  soci;J  world,  than  the  present  sit- 
uation of  Dolores  in  contrast  with  licr  intellectual 
elevation.  A  being,  whose  inspired  words  were 
able  to  arouse  the  might  of  a  whole  people,  and 
shake  the  throne,  or  divan,  or  chair  of  a  tyrant, 
could  not,  without  the  guard  of  some  governess 
or  another,  dictate  a  poem  to  a  friend,  read  a 
literary  work  with  him,  or  consult  with  him 
uuon  the  most  sacred  concerns  of  humanity. 


j 


DOLORES. 


187 


Why  not .'  Because  this  being  has  the  misfor- 
(ttne  to  be  a  woman'. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  pretensions  of  the  most 
Unintcllectu:il  man  might  require  such  a  woman 
to  give  "  herself  to  him,"  fo  enable  her,  tliereliy, 
to  obtain  the  right  to  bear  his  name,  or  to  pur- 
chase a  new  hat,  or  a  new  shawl,  on  his  account, 
(which,  however,  must  not  be  too  dear,)  and 
(;ive  the  invitation  to  some  acquaintance  to 
"  be  90  good  as  fo  come  and  see  Us."  If  these 
and  similar  regu)ations  are  more  or  less  strictly 
recognised  by  the  whole  civilized  world,  it 
would  be  Well  worthy  of  philosophical  contem- 
plation, to  esamine  upon  what  basis  such  so 
called  social  laws  are  founded.  What  was 
feared,  when  such  laws  were  created.'  Immo- 
rality .'  In  that  case,  such  mistrust  involves  a 
coarse  insult  to  the  female  sex,  by  a  doubt  of 
their  dig.;ity  and  honor.  Or  was  a  forcible  at- 
tack, an  asi»ault,  upon  honor,  virtue  and  inno- 
cence ajiprehended  .'  Then,  indeed,  were  the  in- 
sult not  less  against  the  male  sex.  These  laws 
would  appear  to  indicate,  by  their  necessity, 
the  low  degree  of  the  morality  of  the  so  called 
educated  classes,  for  whom  they  were  especially 
created. 

In  the  very  distrust,  in  the  doubt  of  morality, 
lies  an  evidence  of  the  prevailing  immorality  of 
those  who  maintain  such  regulations,  since  they 
judge  others  according  to  themselves,  and  deny 
all  moral  dignity,  in  even  the  noblest  beings  of 
both  sexes.  Even  the  thought  of  abusing  per- 
sonal and  moral  freedom  lies  far  remote  from  the 
moral  dignity,  which  carries,  within  itself,  the 
means  and  weapons  to  guard  itself. 

Robert  appeared  involuntarily  absorbed,  in 
deep  reflection,  upon  the  situation  of  Dolores. 
He  was  urged,  by  a  silent  congenial  feeling,  to 
beg  his  uncle  to  extend  an  invitation  to  the  two 
friends  of  his  playmate  of  La  Plata — ^to  open  to 
them  his  hospitable  house.  But  the  words  died 
on  his  lips,  and  he  deferred  his  intimation  to  the 
future,  and  took  leave  of  both,  with  the  re- 
mark, that  he  should  soon  take  the  liberty  of 
calling  on  them.  He  then  stepped  into  the 
felouque,  with  Dolores  and  his  uncle,  while  the 
captain,  with  his  other  passengers,  took  their 
places  in  the  shallop,  and  both  vessels  steered 
towards  the  landing  places  of  Rio  de  Janeiro. 


CHAPTER    IV. 


Theke  are  hours,  in  the  development  of  the 
inward  life  and  character  of  a  youth,  in  which 
he  involuntarily,  as  it  were,  attains  a  conscious- 
ness of  his  powers,  and  becomes  a  man  at  once. 

The  same  youth  Who,  seventeen  days  before, 
when  just  on  the  point  of  stepping  over  the 
threshold  of  his  paternal  home,  to  go  into  the 
world,  sat  trimming  his  finger  nails  in  his  father's 
cabinet  at  Buenos  Ayres,  now  sat,  with  Do- 
lores and  his  uncle,  in  the  Brazilian  shallop,  and 
surveyed,  with  a  single  glance  of  the  mind,  the 
present  and  the  future,  of  a  being  who  required 
a  protector  from  oppression  and  danger 


Robert,  who  had  grown  up  from  boyhood  with 
Dolores,  had  first  recognised  her  mental  worth 
when  the  consequences  of  her  sublime  poetic 
cflhrts  had  resulted  in  the  necessity  of  her  llight. 
What  long  years  of  social  intercourse  had  no? 
revealed  to  him,  had  become  suddenly  evident 
since  he  saw  her  in  such  danger,  and  especially 
since  he  had  become  more  and  more  acijuainted 
with  her  inward  nature,  which  had  unfolded 
itself  to  Hinango's  kindred  spirit  in  so  many  in- 
terviews and  communications,  to  which  he,  as 
well  as  Horatio,  had  been  a  listener. 

The  transparent  purity  of  his  youthful  heart 
evinced  itself,  in  the  clear  perception  of  hia 
friend's  situation  He  belield  now,  in  the  play- 
fellow of  his  sister,  the  persecuted  poetess  from 
La  Plata,  whose  fate  v/as  to  be  placed  at  the  mer- 
cy of  a  female,  his  aunt,  who,  "  conceived  and 
born  in  dullness,"  and  brought  up  in  prejudice 
and  heartlessness,  was  a  burthen  to  herself  and 
others.  He  suddenly  recurred  to  what  Barigaldi 
had  revealed  to  them,  in  relation  to  the  suspi- 
cions of  the  secret  police  and  his  father's  pre- 
sence of  mind,  which  appeared  to  have  succeeded 
in  making  the  flight  pass  for  an  abduction,  and 
in  averting  from  Dolores  the  suspicion  of  being 
in  realitythe  authoress  of  the  Elegies. 

Perezoso,  the  only  one  who  was  convinced  of 
this  fact,  had  disappeared,  and  cari'ied  his  secret 
with  him  into  a  watery  grave. 

After  sitting  self-absorbed  for  some  moments, 
unobservant  of  the  strange  and  imposing  appear- 
ances around  him,  he  said,  at  length,  to  his  uncle 
and  Dolores ; 

"  Permit  me  to  explain  to  you  my  views,  and 
the  ways  and  means  which  I  find  desirable  for 
your  safety.  JMy  aunt  ought,  in  no  case,  to  know 
in  what  danger  you  are  placed.  Far  be  it  from 
me  to  doubt  her  character,  or  to  expect  that  she 
may,  in  an  ebullition  of  ill  humor,  become  in- 
tentionally prejudicial  to  you — far  from  ;t ;  I  d.o 
not  think  of  such  a  thing.  But,  so  far  as  I  know 
my  aunt,  you  are  as  remote  and  different  from 
each  other,  as  two  women  on  earth  can  possibly 
be.  The  very  mental  qualities  in  you,  which 
should  bespeak  her  protection,  \iouid  call  forth 
her  decided  antipathy." 

"  Bob,  my  boy  !"  said  his  uncle,  "you  speak 
like  a  man  of  experience  and  knowledge  of 
mankind  !  say  on  !" 

"  My  father  has  declared  to  the  authorities,  in 
Buenos  Ayres,  that  I  have  run  away  with  you, 
and  that  you  are  any  thing  but  a  poetess." 

"  What?  what.'"  cried  Mr.  Thomson,  "  run 
away  ?  run  nway  ?" 

'  Until  now,"  continued  Eobert,  "the  authori- 
ties have  in  their  hands  no  evidence  of  the  con- 
trary. Aunt  Susan  is  expecting  my  sister,  and 
you  appear.  As  a  fugitive,  as  a  persecuted  po- 
etess, she  would  hardly  receive  you ;  and  even 
were  she  to  do  so,  it  would  soon  become  known 
here  that  you  are  the  authoress  of  the  Elegies.  In 
short.  Aunt  Susan  is  Aunt  Susan,  and  cannot 
hold  her  tongue  !  I  therefore  propose  to  conceal 
from  her,  altogether,  tlio  true  cause  of  your  de- 
parture, and  follow  exactly  the  path  which  my 
father  has  broken  in  Buenos  Ayres,  by  telling 
her  that  1  have  carried  you  off — that  you  are  my 
betrothed." 

Mr.  Thomson  suddenly  made  a  grimace,  like  a 
pug  dog  to  whom  a  piece  of  cake  is  held  out 
and  then  quickly  drawn  away  again. 


158 


DOLORES. 


"  As  your  betrothed  !"  cried  he,  and  forgot  to 
close  his  lips  again.  Two  cases  presented  them- 
selves to  him,  lil<e  a  landscape  revealed  by  light- 
ning in  a  dark  night:  the  possibility  that  a  se- 
cret understanding  already  existed  between  his 
nephew  and  his  "  niece;"  or  else  that  such  a 
thing  might  come  to  pass  ;  and,  in  the  latter  case, 
it  appeared  to  him  dangerous  "  to  paint  the  devil 
on  the  wall,"  to  proclaim  a  connexion  which 
might  make  a  bad  stroke  through  his  reckoning, 
especially  as  Seiiora  Dolores  had,  in  his  eyes,  an 
admirable  tendency  to  corpulency,  and  in  con- 
sequence of  a  former  commission  to  his  brother- 
in-law  on  the  La  Plata  river,  he  had  already  laid 
out  his  plan. 

"  But  then  you  cannot  live  with  us,  Robert!" 
cried  he,  as  quickly  and  loudly  as  before. 

"  It  is  all  the  same,"  said  Robert;  "  I  will  glad- 
ly renounce  a  daily  intercourse  with  Senora  Do- 
lores, and  will  live  wherever  you  think  best,  if  I 
can  only  thereby  avert  from  our  friend  the  sus- 
picion of  her  being  the  authoress  of  the  Elegies, 
and  promote  her  personal  safety." 

"  Thank  you,  dear,  noble  Robert !"  exclaimed 
Dolores,  seizing  his  hand,  which  Mr.  Thomson 
found  very  confiding,  and  not  exactly  necessary ; 
"  1  thank  you  for  your  sympathy  and  forethought, 
and  recognise  therein  the  brother  of  my  friend 
Fanny." 

"  1  think  so  too,"  interrupted  the  old  widower, 
who  had  no  objection  whatever  to  Dolores'  con- 
sidering his  nephew  as  the  brother  of  his  niece, 
though  not  as  her  betrothed,  either  in  jest  or 
earnest.  "  That  is  my  opinion  !  Robert  and 
Fanny  have  one  heart,  one  and  the  same  heart 
exactly,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  Robert  will 
retain  his  '" 

Without  understanding  the  double  meaning 
which  the  good  uncle  evidently,  very  slily,  and 
really  ingeniously  attached  to  these  words,  Do- 
lores assented  to  the  congeniality  and  nobleness 
of  heart  of  her  two  friends,  and  the  old  widower 
continued: 

"  1  confess,  Robert,  that  you  see  with  a  sharp 
glance  into  tjie  position  of  things.  I  even  doubt 
whether  Seiiora  Dolores  would  be  safe  in  our 
house  for  one  hour,  if  Miss  Susan  knew  her  to 
be  a  poetess.  You  know,  Robert,  she  has  her 
prejudices,  and  would  go  into  convulsions,  if  she 
knew  that  Senora  was  an  authoress,  such  as  Lady 
Morgan,  Lady  Blessington,  Madame  de  Stael, 
Madame  Dudevant,  or  some  such  person,  at 
whose  names  she  loses  her  self-command,  and 
wishes  that  the  devil  had  all  reading  and  writing 
in  hell,  except  what  relates  to  the  literature 
of  missions." 

"  I  know  all  that,"  replied  Robert;  "  and  even 
admitting  that  her  antipathy  ao;ainst  intellectual 
eflort  in  women  were  not  so  bitter,  as  is  really 
the  case,  the  way  that  my  father  has  opened  for 
us  would  still  remain  the  only  advisable  one  to 
deceive,  yet  further,  the  authorities  of  La  Plata, 
who  will  not  neglect  to  watch  us  here,  through 
their  agents." 

"  They  will  yield  me  no  peaceable  asylum 
here  !"  sighed  Dolores ;  "  there  exists  a  secret  as- 
sociation, extended  to  all  parts  of  the  world,  the 
most  efficient  which  has  ever  been  organized, 
since  the  Jesuits  gave  them  the  example.  It  is 
the  association  of  espionage,  the  working  in 
common  of  the  secret  agents  of  all  the  despotic 
powers  on  earth,  for  the  persecution  of  the  pa- 


triots of  all  countries,  for  the  extinction  of  the 
idea  of  the  future,  which,  notwithstanding  this, 
like  the  forebodings  of  the  prophets  before  the 
birth  of  Christ,  becomes  extended  and  strength- 
ened among  all  nations. 

Mr.  Thomson  listened,  with  evident  amaze- 
ment, to  these  remarks  of  his  niece,  which 
evinced  to  him  the  clearness  of  his  perceptions, 
and  he  exclaimed,  when  she  had  finished  : 

"  Admirable  !  admirably  said  !  showing,  in  so 
few  words,  the  position  of  both  the  chief  parties ! 
It  _corresponds  with  what  I  have  read  of  you, 
Seiiora  !  I  have  acknowledged  and  admired  your 
penetration,  after  having  read  your  Elegies." 

"  Thank  you  for  the  compliment  Mr.  Thom- 
son," replied  the  lady,  with  a  slight  blush. 
"  Then  you  have  read  my  Elegies,  you  say,  dear 
uncle .'  (for  I  must  accustom  myself  to  call  you 
so.)  Did  Mr.  Walker  send  you  a  copy  of  the 
edition  ?  It  is  to  be  hoped,  however,  that  you 
learnt,  for  the  first,  from  his  letter  to-day,  that  I 
am  the  authoress  !" 

Robert  awaited  the  answer  with  greater  anxiety 
than  herself,  and  looked,  with  a  controlling 
glance,  into  the  eyes  of  the  old  man,  which  evi- 
dently embarrassed  liim. 

"  Certainly  !  certainly  !"  he  began,  while  he 
endeavored  to  compose  himself;  "  Mr.  Walker 
sent  me  a  copy  of  your  Elegies,  as  a  secret ;  you 
know  he  is  very  fond  of  secrets  ;  he  has  a  pas- 
sion for  mystery,  and  what  he  confides  to  me, 

that " 

"  My  God  !"  cried  Robert ;  "  he  has  not, 
surely,  written  to  you,  from  Buenos  Ayres,  that 
Sra.  Dolores  was  the  authoress,  when  he  sent 
you  the  copy .'" 

"  To  be  sure  !"  replied  Mr.  Thomi'on ;  "  and  if 
even — if  he  even  did  so,  I  know  as  well  how  to 

keep  a  secret  as -" 

Dolores  looked  at  Robert  with  an  expression 
that  significantly  said  to  his  comprehension,  "  I 
am  lost." 

"  Compose  yourself,  Dolores !"  said  the  youth, 
with  inward  excitement ;  "  tranquillize  yourself; 
my  uncle  has  certainly  given  no  one  a  hint  which 

can " 

"  Far  from  it !"  cried  the  old  widower ;  "what 
is  the  matter  with  you  ?  and,  even  if  I  had,  you 
are  now  in  Rio  dc  Janeiro,  and  under  my  protec- 
tion, and — and — as  concerns  myself,  I  shall,  in 
time,  find  out  ways  and  means  for  your  personal 
safety,  and  to  prepare  you  a  comfort  which  no 

lady  would  lightly " 

Robert  appeared  so  much  shocked  by  the 
thought,  that  the  two  old  men  might,  from  want 
of  judgement,  have  committed  an  indiscretion, 
that  he  found  it  advisable  suddenly  to  break 
away  from  the  subject,  the  explanation  of  which 
might  awaken  still  more  ground  of  discomposure. 
"  We  are  then  agreed  among  ourselves,"  said 
he,  hastily,  "  that  Miss  Susan  is  not  to  know  at 
all  who  you  are.  We  will  mention  another 
family  name,  since  we  shall  confide  to  her  that 
I  have  carried  you  off,  and  before  the  world  you 
will  pass  for  my  sister." 

"  So  he  it,  then  !"  assented  Mr.  Thomson,  as  if 
nothing  had  been  said  about  the  copy  of  Elegies ; 
"  so  be  it,  then  ;  Robert's  plan  is  indeed  the  best, 
and  I  will  immediately  look  out  for  a  pleasant 
country  house  for  him.  Wait  now  !  I  just  hap- 
pen to  think  of  a  pavilion — on  da  Gloria — a  won- 
derful prospect.    I  occupied  the  pavilion  myself 


DOLORES. 


169 


some  years  ago,  when  I  came  heve  alone,  aa.a 
lonely  widower.  We  will  make  a  circuit,  and 
drive  to  Sr.  Moreto's  in  the  Rua  dos  Ourive3. 
He  will  still  be  in  his  loja,*  and,  if  possible,  you 
can  go  there  to-morrow.  You  can  stay  to  night 
at  the  Hotel  Faroux  ;  for  we  must  be  consistent ! 
You  ought  not  to  remain  in  the  same  house  with 
your  betrothed,  not  a  single  night !" 

"  To  be  sure  not !"  said  Robert,  laughing ;  "al- 
though Aunt  Susan  keeps  the  house,  the  world 
might  be  overthrown  !  I  mean  the  social  world, 
with  its  anxiety,  and  its  distrust,  and  its  philan- 
thropic c;ire  for  the  upholding  of  morals."  The 
noble  youth  reddened  as  he  was  led  to  a  topic 
which  caused  him  to  reflect  upon  the  mean  foun- 
dation of  such  measures. 

"  The  pavilion  up  there,"  interrupted  his  un- 
cle, and  pointed  in  tiie  distance,  "  that's  the 
one  I  mean.  I  lived  there  once.  The  hill  there, 
with  the  white  church,  amongst  the  dark  foli- 
age— that  is  the  church  of  Nossa  Senhora  da 
Gloria — and  the  whole  surrounding  parish  is 
called  so !" 

Dolores  followed  Robert's  glance  in  that  di- 
rection, and  an  idyllian  landscape  unfolded  itself 
to  their  view,  such  as  can  nowliere  be  found, 
but  in  the  bay  of  Rio.  A  considerable  hill,  or 
mountain,  which,  being  a  peninsula,  was  nearly 
surrounded  by  the  mirrorlike  waters,  and  was 
built  over  with  tasteful  country  houses  in  va- 
rious styles,  interspersed  with  lively  green  de- 
clivitous meadows  and  fields,  with  gigantic  for- 
ests and  low  thickets,  projected  from  the  misty 
back  ground  of  the  stupendous  Corcovado, 
whose  summit,  already  enveloped  in  darkness, 
as  seen  from  this  side,  appeared  like  an  obelisk 
on  the  ape.x  of  a  pyramid. 

"  Ah  how  lovely  !  how  charming  !"  sighed 
Dolores;  how  happy  might  men  be  in  such  a 
paradise  !" 

"  Yes,  indeed,  .Senora !  yes,  indeed  !"  replied 
Mr.  Thomson,  with  a  covetous  glance  at  the 
"tendency"  of  the  young  lady  of  La  Plata; 
"  Yes,  indeed,  Senora !  man  can  be  happy  here — 
very  comfortably  happy,  in  the  domestic  rela- 
tions— that  is  my  opinion." 

"  Is  that  the  mountain  there,  that  we  wisli  to 
purchase  ?"  asked  Robert,  contemplating  another 
portion  of  the  extensive  and  wonderful  picture 
whose  realities  surrounded  them. 

"  We  !  that  is  to  say  the  English,  have  made 
proposals  to  purchase  the  Signal  Mountain — that 
is  it,  there — with  the  old  church  of  St.  Sebas- 
tian ;  but  the  present  government  has  hitherto 
refused,  and  will  not  give  it  up." 

"  And  the  whole  mountain  is  to  be  levelled  .'" 

"  Yes,  it  is  to  be  taken  down  and  levelled,  and 
the  surface  is  to  be  built  up  as  a  city,  as  British 
property.  Do  you  understand  that,  Robert !  And 
then  we  shall  have  a  firm  footing  here — and  the 
rest  will  soon  ibllow  !" 

"  The  hill  appears  about  three  hundred  feet 
high " 

"  And  may  be  one  and  a  half  English  miles  in 
circumference,  perhaps  two,  and  lies,  as  you 
see,  in  the  midst  of  the  town,  on  the  shores  of 
the  bay;  it  would  be  an  admirable  acquisition, 
an  English  city  in  the  midst  of  the  capital  of 
Brazil !  We  should  then  have  the  key  to  the 
wealth  of  all  Brazil  in  our  pocket,  Robert ! 
What  do  you  say  of  that !" 


■Shop. 


"  I  think  that  the  Brazilians  will  hardly  sell 
us  the  mountair,." 

"  Why  !  because  they  suspect  that  there  are 
gold  mines  in  it** 
"Even  without  gold  mines  in  it.  They  would  not 
admit  a  British  jurisdiction  within  their  own." 

"  They  mtist,  Robert !  they  will  have  to,  at 
length  !  We  have  already  advanced  them  suffi- 
cient for  such  a  purchase,  and  when  it  once 
comes  to  the  crisis,  and  vve  require  our  millions 
back  again,  and  when  the  empire  becomes  bank- 
rupt, then — then,  Robert,  do  you  see  our  fri- 
gates, and  corvettes,  and  ships  of  the  line !  They 
will  lie  there  !  and  we  shall  know,  then,  how  far 
our  cannon  will  reach  ;  and  the  mountain  there, 
the  mountain  is  ours,  with  or  without  gold 
mines !" 

The  shallop  glided  past  the  station  of  the 
foreign  fleet,  which  guards  the  Brazilian  empire 
lest  the  Botocudos  should  steal  it.  Again  an 
imposing  view  was  presented  to  the  strangers, 
in  the  background  of  which  was  seen  the  point- 
ed Organ  Mountain,  with  its  lofty  pipes,  like  a 
misty  dark  blue  shadow,  contrasting  with  the 
transparent  horizon. 

"Is  not  that  the  Danish  flag?"  inquired  Do- 
lores, pointing  to  a  small  brig  from  St.  Thomas, 
which  lay  unpretendingly  at  anchor  near  a  ma- 
jestic United  States  corvette,  as  if  it  had  been 
sent  into  the  world  out  of  irony,  in  testimony 
that  Britain  had  forgotten  at  least  one  man-of- 
war,  when  she  stole  the  Danish  fleet,  as  a  tliief 
would  a  handkerchief  out  of  a  farmer's  pocket. 

"The  Danish  flag,  Senora .'  yes,  indeed,  at 
your  service !  It  is  the  Danish  flag,  a  small  brig 
that  has  made  an  excursion  on  the  Atlantic 
Ocean,"  replied  Mr.  Thomson,  involuntarily,  a 
little  embarrassed,  as  a  very  natural  connexion 
of  ideas,  made  him  suspect  that  the  political  poet- 
ess from  La  Plata  river  had  not  mentioned  the 
Danish  flag  without  an  allusion  to  the  British 
speculation  of  the  Si>;nal  Mountain. 

"  Yes,  it  is  the  British  flag!"  addod  Robert 
with  a  sigh,  and  an  expression  of  bitterness. 
"It  is  the  flag  of  piracy.  But,  remark  well,'' 
continued  he,  with  a  scorning  siulk,  "  remark 
well ;  it  is  the  '  royal  flag.  It  is  tier  Majesty's 
A'avfl,  as  they  call  it;  not  the  '  nationaV  navy. 
We  have  nothinj;  but  our — Nationat,  tiblts  " 

Shot  after  shot  just  then  resounded  from  the 
neighboring  fortress  Do-  Vilcalhon,  and  from  the 
brazen  mouths  of  the  European  and  transatlan- 
tic fleet — for  the  sun,  long  since  disappeared  be- 
hind the  mountain  summits,  had  touched  the 
nautical  horizon  of  the  longitude  of  Guenabara. 

All  around  was  again  silent,  and  the  oars  of 
passing  barks  and  gondolas  dipped  in  the  whis- 
pering waves.  Long  boats  of  tiie  navies  ot 
foreign  nations,  with  stately  oflicers  in  their 
sterns,  floated  by,  returning  from  the  landing- 
place  at  the  Hotel  Faroux,  which  the  shallop 
now  approached.  With  asorely  oppressed  heart, 
Dolores  looked  into  the  gloomy  night  of  her 
cloud-covered  future. 

"  There  is  our  carriage  !"  cried  Mr.  Thomson, 
pointing  out  a  stately  vehicle,  with  negroes  in 
livery,  as  coachman  and  footman.  He  offered 
his  hand  to  the  exile,  who  had  already  taken 
Robert's  arm,  to  the  smothered  vexation  of  the 
old  widower,  who  now  ordered  the  coachman  to 
drive  through  the  Rua  dos  Ourives,  and  stop  at 
Senhor  Moreto's  shop. 


ICO 


DOLORES. 


CHAPTER   V. 


ARHIVAL. 


[t  wns  an  hour  after  sunHown  when  the  five 
^■lerk3  and  inercantile  voluntoers  of  the  house  ol 
RossbriicU  &.  Co.,  in  tlie  Rua  da  Alfandej^'a  sal 
at  table,  in  the  lar2;e  dining  room,  on  the  first 
floor,  and  ch-ank  their  tea  socially  together,  ac- 
coi'ding  to  the  custom  of  European  houses  ol 
business  in  Rio  Janeiro,  They  were  all  amia- 
ble young  men,  from  difiercnt  countries  in  En- 
rope,  of  unexceptionable  familiea,  and  exem- 
plary deportment.  They  were  talking  and  jokinj; 
in  the  best  humor,  and  two  neijroea  sprang  round 
the  long  table,  (which  allbrded  room  fur  thrice 
the  number  of  guests,)  "id  served  the  young 
seiihors  with  Ethiopian  attention  and  readiness. 
There  was  a  knocking  at  the  house  door,  as  ii'  a 
rhinoceros  thumped  against  it. 

"  Who  is  making  such  a  noise  down  there.'" 
cried  Mr.  Doubly,  a  young  Swiss,  who  occupied 
the  seat  at  the  head  of  the  table. 

One  of  the  negroes  instantly  ran  down  stairs, 
and,  after  some  moments,  a  gentleman  appeared 
in  a  travelling  dress,  attended  by  a  negre  de 
gagne,*  who  carried  his  cai'pet  bag,  with  his 
umbrella  and  hat  box. 

The  gentleman  had,  unfortunately,  found  no 
English  knocker  on  the  door,  with  which  to 
cause,  according  to  English  custom,  a  dozen 
hasty  taps  of  respectibility  to  resound  in  quad- 
ruple time.  He  had,  however,  with  surprising 
presence  of  mind,  known  how  to  help  himself, 
by  making,  with  the  handle  of  his  umbrella,  the 
above  "  loud  raps  of  respectibility,*'  in  the  fash- 
ionabl_e  quadruple  time,  as  his  respectability 
required. 

"  Is  not  Mr.  Francis  Rossbriick  at  home  ?" 
inquired  the  gentleman,  in  broken  English,  step- 
ping up  to  the  table,  with  a  disdaintul  glance  at 
the  youthful  company. 

"  No  '."  answered  Mr.  Doubly.  "  What  do 
you  wish  ?" 

"  Are  none  of  te  partners  at  home  .'"  inquired 
the  other,  drawing  on  his  patent  gloves  more 
tightly,  and  pressing  them  down  between  the 
fingers. 

"  No  !"  was  again  the  reply,  anu  all  eyes  rested 
upon  the  gentleman  in  a  Mackintosh  overcoat, 
which  was,  at  that  time,  the  height  of  fashion, 
but  extremhly  warm  for  the  gentleman,  since  he 
happened  to  be  in  Brazil. 

"  I  am  Mr.  William  Rossbriick,  and  intent  to 
stop  here!"  said  the  latter,  observing  from  head 
to  foot  the  young  people,  in  their  white  jackets 
and  coats,  who  must,  of  course,  all  be  clerks,  as 
no  partner  of  the  house  made  himself  known 
among  them. 

"  Abd  el  Kader  !"  cried  Mr.  Doubly,  "  put 
the  room  up  there  in  order  for  this  senhor  !" 
The  negro,  Marco,  who  bore  this  nickname  in 
the  house,  hastened  to  fulfil  the  order,  and  car- 
ried the  car|iet  bag  of  the  Senhor  Branco  into 
the  designated  apartment. 

"  Take  a  seat,  if  you  please,"  said  Mr.  Doubly, 
now,  in  German,  to  the  gentleman.  "  May  I  oiler 
you  a  cup  of  tea,  and  what  we  have  for  supper  .'" 

The  gentleman  partner  of  the  house  felt  him- 
self almost  offended  by  such  a  solicitation,  to 


•  JTegre  de  gdf"'  — Slaves  who  serve  as  porters  oa 
tlicir  maatur^s  account. 


seat  himself  at  the  same  table  with  the  clerks, 
and  even  to  drink  tea  with  them,  an  idea  of  the 
young  man  in  the  white  spencer,  which,  accor- 
ding to  the  views  of  the  gentleman,  did  not  tend 
to  the  honor  of  his  civilization. 

"  1  tank  you  !"  he  muttered,  turning  his  back 
on  the  com.pany,  and  vi'.ilked  slowly  and  stiffly, 
into  the  room  where  the  negro  had  carried  his 
carpet  bag. 

The  young  people  looked  after  him,  and  then 
at  each  other,  bit  their  lips  to  suppress  a  burst 
of  laughter,  and  took  up  a  thread  of  the  inler- 
rupted  conversation,  as  if  no  one  had  disturbed 
them. 

The  negre  de  gagne  waited  for  his  couple  of 
vingtaines,*  for  porterage,  and  at  length  ventured 
to  remind  them  of  it. 

"  We  will  take  it  upon  ourselves,"  whispered 
Mr.  Doubly  to  his  companions,  "  and  give  the 
guest  credit  for  a  patack  ;"t  and  then  paid  the 
negro,  who  thanked  him,  and  likewise  departed. 

The  supper  was  ended,  and  each  went  into 
his  cabinet,  after  having  first  agreed  which  of 
them  should  have  the  watch  for  the  two  follow- 
ing days — a  holiday  and  a  Sund.iv  ;  as,  accord- 
ing to  old  custom,  one  of  them  must  take  care  of 
the  house  on  such  days.  The  watch  for  the  next 
day  was  Mr.  Doubly's,  who,  besides,  wished  to 
stay  at  home,  and  occupy  himself  with  music 
and  reading, 

"  A  young  little  goose  flew  over  the  Rhine 
AuJ  Citine  home  a  gantler,  fashionably  line  ! 
Trala  I  trala  1  trala  1" 

sang  a  young  man,  with  a  clear  toned  voice, 
while  he  prepared,  in  his  room,  for  a  promen- 
atle  in  the  cool  of  the  evening. 

"  Anil  how  they  holj  a  fork  to  eat, 

And  how  they  walk  along  the  street. 

Long  since  he  learned  to  imitate  1" 

joined  in  Mr.  Doubly,  just  as  loudly,  and, 
seizing  his  guitar,  he  preluded,  and  sang,  and  ac- 
companied, c(/n  anwrCj  as  if  he  had  been  alone 
in  the  house. 

While  this  was  going  on  in  the  Rua  da  Alfan- 
dega,  the  carriage  of  the  real  gentleman  from 
Bota  Fogo,  had  nearly  made  its  half  way  home 
from  the  place  from  where  it  started,  or  at  least 
had  rolled  through  the  Rua  dos  Ourives,  where 
it  stopjied,  in  front  of  the  loja  before  mentioned. 
A  little,  fat,  pockmarked  descendant  of  Vasco  de 
Gamo  ran  out  to  the  carriage  door,  and  greeted 
his  old  acquaintance,  Mr.  George  Thomson. 

The  latter  had,  by  this  time,  reflected,  that  it 
would  be  best  for  him,  in  pursuance  of  his  par- 
ticular plan,  to  quarter  the  young  betrothed  as 
far  as  it  was  any  way  possible  from  his  country 
house  in  Bota  Fogo,  and  he  form.ed  the  deter- 
mination to  hire  for  him  the  villa,  whose  situa- 
tion was  as  charming  as  respectable,  which  lat- 
ter was  naturally  the  first  thing  taken  into  con- 
sideration. 

It  turned  out,  that  one  of  Sr.  Moreto's  two  pa- 
vilions on  "  da  Gloria"  was  to  rent,  and  the 
very  same  one  which  Mr.  Thomson  had  inhab- 
ited after  the  death  of  his  third  corpulency. 

"  And  who  lives  in  the  other  pavilion  .'"  in- 
quired Mr.  Thomson,  in  all  haste. 

"  A  young  lady  of  my  family,  at  your  service, 
Sr.  George,  a  widow,  from  St.  Joao  del  Rey,  a 
very  respectable  person,  whose  neighborhood 
cannot  be  disagreeable  to  you,  in  any   respect. 

*  Copper  coin,  of  -20  reis.    f  About  30  cents. 


DOLORES, 


161 


She  is  here  attending  upon  a  lawsuit  in  Rio, 
and  lives  incognito — altogether  incognito  ;  and  if 
it  were  not  you,  Mr.  George,  I  %vould  not  let  the 
pavilion  near  her  ;  but,  upon  my  responsibility, 
the  young  lady  will  gladly  admit  the  neighbor- 
hood of  a  gentleman  of  your  house.  She  is  a 
very  accomplished  young  lady,  and  I  will  answer 
for  her  respectability;  you  have  long  known  me 
in  that  respect,  Sr.  George;  my  assurance  has  its 
weight  with  you !" 

"  Certainly  !"  cried  the  old  widower  from  the 
carriage,  "  certainly  !  I  would  take  your  word 
for  a  hundred  contos  !  All  in  order  !  Then  to- 
morrow forenoon  my  nephew  can  go  there  ?" 

"  As  early  as  he  pleases ;  nevertiieless,  it 
would  be  very  well,  if  your  nephew  would  take 
the  trouble  to  call  on  my  relation,  since  I  have 
promised  not  to  let  the  pavilion  to  any  one, 
without  her  consent,  and  I  like  to  keep  my 
word,  you  know  that,  Sr.  George.  It  is  merely 
a  formality,  for  I  know,  beforehand,  that  a  con- 
nexion of  your  house,  whom  I  recommend,  will 
be  welcome  to  my  niece  ;  it  is  merely  a  formality, 
and  I  will  send  some  one  to-night,  to  apprize 
her  of  the  visit  of  your  nephew." 

"  I  will  not  fail  to  ride  out  there  early  to-mor- 
row," replied  Robert. 

Mr.  Thompson  now  inquired,  in  all  haste,  the 
month's  rent,  (with  which  he  was  already  ac- 
quainted,) and  Sr.  Moreto  stepped  back  from  the 
coach  door,  and  the  carriage  rolled  on,  with  fly- 
ing Brazilian  speed,  through  the  Rua  d'Ajuda, 
out  to  the  Praya  do  Flamingo,  and  on  to  Bota 
Fogo. 

The  shallop  of  Captain  Finngreen  had  landed 
at  the  great  stairs,  which,  farther  up  in  the  city, 
opposite  the  ilhos  das  Cobras,*  was  surrounded, 
early  and  late,  by  captain's  boats  and  negro  ca- 
noes, and  served  as  a  connecting  point  between 
the  city  and  the  merchant  vessels. 

Mr.  Rossbrijck  had  stepped  out,  and,  under 
the  guidance  of  a  cicerone,  proceeded  towards  the 
neighboring  Rua  da  Alfandega,  without  taking 
leave  of  the  other  passengers,  as  that  was  not 
written  in  his  catechism  of  British  fashion,  in 
which  (as  we  have  already  remarked)  he  had 
made  great  progress. 

Captain  Finngreen  hastened  to  report  himself 
at  the  bureau  of  the  house,  with  whose  head  he 
had  already  spoken,  and  was  then,  according  to 
agreement,  to  meet  his  passengers,  Hinango,  Ho- 
ratio, and  Alvarez,  in  the  Hotel  du  Nord,  in 
the  Rua  Direita,  whither  the  Scandinavian  con- 
ducted the  two  latter. 

"  I  will  see  if  Fitz  is  at  home,  and  bring  him 
here  !"  said  Dr.  Thorfin  to  Hinango,  as  the  three 
strangers  we.-e  going  up  the  steps,  to  take  toge- 
ther a  salon  with  adjoining  chambers. 

"  Well,  do  so,  if  you  will  take  the  trouble. 
Then  we  will  all  take  supper  here,"  returned 
Hinango;  "but  come  back  soon,  for  we  have 
much  to  talk  about," 

"  I  will  go  likewise  to-.i'Vernon,  and  tell  him 
that  you  are  here,"  added  the  doctor,  and  hur- 
ried off,  accompanied  by  the  gratitude  of  the 
stranger  for  his  kindness. 

In  a  roomy  atelier  for  astronomical  and  nauti- 
cal instruments,  sat  a  little  man,  with  all  sorts  of 
expression  on  his  weather  browned  face,  unusu- 
ally late  at  his  work  table,  and  filed,  and  pol- 
ished, and  sang,  with  a  barbarous  voice, 


*  Serpeat  Island 


"  No  general  hag  such  powerful  might, 
With  all  his  hosts  entire, 
As  a  handsome  woman,  day  or  night. 
In  negligent  attire  ! 
In  neg li gent — attire  !" 

It  was  Mr.  Henry  Fitz — "  Chief  Intendant  of 
the  Imperial  Physical  Cabinet  at  St.  Christova, 
and  Unpatented  Air  Pump  Controller  to  their 
Imperial  Highnesses,  the  Princesses,"  as  he 
called  himself,  without,  however,  receiving  any 
stipulated  salary  from  the  court. 

Two  haggard,  meagre  Mamaluco  boys,  whose 
bones  were  scantily  cushioned  over  with  dingy 
carne  secco,*  likewise  pursued  their  labors,  filing 
and  turning  on  screws  and  rollers  for  an  impe- 
rial Brazilian  electrical  machine,  which  stood 
there  unfinished,  on  a  broad  pedestal,  in  the 
midst  of  the  saloon.   '' 

Some  one  approached  the  corridor  on  the  out- 
side, and  Tycho  Brahe  (as  Mr.  Fitz  called  one  of 
the  nearly  transparent  Mamalucoes)  opened  the 
door. 

Franco,  a  negro  from  the  numerous  colored 
attendants  of  the  Hotel  Faroux,  entered  and  in- 
quired for  Sr.  Fitz,  to  whom  he  handed  a  card, 
and  added,  a  Sr.  Ingles  wished  to  know  where 
Sr.  Closting  lived,  and,  if  possible,  to  see  him, 
early  in  the  morning. 

Then  the  Sr.  Ingles  will  have  far  to  ride 
this  night,  replied  Mr.  Fitz,  in  his  customary 
jesting  mood.  "  Sr.  Closting  lives,  to  be  sure, 
somewhere  in  the  city,  when  he  is  here  ;  but,  so 
far  as  1  know,  he  iifyet  some  hundred  leagues  ofT, 
Mattogrosso,  or  Goyaz,  or  Minas  Geraes,  or 
somewhere  else  where  there  are  mountains,  and 
can  hardly  be  seized  early  in  the  morning." 

"  If  Sr.  Closting  was  not  in  town,  then  the  Sr. 
Ingles  said,  I  should  beg  you  to  tell  me  who 
conducted  his  business  here,  and  I  was  then  to 
take  the  card  there." 

"  Who  has  the  difficult  employment  of  con- 
ducting Mr.  Closting's  business  here,  I  can  tell 
you.  Wait !  I  will  write  down  the  address  for 
you."  He  made  the  required  note  on  the  bacK 
of  the  card,  and  added  :  "  Ask  for  Sr.  Forro,  No. 
164  Rua  de  Sabao  ;  if  he  is  not  at  home,  he  will 
certainly  be  somewhere  else  !" 

The  negro  thanked  him  for  the  direction,  and 
hurried  down  stair.s. 

"  No  general  has  such  powerful  might " 

recommenced  Mr.  Fitz,  when  he  was  again  dis- 
turbed by  some  one  clapping  his  hands  before  the 
door,  the  customary  Brazilian  token  of  announce- 
ment, which  takes  the  place  of  the  European 
knocking  on  the  door.  Tycho  Brahe  hurried  to 
open  it  again,  and  Dr.  Thorfin  appeared  on  the 
threshold. 

"  Make  yourself  ready,  and  come  with  me  to 
the  Hotel  du  Nord  !"  cried  he,  at  the  door;  "  an 
old  friend  has  arrived." 
"  Not  Hinango.'"  inquired  the  astronomer. 
"  How  did  you  happen  to  think  of  him  .'" 
"  I  am  sure  I  don't  know  myself;  but  I  am 
sure  it  is  he,  and  no  one  else." 

"  You  have  guessed  rightly ;  now  come  with 
me." 

"  Step  in,  and  sit  down  till  I  get  ready.  Where 
did  the  dev'lish  fellow  come  from,  that  he  is  here 
again .'" 

"  From  the  coast  of  Africa,  by  way  of  St.  He- 
lena and  Monte  Video." 


^  Dried  meat. 


163 


DOLORES. 


"  With  his  Iduna  ?" 

*'  Oh  no!  as  a  passenger ;  he  has  lost  his  Iduna." 

"  Lost  I  I  will  not  think  it !  Where,  and 
how  ?" 

"  Come  with  me  to  the  Hotel  du  Nord.  By 
and  by  he  will  tell  you   how  he  came  here." 

**  From  St.  Helena,  as  passenger,  by  the  wav  of 
Monte  Video  ?  and  wants,  perhaps,  to  purchase 
a  ship  here  ?" 

"  And  instruments  of  you,"  added  Mr.  Thorfin. 

"  I  know  of  a  schooner  brig  for  him,  she  is 
called  the  Vesta,  a  lovely  little  thing !  a  thing  I 
tell  you,  that  sails  like  vengeance,  and  is  built 
and  designed  entirely  for  a  privateer."  He  had 
partly  put  away  his  tools,  and  now  took  his  hat, 
and  \ett  to  his  tA-o  Mamalucoes  the  atelier,  and 
their  carne  secco  for  supper. 

Dr.  Thorfin  and  the  astronomer  took  their  way 
to  the  Hotel  du  Nord,  and  found  Captain  Finn- 
green  with  the  new  comers.  A  mutual,  hearty 
greeting  ensued,  as  the  latter  also  was  acquaint- 
ed with  the  "  sextant  mender, "  as  he  called 
bim. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

ABTSS,  IN  THE  INTERIOR  OF  'Ae  SOCIAL  WORU), 

The  conversation  of  the  friends  and  acquaint- 
ances at  supper,  in  the  Hotel  du  Nord,  touched 
upon  many  common  reminiscences,  and  Hinango 
inquired  after  one  and  another  with  whom  he 
had  formerly  held  intercourse. 

"  Dr.  D and  Signer  F have  lost  their 

wives,"  said  Mr.  Fitz  to  him. 

"  Both  .'"  inquired  Hinango.  "  Was  it  with 
some  infectious  fever  .'" 

"  1  don't  know  whether  it  was  infectious,  but 
there  seemed  to  have  been  a  hot  fever  before- 
hand, at  least  in  the  mind.  Both  have  abscond- 
ed— have  abducted  men " 

"What?  How.'  You  would  say  they  have  both 
been  abducted." 

"  No,  I  will  not  say  that,  for  I  am  free  to  doubt 
whether  a  woman  ever  yet  was  abducted.  1  ven- 
ture to  affirm,  that  the  woman  carries  otf  her 
lover — that  no  woman  ever  allows  herself  to  be 
carried  off — never  !  No  steam  engine  of  sixty 
horse  povper  can  tear  a  woman  away  from  her 
husband,  unless  she  breaks  loose  herself." 

"  You  always  make  original  assertions,  and  I 
like  you  for  it,  when  you  are  able  to  maintain 
them,"  remai-ked'Hinango. 

"  In  the  present  case,  we  must  both  allow  our- 
selves to  be  run  away  with,  that  I  may  support 
my  assertion,"  replied  Fitz ;  "  but  1  will  add  this 
much  :  you  will  never  run  away  with  any  woman, 
if  you  remain  true  to  your  early  principles,  so 
far  as  I  know  them." 

Hinango  smiled,  and  assured  him  that  the 
latter  was  the  case. 

"  Still  less  will  any  woman  run  away  with 
you,"  continued  Fitz,  "  or  she  must  have  a  very 
peculiar  taste.  You  are  far  too  sentimental,  and 
too  little  agreeable  to  the  female  sex ;  at  least, 
to  the  married  women." 

"  I  thank  you  heartily  for  that.    To  be  verj' 


agreeable  to  married  women  iS)  in  my  opinion, 
the  greatest  misfortune  that  could  befall  a 
man." 

"  Certainly,  according  to  your  views ;  I  know 
your  *  platonic  system,'  and  that  is  just  what  the 
women  do  not  like." 

"  But  to  return  to  our  two  friends  :  is  it  jest  or 
earnest .'" 

"  It  is  earnest,"  joined  in  Dr.  Thorfin ;  "  un- 
happily earnest !  Both  have  made  the  sorrow- 
ful discovery,  that  maiTiage  without  love  was  a 
very  weak  bond." 

"  Apropos  !  Doctor  !"  cried  the  air  pump 
controller,  "  a  gentleman  has  just  been  making 
inquiries  after  Mr.  Closting.  I  sent  him  to  Sen- 
hor  Forro — for  it  was  a  business  affair,  I  suspect. 
Have  you  heard,  through  his  wife,  when  he  re- 
turns .'" 

"  Madame  Closting  has  gone  away,"  replied 
the  physician. 

"  Gone  away .'"  interrupted  the  other  ;  "what, 
for  ever .'  Gone  away  from  Rio  .'  Perhaps  to 
meet  her  husband .'" 

"  Where,  I  do  not  know  ;  and  if  for  ever, 
that  also  I  do  not  know.  It  would,  in  many  re- 
spects, be  most  advisable,  if  she  would  absent 
herself  forever  from  her  husband.  It  is  hard  to 
be  a  physician  for  such  evils,  which  have  their 
seat  m  the  heart,  and  are  to  be  cured  in  the 
nerves."  . 

"  You  are  a  pretty  doctor  !"  said  Fitz;  "you 
use  '  dissolving  remedies'  for  conjugal  relations. 

Were  you  the  phvsician  of  Senhora  D ,  and 

Senhora  F .'"' 

"  If  I  had  been  the  physician  of  these  two 
ladies,  I  should,  at  least,  have  known  no  means 
to  restore  or  to  establish  sympathy  of  soul  when 
there  was  none.  According  to  my  view,  the  sa- 
crament of  marriage  does  not  consist  in  the  out- 
ward ceremony,  (which  any  one  can  pass  through 
for  money,)  but  in  love. 

"It  is  not  the  sacrament  which  binds,  but  love. 
The  profanation  of  every  sacrament,  is  a  prosti- 
tution of  the  Most  Holy  as  he  profanes  the  sa- 
crament of  the  Lord's  Supper  %vho  approaches 
the  table  of  the  Lord,  witliout  being  penetrated 
by  the  spirit  of  the  doctrine  of  Jesus. 

"  The  sacrament  of  marriage  has  grown  old," 
observed  Mr.  Fitz ;  "and  when  Brazil  was  Por- 
tuguese, one  had  first  to  write  to  Lisbon,*  and 
it  was  often  putrified  and  corrupt  before  it 
arrived  here.  It  is  rotten  ;  it  is  about  fifteen 
hundred  years  old,  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  and 
dates  from  the  Emperor  Constantine.  And  what 
the  church  puts  together,  no  longer  holds  so 
firmly  !  The  glue  is  good  for  nothing  !  It  is 
manufactured  in  great  quantities  for  sale,  of  poor 
ingredients,  and  if  it  sticks  until  the  first  bap- 
tism is  paid  for,  it  is  very  well !  Let  us  rejoice 
that  we  have  not  Brazilians  for  our  wives — who 
would  turn  their  backs  on  us." 

"  As  regards  that,"  returned  the  doctor,  "  I 
am  of  another  opinion.  I  know  Brazilian  women 
who  may  be  cited  as  patterns — both  as  wives  and 
mothers — and  am  satisfied  that  the  women  of 
Brazil  stand  as  high,  as  women,  as  those  of  any 
other  nation,  when  they  fiind  a  return  of  the  love 
which  they  feel." 

"  But,  on  the  other  hand,  we  must  willingly 

•  In  those  timcx,  whoever  wished  to  be  mnrried  in 
Brazil,  tirst  had  to  obtain  penaission  from  the  Asoa 
liishop  of  Lisbon. 


DOLORES. 


163 


odmit  tliat  here,  as  everywhere  else,  there  arc 
■Women  who  cannot  love,"  observed  Hinango. 
.    "  How  so  ?    cannot   love  ?"    interrupted   Mr. 
Fitz ;  "  that  Would   be  curious,  a  woman  who 
Could  not  love !" 

"  It  depends  on  what  we  call  love,"  replied 
Hinango.  '*  Love  presvipjioses  heart,  a  develop- 
ment of  sonl,  inward  life,  sentiment;  and  by 
many  women  the  understanding  is  cultivated  at 
the  espense  of  the  sentiment.  The  heart  is  lost. 
The  soul  is  oppressed  by  female  pretensions. 
Such  women  believe  that  they  love,  and  do  not ; 
and  no  bond  of  church  or  state  wilt  bind  them, 
for  their  hearts  never  have  bound  them  ;  they 
are  the  most  dangerous  beings  in  creation.  Such 
beings  should  never  marry,  for  they  abuse  and 
desecrate  the  sacrament  of  marriage,  which  pre- 
sumes love.  They  would  like  to  give  away  a 
heart,  and  have  none.  Tliey  do  not  look  for  a 
man  of  honor  and  character,  but  for  a  'husband  !' 
to  satisfy  their  manifold  wants.  Their  element 
is  sensuality,  and  their  being  changeableness, 
passion  for  diversion,  with  a  constant  desire  to 
fill  the  inv;ard  void,  without  a  heart.  Their 
whole  life  is  a  destructive  caprice — with  varia- 
tions vn  negligee.  They  are  the  women  of 
marriage  a  la  mode,  and  their  number  is  legion. 
They  are  the  poisonous  plants  of  humanity, 
■whose  effects  destroy  human  life,  and  pass  des- 
tructively over  to  the  next  generation.  They 
represent  the  privilege  of  marriage — as  the  clus- 
ter of  all  demoralization." 

"  A  terrible,  but  very,  very  true  remark,"  said 
Captain  Finngreen  ;  "  but  there  is  also  another 
class  of  women,  capable  of  all  love,  who  are  cir- 
cumvented by  men  who  never  loved  them,  and 
when  the  illusion  vanishes,  then  such  unfortu- 
nate women  are  to  be  pitied." 

"  Very  true,  captain,"  rejoined  Dr.  Thorfin. 
"  Such  women  long  all  the  more  after  love,  from 
having  been  circumvented,  when  it  becomes 
clear  to  them  that  they  have  never  been  blessed 
by  reciprocated  love.  The  claims  of  the  heart — 
the  most  sacred  demands  of  nature — assert  their 
rights ;  but  then  it  is  too  late,  and  those  nervous 
diseases  come  on,  against  which  the  phj'sician 
only  knows  palliative  remedies,  and  which  are 
not  to  be  cured  so  long  as  the  cause  cannot 
be  removed  which  produces  the  disorder :  the 
unnatural  connexion  of  marriage  without  love !" 

"  And  this  cause  is  generally  not  to  be  re- 
moved," added  the  captain. 

"  And  many  women  will  not  remove  it,"  ob- 
served Hinango. 

"  [  assure  you,  gentlemen,"  said  Dr.  Thorfin, 
*'  whoever  looks  deeply,  as  a  psychologist,  into 
the  cause  from  which  such  diseases  proceed, 
may  well  shrink  back  from  the  basis  on  which 
the  social  world  is  founded.  I  am  entirely  of  our 
astronomer's  opinion,  and  affirm  that  there  are 
few,  if  any,  wives  who  are  abducted,  but  they 
run  away  with  those  whom  they  have  captivated. 
And  [  go  still  further,  and  assert — maidens  are 
seduced,  married  women  seduce.  I  offer,  as  a 
psychologist,  to  sustain  this  position,  and  to 
prove  it  by  facts." 

"  I  do  not  doubt  it ;  but  I  trust  you  will  not 
Rssert  that  these  unfortunate  women  seduce  in- 
tentionally ?"  said  Hinango. 

"  Women  of  a  noble  character  seduce  cer- 
tJiinly  not  intentionally,"  replied  the  doctor. 
"By  no  means;  on  the  contrary,  they  are,  for 


the  most  part,  overcome  by  the  unconquerable 
force  of  an  inv.'ard  motive,  the  longing  after 
love.  It  is  the  consciousness  of  an  awakened 
inner  life,  whose  organ  is  the  nervous  system, 
and  this  becomes  so  much  the  more  susceptible, 
the  more  it  is  oppressed  by  disturbing  influences." 

"I  understand  you,"  remarked  Hinango, "  since 
I  recognise  the  differences  of  individuality  in 
spiritual  life,  and  in  materialism — the  two  poles 
of  earthly  existence.  Nothing  operates  more 
destructively  upon  the  nerves  than  *he  forced 
suppression  of  repulsion — physic  1  surrender 
with  antipathy  of  soul." 

"  Very  naturally,"  affirmed  Thorfin ;  "  and 
who  can  wonder,  in  the  least,  that  these  diseases 
are  daily  gaining  ground,  in  an  epoch  in  which 
marriage  is  m.ide  a  '  business,'  and  in  France  is 
even  arranged  by  specially  established  houses  of 
business,  by  means  of  travelling  clerks,  and  is 
considered,  in  the  whole  social  world,  as  an  ob- 
ject of  speculation  and  convenience,  or  as  a  grati- 
fication of  sensuality  .'  Who  can  wonder  at  the 
deterioration  of  the  human  race,  at  the  religious 
and  moral  indifference  of  our  century,  if  we 
cast  a  glance  at  the  desecrated  and  plundered 
sanctuary  of  generation  ?  From  a  union  formed 
with  resignation  of  love,  in  levity  and  indiffer- 
ence, no  generation  can  proceed  such  as  God 
made  man,  '  in  his  own  image.'  I  do  not  won- 
der at  the  deterioration  of  the  human  race,"  con- 
tinued the  physician,  "  but  rather  that  mankind 
has  not  sunk  deeper  under  such  desecration  I 
There  must  be  an  indestructible-divine  strength 
in  humanity,  which  will  not  suffer  itself  to  be 
laid  waste  and  destroyed,  notwithstanding  all 
the  degradation  of  woman  in  the  service  of  man 
without  love !" 

"  I  grant  that  married  women  seduce,"  said 
Hinango,  "  and  are  not  seduced,  but  the  founda- 
tion must  be  this  inward  disturbance,  which 
manifests  itself  in  the  nervous  system  through 
repulsion.  The  love  of  such  a  being  is  a  de- 
structive deity,  which  requires  human  sacri- 
fices ;  it  destroys  the  inner  life,  and  wo  to  the 
man,  or  the  youth,  who  is  selected  as  the  victim 
in  such  a  case  I" 

"  He  is  lost,  without  redemption  !"  said  Dr. 
Thorfin  ;  "  for  even  when  he  would  play  the  part 
of  Joseph,  the  embittered  vengeance  of  injured 
womanhood  would  seek  to  destroy  him  !  A  re- 
jected woman  is  capable  of  any  murder." 

"An  English  author  says,  in  other  words : 

•  Earth  knows  no  curse  like  love  to  hatred  turned, 
Hell  has  no  fury  like  a  woman  scorned,'  " 

observed  Mr.  Fitz,  smiling. 

"  Hell  has  no  fury  like  a  woman  scorned  ?" 
repeated  Hinango,  with  a  deep  sigh.  "  The 
word  '  scorned,'  however,  seems  to  me  very 
badly  chosen,  for  I  can  imagine  to  myself  one 
case,  in  which  a  man  would  withdraw  from  a 
woman  at  such  an  eventful  moment,  and  that,  not 
by  any  means  because  he  despised  or  '  scorned ' 
her,  but  because  he  loved  lier,  and  out  of  love 
shrank  back  before  her  future — spared  her 
weakness.  Such  a  case  may  certainly  belong  to 
the  rarities  of  our  age  ;  but  I  know  that  it  may 
occur.  The  consequences,  however,  remain 
ever  the  same,  and  the  saying  of  the  English 
poet  remains  in  force." 

**  As  concerns  Joseph,"  said  the  air  pump  con- 
troller, "  I  do  not  rely  much  upon  that  affair. 


164 


DOLORES. 


I  very  mnch  doubt  whether  the  Egyptian  chroni- 
clers had  hidden  a  stenographer  in  the  apartment 
of  Potiphar's  wife  !  So  far  as  I  am  acquainted 
with  woman,  in  all  zones,  Joseph  would  hardly 
have  become  minister,  if  he  had  nm  away,  like 
a  youn?  Scandinavian  poet  in  Avignon,  who  left 
a  Spanish  lady,  in  the  deepest  negligee,  in  the 
liireh,  as  we  have  read  of  somewhere.  As  bit- 
terly as  this  lady  aftenvards  threatened  him  with 
a  dagger,  would  Madame  Potiphar  have  known 
how  to  revenge  herself,  also,  in  some  way  or 
another.  There  is  no  power  so  ragingly  de- 
structive as  the  bitter  hatred  of  a  woman  in  such 
unfortunate  cases,  for  she  is  not  mistress  of  her- 
self." 

"  You  seem  to  have  had  practical  experience 
in  these  matters,"  remarked  Hinango. 

"  My  dear  friend,  I  lived  ten  years  in  Paris, 
from  my  five  and  twentieth  year  until  five  and 
thirty,  and  as  I  had  become  acquainted  with  my 
ground  by  heai-say,  I  endeavored,  at  least,  to 
come  out  of  it  with  my  life,  and  made  all  sorts  of 
marginal  notes  upon  the  test  of  the  saspicious 
history  of  Joseph." 

The  friends  laughed,  except  Hinango,  whose 
seriousness  could  not  understand  a  joke  where 
the  most  sacred  concerns  of  humanity  were 
treated  of. 

"  And  as  regards  my  experience,"  resnmed 
Dr.  Thorfin,  "  I  obtained  it  during  eight  years 
cf  observation,  as  so  called  ladies'  physician,  in 
Odessa  and  Moscow.  1  sought,  in  the  study  of 
psychology,  the  basis  of  all  healing  knowledge, 
and  aiTived  at  the  conviction,  that  in  thousands 
of  instances  all  medical  ti-eatment  remains  inef- 
fectual, inasmuch  as  so  many  circumstances  evi- 
dently contradict  the  unconditional  requisites 
which  the  physician  must  prescribe.  I  saw  my 
Hygeia  in  despair  at  the  statutes  of  govern- 
ment. I  stood  by  many  biers,  which  held  the 
victims  of  a  powerfully  suppressed  repulsion ; 
and  lived  to  see  suicide  after  suicide,  of  noble 
beings  of  both  sexe.«,  who  were  carried  away  by 
despair,  when  they  learned,  too  late,  that  mar- 
riage without  love  is  a  crime  that  draws  after  it 
a  hell,  from  which  there  is  no  redemption,  but 
through  the  gate  of  death." 

"  Horrible!"  sighed  Hinango;  "bnt  in  a  thou- 
sand cases  to  one,  the  woman  is  innocent ;  or, 
at  least,  only  guilty  in  having  once  given  away, 
without  love,  what  she  can  never  get  lack 
again." 

"  I  will  give  you  a  systematic  survey  of  the 
loveless  apathy  of  women,"  began  Dr.  Thorfin, 
after  a  long  pause,  "  and  you  may  then  the  sooner 
arrive  at  clearness,  in  respect  to  many  appear- 
ances of  the  reality  about  us  here. 

"  We  behold  three  other  cases  of  marriage 
without  love,  (except  the  numerous  class  of  wo- 
men in  marriage  a  la  mode,)  which  are  repeated 
a  thousand  times  each. 

"  In  the  first  case,  we  find  the  spiritual,  noble 
woman  the  victim  of  circumstances,  of  self-de- 
ceit, or  of  treachery  on  the  part  of  the  man.  She 
watches  over  fulfilment  of  conjugal  duties  with 
lively  diligence,  labors  on  from  one  multiplica- 
tion to  another,  and,  from  calls  of  business,  has 
no  time  to  reflect  upon  her  lot  nor  to  feel  her  ani- 
matic'  life.  She  receives  what  is  offered  her  of 
the  pleasures  of  life,  and  often  aflbrds  her  hus 


•  Animatic,  from  aiums— aoul. 


band  more  than  he  requires,  in  the  delusion  that 
she  is  loving  and  beloved.  In  this  manner,  year* 
pass  away,  and  a  single  circumstance,  a  single 
movement,  an  accident,  or  destiny,  suddenly 
rends  the  veil  of  illusion.  The  consciousness  of 
the  loveless  reality  crosses  her  mind ;  she  be- 
comes aware  that  the  partner  of  her  life  has  ne- 
ver loved  her,  that  his  heart  has  been  no  sanc- 
tuary of  her  love,  that  he  neither  understands 
her  heart  nor  had  been  acquainted  with  her 
spirit,  that  be  only  loves  him.self  in  the  posses- 
sion of  her  charms;  and,  her  heart  is  broken, 
her  earthly  happiness  has  fled !  She  awakes 
from  a  sensual  illusion,  and  feels  that  she,  also, 
does  not  love.  Disturbance  of  the  nervous  sys- 
tem ensues,  partly  in  cun«eqoence  of  physical 
causes,  bat  mostly  the  efl'ect  of  the  repulsion, 
which  this  discovery  brings  with  it.  The  luxu- 
riant bloom  of  strength  and  beauty  fades,  like  an 
aromatic  tlower  in  the  poisonous  night  dews, 
and  the  9«f1ei*ing  condition  ensues  for  which  the 
physician  knows  no  other  remedy  than  exactly 
that  one',J[he  want  of  which  has  brought  on  the 
disease — love — sympathy  of  soul.  And  granting 
that  the  woman  has  found  love,  their  deliverance, 
through  love,  is  forbidden  by  all  tl)e  Laws  of 
church  and  state. 

"  In  the  second  case,  we  behold  the  woman  in 
a  subordinate  development  of  the  spiritual  life, 
with  less  depth  of  feeling,  giving  herself  up  to 
her  vocation  with  the  same  passion,  the  fulfil- 
ment of  wliich  enervates  her,  and  affords  her 
the  chai-m  of  life  which  satisfies  her.  Physical 
strength  and  abundance  fnrce  the  spiritual  life 
more  and  more  back  upon  itself,  and  by  degrees 
it  succumbs  to  the  influence  of  material  gratifi- 
c-.ition.  She  wants  no  love,  because  the  sus- 
ceptibility for  love  is  partly  extinct  in  her,  and 
because  she  considers  that  to  be  love  which  is 
no  love.  Whether  she  deceives  herself,  or  is 
deceived,  she  lives  on  in  illusion,  and  the  mate- 
rial side  of  Ul'e  affords  '  her  domestic  happiness.' 
Her  element  is  indifference.  She  is  a  so  called 
exemplary  wife,  who  knows  no  temptation,  and 
whose  virtue,  of  course,  does  not  stand  very 
high. 

"  In  the  third  case,  we  see  the  wosnan  as  an  in- 
tellectual being,  of  clear  understanding  and  en- 
nobled heart,  a  victim  of  circumstances,  with  a 
renunciation  of  love,  sold  like  a  slave  to  a  man 
who  is  unworthy  of  her.  Sophisms  of  the  un- 
derstanding led  her  to  the  resignation  of  love. 
She  seeks  to  overcome  her  decided  repulsion  to 
her  companion  by  the  philosophy  of  life ;  and 
only  lives  for  her '  duties.'  She  resigns  herself  to 
the  guidance  of  Hymen,  and  through  his  in- 
structions the  fulfilment  of  her  so  tailed  duties 
becomes  gradually  endurable,  and  at  length  aa 
agreeable  habit.  But  she  lives  in  eternal  contra- 
diction with  herself,  and  the  inevitable  disturb- 
ance of  the  nervous  system  soon  ensues ;  that 
physical  infirmity  which  is  the  reaction  of  the 
constraint  upon  her  inner  life ;  and  her  physical 
convulsions  are  the  effects  of  her  mental  strug- 
gles. She  feels  herself  fastened  for  ever  to  a  man 
whom  she  can  *  neither  love  nor  respect,'  while  it 
ibecomcs  clear  to  her  thai  he  is  universally  des- 
pised for  his  selfish  meanness;  that  he  has  ne- 
ver recognised  in  her  either  mind  or  heart,  but 
only  sought  a  woman  for  the  satisfaction  of  his 
sensual  desires. 

"  In  respect  to  cbaracter,meQ  do  not  judge  each 


DOLORES. 


165 


other  with  such  forbearance  and  considera- 
tion, as  the  wife  her  husband,  for  *  love  makes 
one  blind,  and  marriage  deaf  and  dumb  ;'  and 
granting  that  the  woman,  in  the  above  posi- 
tion, had  not  been  blind,  because  she  did  not 
love,  she  would  be  deaf  and  dumb,  as  a  wife  ; 
deaf,  to  all  reports  to  the  prejudice  of  her 
husband,  and  dumb,  as  to  all  that  she  feels 
against  him.  She  believes  it  her  duty  to  re- 
spect, in  her  companion,  the  husband  whom  she 
cannot  love;  she  feigns  towards  him  all  reve-. 
rence,  in  the  presence  of  others,  and  seeks  to 
make  a  virtue  of  the  low  hypocrisy  through 
which  the  wife  excuses,  embellishes,  and  (in 
case  of  need)  defends  all  the  faults  and  mean- 
nesses of  her  husband,  and,  by  degrees,  even 
approves  of  them.  Jean  Paul  calls  marriage 
'  a  double  egotism,'  but  I  maintain  that  mar- 
riage, without  love,  protects  all  crimes.  No 
wife  has  ever  yet  given  up  her  husband  to  jus- 
tice, as  a  thief  or  counterfeiter.  As  no  man  is 
so  vile  that  he  does  not  possess  some  concealed 
so  called  '  good  side,'  the  wife  seeks  to  bring  out 
this  good  side  of  her  husband,  judges  him  en- 
tirely according  to  it,  and  defends  and  smooths 
over  his  vices  and  crimes ;  compares  him  with 
others,  and  finds  preference  upon  preference ; 
and  an  unaccountable  self-deceit  makes  the 
'  father  of  a  family '  blameless,  where  the  '  man  ' 
would  be  condemned  for  his  meanne.ss.  What 
was  hypocrisy,  'then  becomes  demoralization  of 
the  heart' — the  feeling  is  blunted  wliich  once  rose 
against  baseness.  As  the  wife  in  her  hypocrisy 
must  despise  herself  for  being  a  dissembler,  so 
she  renounces,  by  degrees,  the  judgement  of  pub- 
lic opinion,  all  that  concerns  the  reputation  of 
her  husband,  whose  *  good  qualities '  satisfy  her. 
"  I  can  cite  cases :  one,  in  which  the  wife  of  a 
functionary  of  high  rank,  branded  by  public 
opinion  as  a  rascal,  a  cheat,  and  a  forger,  even 
declared,  to  a  confidential  friend,  every  word  to 
the  prejudice  of  her  husband,  which  had  casually 
come  to  her  ears,  to  be  calumny  and  lies,  while 
the  same  lady  had  long  felt  her  love  for  him  ex- 
tinguished, and  a  strong  repulsion  had  destroyed 
her  nervous  system.  I  attended  this  unhappy 
creature  in  hysterical  convulsions,  and  recog- 
nised the  impossibility  of  physical  deliverance 
where  moral  rescue  was  impossible.  So  I  at 
length  renounced  my  brilliant  practice  as  ladies' 
physician  in  Moscow,  and  went  into  the  navy. 
I  engaged  in  researches  upon  the  nature  of  wo- 
men and  upon  their  social  position,  and  asked 
myself:  Can  a  lady  who  is  really  not  wanting  in 
understanding  and  sagacity,  after  many  years  of 
such  intimate  connexion,  can  she  really  not  know 
the  character  of  her  husband  ?  Can  marriage 
without  love  blunt  the  feelings  and  the  power 
of  judgement !  Can  even  conjugal  familiarity 
weaken  the  intellectual  capacities,  as  repulsion 
disturbs  the  nervous  system  ?  I  sought  to  ex- 
plain, psychologically,  how  it  was  possible  that  a 
woman,  in  such  a  case,  could  steadily  take  up  the 
defence  of  her  husband  in  a  confidential  inter- 
view, and  I  beheld  her  sunk  into  the  abyss  of 
demoralization,  which  was  effected  by  the  union 
with  a  man  of  whose  meanness  and  baseness  slie 
must  partake.  Why  .'  Because  she  is  bound  to 
him  by  the  laws  of  church  and  state .'  O  no  ! 
because  he  is  her  '  husband,  the  father  of  her  chil- 
dren,' whom  she  possesses,  or  wished  to  possess  ; 
because  she  had  given  herself  to  him,  whether 


in  the  conceit  of  love,  or  from  resignation  of 
love.  She  is  his  wife,  and  his  crimes  are  hers — 
his  baseness  is  hers.  The  purchased  negro  slave 
can  curse  her  owner,  she  can  execrate  him,  in 
her  prayers  to  God,  for  deliverence  from  degrad- 
ing slavery  ;  tlie  wife,  the  lawful  property  of  the 
man  of  our  civilized  world,  must  bless  her  owner, 
and  intercede  for  him  before  the  world,  if  she 
cannot  intercede  for  him  with  God  ;  she  must 
feign  for  him  so  called  fidelity  and  respect  be- 
fore the  world,  although  he  lies  in  prison,  as  a 
forger  and  cheat,  or  is  taken  to  the  scaffold,  as  a 
criminal  and  a  murderer.  She  has,  long  ago, 
sacrificed  herself  to  him  ;  and  from  the  moment 
when  she  denied  him  in  her  heart  all  respect, 
and  feigned  for  him  all  respect  before  the  world, 
she  must  also  despise  herself,  in  her  demoraliza- 
tion and  in  her  hypocrisy." 

A  long  pause  ensued,  while  all,  even  the  ironi- 
cal, light-hearted  Henry  Fitz,  appeared  shocked 
by  the  communication  of  the  experienced  phy- 
sician. 

"  Love  ennobles,  marriage  without  love  de- 
stroys the  heart!"  at  length  remarked  Hinango, 
"  but  I  hope,  to  the  honor  of  women,  that  many 
admit,  to  themselves,  the  baseness  of  their  hus- 
bands," 

"  And,  of  course,  the  hypocrisy  is  so  much 
greater,"  interrupted  the  astronomer,  "  for  a  so 
called  cultivated  woman  will  deny  the  baseness 
of  her  husband  to  her  most  intimate  friend." 

"  And,  for  this  trait  in  the  character  of  woman, 
I  seek  for  a  word,  in  any  language  whatever,  but 
I  find  none,"  interrupted  Dr.  Thorfin. 

"  Frailty  !  thy  name  is  woman  !"  says  Shak- 
speare ;  "  there  you  have  the  word,"  added  IMr. 
Fitz,  laughing. 

"  Who  can  find  the  way  out  of  the  labyrinth  of 
contradictions,  into  which  marriage  without  love 
leads  a  woman  ?"  said  Hinango,  after  a  pause. 
"  JMarriage  without  love  is  a  school  of  immo- 
rality and  crime,  and  often  is  the  remote  cause  of 
insanity.  It  is  surprising  that  we  so  frequently 
find  the  most  interesting,  intelligent,  and  amiable 
women,  married  to  men  without  character,  and 
very  frequently  to  men  in  the  highest  degree 
contracted  and  stupid." 

"  That. will  admit  of  explanation,"  joined  in 
Mr.  Fitz.  "  A  French  woman  once  said  to  me, 
in  confidence  :  '  The  most  stupid  men  make  the 
best  husbands.'  But  it  is  the  more  inexplicable 
to  me,  that  many  sensible  women  think  their 
stupid  husbands  intelligent. 

"  I  every  day  less  and  less  understand  what  is 
comprised  under  the  notion  of  a  husband,"  said 
Hmango.  "  The  qualities  of  an  admirable  hus- 
band must  apparently  be  common  and  easy  to 
find,  as  every  woman  considers  her  husband  per- 
fect. At  least,  wo  !  wo  be  to  those  who  would 
express,  in  the  presence  of  a  wife,  a  doubt  of 
the  infallibility  of  her  husband." 

"  The  noblest  woman  acquires,  by  degrees, 
the  base  properties  of  her  husband,  while  she 
thinks  to  ennoble  him,"  observed  Dr.  Thorfin." 
She  sinks  down  to  him,  while  she  believes  that 
she  has  elevated  him,  and  at  length  lies  parallel 
with  him,  and  then  often  feels  very  ccmfortable. 
She  regards  her  companion  as  the  most  desira- 
ble one  on  earth  ;  at  least,  she  would  hardly  ex- 
change him  for  another.  All  this  happens  in 
marriage  without  love  ;  for  where  there  is  love, 
there  is  also  ennoblement.      A   noble-minded 


166 


DOLORES. 


woman  elevates  her  husband  to  the  most  noble 
sentiment,  when  he  loves  her  with  thesame  sin- 
cerity as  she  loves  him  '." 

"  I  have  known  women  that  would  suffer 
themselves  to  be  beaten  by  their  miserable  hus- 
band," said  Fitz,  laughing ;  "  beaten,  I  say,  and 
yet  they  not  only  lived  vi'ith  them,  but  had  the 
impudence  to  praise  such  unmanly  canaille  be- 
fore the  world,  as  a  pattern  of  domestic  virtue." 

"  Explain  that  to  me  psychologically,"  said 
Hinango  to  Thorfin. 

"  That  I  cannot,  fills  me  with  dread,"  replied 
the  latter,  "  for  I  have  known  families,  myself, 
in  which  the  husband  lived  on  the  property  of 
his  wife,  beat  her,  and  she  not  only  did  not 
separate  from  him,  but  praised  him  to  others,  as 
the  most  excellent  husband,  and  the  finest  gen- 
tleman, that  was  any  %vhere  to  be  found  !" 

"  A  commercial  house  that  I  know  here,"  re- 
marked Mr.  Fitz,  "  was  charged  to  send  a  young 
woman  back  to  her  friends  in  Europe,  whose 
husband  had  sunk  into  debauchery,  illtreated 
her,  stole  from  her,  and  lived  with  other  wo- 
men. She  refused  to  go  away,  and  went  back 
to  her  husband  instead." 

"  May  not  physical  causes  lie  at  the  bottom, 
in  such  a  case?"  inquired  the  captain;  "per- 
haps sensuality,  and  the  force  of  habit !" 

"  That  would  be  bestiality,  and  then  I  VTould 
renounce  my  faith  in  humanity,"  cried  Hinango. 

"  Our  two  friends,"   began   Mr.   Fitz,  after  a 

pause, "  D and  F ,  hy  no  means  illtreated 

their  wives,  and  were  certainly  not  bad  fellows." 

"  And  did  Madame  D leave  her  husband, 

and  her  property,  and  her  two  children .'"  Hin- 
ango asked. 

"  She  felt  that  he  did  not  love  her,"  answered 
Thorfin,  "  and  that  she,  also,  had  never  loved 
him ;  they  had  '  merely  mai-ried  each  other,'  as 
takes  place  a  thousand  times.  When  she  awoke 
from  the  illusion,  she  became  attached  to  an- 
other, of  whose  love  she  felt  certain.  She  must 
choose,  and  she  chose  him  whom  she  loved. 

"  The  flight  of  this  unhappy  mother  shows  the 
consequences  of  marriage  without  sympathy, 
certainly,  in  a  very  striking  light,  and  aflbrds 
abundant  material  tor  observation  upon  such  a 
disturbance  of  the  female  mind.  Even  her 
children,  as  the  fruits  of  her  sensuality  without 
love,  appeared  indifferent  to  her,  if  not  abhor- 
rent, when  she  became  acquainted  with  the 
feeling  of  love,  to  which  she  had,  until  then 
been  a  stranger.  But  wo  to  the  unfortunate 
whom  she  found  worthy  of  her  love,  when  it 
was  loo  late  ! 

"  Yet  another  !"  said  Mr.  Fitz.     "  Mr.  L , 

whom  you  know,  has  become  insane,  has  been 
taken  back  to  Europe,  and  died." 

"  .\nd  was  it  through  love  .'"  asked  Hinango. 

"  Alas  !"  replied  Dr.  Thorfin,  "  a '  mysterical ' 
woman  (as  Mr.  Thomson  expresses  himself)  had 
captivated  him,  and  appeared  to  love  him,  and 
he  loved  her;  and  because  he  loved  her,  he 
wished  to  keep  at  a  distance  from  her,  but  he 
could  not — he  fell  a  sacrifice  !  The  disturbed 
character  of  the  lady  showed  itself,  in  all  its  ca- 
prices, in  eternal  contradiction  with  herself  She 
illtreated  him  like  a  negro,  while  she  continued 
to  live  with  her  husband  He  loved  her,  as  a 
man's  heart  can  love. 

"The  thought  of  the  woman  he  loved,  in  the 
arms  of  another,  whom  she,  as  she  declai-ed,  did 


not  love,  made  him  derangej.  I  was  hw  physi- 
cian. He  had  lucid  moments  His  sulTerings 
were  unheard  of;  but  his  noble  character 
showed  itself,  as  well  as  his  pure  love  ;  he  for- 
gave her  all  she  had  brought  upon  him  by  her 
ill  usage.  A  double  image  lay  before  him",  and 
he  could  not  banish  it.  Not  far  from  the  coast 
of  England,  he  threw  himself  into  the  sea." 

"  1  know  the  captain  who  had  him  on  board 
as  a  passenger,"  said  Captain  Finngreen,  after  a 
pause.  "  He  must  have  been  a  noble  man  ;  but 
iio  one  suspected  the  cause  of  his  sufferings,  as  I 
learned  from  the  captain." 

"  If  he  had  ahrays  been  able  to  confide  in  a 
friend,  he  might  yet  have  been  saved,"  continued 
Thorfin ;  "  the  necessity  of  silence  brought  on 
his  illness,  and  his  death." 

"  And  the  woman  I  the  unhappy  woman  .'" 
hastily  inquired  Hinango,  "  how  did  she  bear  the 
news  of  his  death  .'" 

"  Who  can  answer  the  question  .'"  replied  Dr. 
Thorfin.  "  The  very  secrecy  which  he  uncon- 
sciously respected,  even  in  his  derangement, 
naturally  concealed  her  sufferings.  Her  nervous 
disorder  appears,  besides,  to  have  been  subdued 
by  time,  and,  with  a  certain  '  philosophy  of  life,' 
she  finds  her  comfort  in  l.er  social  relations." 

All  were  silent,  and  the  doctor  continued : 

"  Who  can  venture  to  decide  upon  what  she 
felt,  what  she  endured?  Willingly  w;ould  I 
always,  in  every  instance,  intercede  for  the  un- 
fortunate woman,  and  proclaim  her  innocent — 
innocent  before  God.  Would  you  condemn  a 
fever  patient  who,  in  a  paroxysm,  escapes  from 
his  watchers,  and  stabs  a  sleeping  person  ?  or 
would  you  accuse  a  somnambulist  of  suicide, 
who  should  leave  her  bed,  ascend  to  the  roof  of 
the  house,  and  there,  frightened  from  some  ac- 
cidental cause,  fall  and  break  her  neck  ?  We 
must  distinguish  effect  from  cause.  The  cause 
of  this  murder  was  mai-riage  without  love ;  the 
crime  had  its  foundation  in  the  past,  in  physical 
surrender  without  love,  whose  consequences  dis- 
turb the  nervous  system ;  and  all  the  other  crimes 
proceed  from  such  marriage." 

A  long  pause  again  ensued,  which  was  inter- 
rupted by  Captain  Finngreen. 

"  In  Old  England,"  he  observed,  "  marriage 
without  love  appears  to  have  been  a  la  mode,  at 
least,  in  'good  old  times,'  so  far  as' we  can 
infer  from  old  songs,  which,  in  general,  aptly 
indicate  the  customs  of  a  country.  I  once,  quite 
accidentally,  bought  an  old  book  of  plays,  in 
London,  a  volume  of  Dryden's  words,  for  which 
I  only  gave  sixpence,  and  it  contains  many  verses 
that  are  worth  six  guineas.  Just  at  the  begin- 
ning of  '  Marriage  a  la  mode,'  we  find  an  ad- 
mirable song  in  the  mouth  of  a  lady.  I  believe 
I  can  repeat  it." 

He  recited,  in  a  harmonious  tone : 
"  Why  should  a  foolish  marriage  vow. 
Which  long  ago  was  made. 
Oblige  us  to  each  other  now, 
When  pajisioQ  is  decayed  ? 
We  loved,  and  we  laved,  as  long  as  we  could, 

'Till  our  love  was  loved  out  in  us  both, 
But  Bur  maiTiage  is  dead,  when  the  pleasure  is  fled  : 
'Twas  pleasure  first  made  it  an  oath. 
If  1  have  pleasures  for  a  friend, 

And  further  love  in  store, 
What  wrong  has  he  whose  joys  did  eod. 
And  who  could  give  no  more  ? 
'Tis  a  madness  that  he 
Should  be  jealous  of  me, 


DOLORES. 


167 


Or  that  I  should  bar  him  of  another, 

Foi  all  we  can  gain 

Is  to  give  ourselves  pain, 
When  neither  can  hinder  the  other." 

"  Excellent !"  cried  Hinango,  while  all  laugh- 
ed. "  The  demoralization  of  marriage  a  la  mode, 
or  a  union  without  love,  is  displayed  in  this  song, 
in  all  its  revolting  nakedness  ;  for,  surely,  a  wo- 
man who  could  cherish  such  sentiments  could 
not  easily  captivate  any  man's  heart.  Such  a 
woman  was  either  incapable  of  love,  or  has  de- 
stroyed her  inward  life  by  a  marriage  a  la  mode. 
She  belongs  to  the  numerous  first  classes  of  wo- 
men, already  indicated!" 

"  Whoever  should  write  such  a  song  at  the 
present  day,"  observed  Dr.  Thorfin,  "  would  cer- 
tainly encounter  the  reproach  of  immorality,  as 
if  he  would  make  a  jest  of  the  sacrament  of  mar- 
riage." 

"  That  is  sufficiently  made  a  jest  of  by  mar- 
riage a  la  mode,  in  all  countries  of  Christen- 
dom," interrupted  Fitz. 

"  And  an  unfortunate  husband,"  continued 
Captain  Finngreen,  "  expresses  himself  just  as 
significantly  in  respect  to  his  marriage  de  eon- 
venance.  In  another  piece,  '  The  Conquest  of 
Grenada,'  this  poor  husband  sighs  thus : 

•  Marriage  !  thou  curse  of  love  and  snare  of  life, 

That  first  debased  a  mistress  to  a  wife  ! 

Love,  like  a  scene,  at  distance  should  appear 

But  marriage  views  the  gross-daubd  landscape  near. 

Love's  nauseous  cure  1  thou  cloy'st  whom  thou  shouldst 

please. 
And,  when  thou  cur'st,  then  thou  art  the  disease. 
When  hearts  are  loose,  thy  chain  our  bodies  ties  : 
Love  couples  friends  ;  but  marriage,  enemies. 
If  love,  like  mine,  continues  after  thee, 
*Tis  soon  made  sour,  and  turu'd  by  jealousy. 
No  sign  of  love  in  jealous  men  remains, 
But  that  which  sick,  men  have  of  life — their  pains.' " 

"  I  know  the  'glorious  John  Dryden,'  as  the 
tailor  poet,  Claud  Halcro,  in  Walter  Scott's  '  Pi- 
rate,' calls  him,"  remarked  Hinango,  "  and  con- 
sider him  classical  in  English  literature.  He 
appears,  besides,  to  have  known  and  deeply  felt 
the  sulferings  of  unhappy  love.  His  Almanzor, 
in  the  '  Conquest  of  Grenada,'  is  a  sort  of  Don 
Carlos,  as  represented  by  Schiller  How  admi- 
rably tender  are  the  dialogues  between  Almanzor 
and  the  queen  I" 

"  The  manners  of  Old  England,  in  those  days, 
may  have  been  as  licentious  as  they  still  are  in 
many  countries,"  rejoined  Dr.  Thorfin ;  but 
Dryden  proves,  as  the  representative  of  his 
epoch,  that  pure  true  love,  even  then,  found  an 
altar  in  men's  hearts." 

"And  he  subscribes  his  testimony  to  the  ac- 
knowledgement of  woman's   worth,"  concluded 
Captain  Finngreen,  **  while  he  declares, 
'  Your  sex  and  beauty  are  your  privilege  I'  " 

"  True  enough,"  affirmed  the  air  pump  con- 
troller, "  only  the  fair  but  too  frequently  abuse 
their  '  privilege,'  at  the  expense  of  man's  heart ; 
and  if  we  could  examine  the  madhouses  and 
graves,  it  would  become  ascertained  that  fewer 
females  have  become  insane,  or  have  ended  by 
suicide,  from  unfortunate  sympathy,  than  males. 
Women  are  generally  more  strongly  constituted 
than  men,  and  can  bear  a  good  deal,  as  well 
morally  as  physically." 

Another  long  serious  pause  foUgwed. 

"  Do  you  believe  that  Madame  Closting  knows 
the  character  of  her  husband .'"  asked  Hinango 
at  length. 


"  They  gave  her  a  true  picture  of  him  before 
she  married  him,"  replied  Thorfin.  "  She  de- 
clared it  all  to  be  lies  and  calumny,  an  outburst 
of  envy  against  him  and  her." 

"  She  was  of  course  blind,"  observed   Fitz, 

and  even  before  marriage  deaf;  lately  she  has 
also  become  dumb,  and  is  now  an  exen.plary 
wife,  who  called  her  negro  to  turn  me  out  of 
doors  when  I  once  mentioned,  incidentally,  that 
I  had  known  her  husband  in  Europe  !" 

"  Would  it  not  be  the  duty  of  such  a  woman 
to  part  from  her  husband,"  remarked  Hinango, 
"  before  sympathy  for  another  should  overpower 
her,  and  she,  perhaps,  should  captivate  some- 
noble  youth,  or  man,  and  kindle  a  flame  in  him 
which  might  destroy  him,  and  lead  him  to  sui- 
cide, or  burden  him  with  an  existence  more  ter- 
rible than  death  ?" 

"  I  have,  as  yet,  known  no  case  in  which  a 
woman  has  parted  from  her  husband  on  account 
of  his  bad  character,  from  moral  conviction,"  re- 
plied the  physician.  "  Church  and  state  promote 
demoralization.  The  moral  baseness  of  a  man, 
according  to  my  knowledge,  does  not  serve  as 
valid  grounds  for  divorce,  if  certain  points  be 
not  proved." 

"  The  viler  the  fellow,  so  much  the  less  will 
the  woman  separate  from  him,"  observed  Hi- 
nango, "  for  she  is  demoralized  by  him." 

"  A  dreadful  truth,  which  the  reality  around 
us  here  confirms,"  sighed  the  doctor.  "  A  lady 
like  Madame  Closting  may  involuntarily  com- 
mit a  murder  to-day,  or  to-morrow,  if  she  should 
come  in  contact  with  some  unfortunate  for  whom 
she  feels  a  sympathy,  and  who,  for  the  moment, 
forgets  Seume's  warning.  You  know  what  I 
mean  ?" 

Mr.  Fitz  recited,  with  peculiar  seriousness  : 

"  Flee  from  the  woman,  friend  \  within  whose  snare 
Is,  first,  intoxication,  then  despair — 
And  in  the  whole  creation  no  where  dwells 
A  being  that  with  every  angel  gift 
In  which  the  blinded  victim  may  delight. 
Will  pay  thee  more  terribly  with  despite." 

"  But  Seume  speaks  entirely  of  wives,  not  o' 
maidens,"  added  he,  with  his  customary  humor. 

"  Wo  to  those  !"  cried  Hinango,  "  who  attain 
such  experience  as  we  must  pre-suppose  in 
Seume,  before  he  was  able  to  utter  such  words 
of  warning.  I,  as  a  man,  would  sooner  send  a 
bullet  into  my  head  than " 

He  was  interrupted  by  some  one  knocking  at 
the  door,  and  Robert  entered  the  room,  with  a. 
loud  friendly  greeting. 

"  I  come  in  all  haste  to  see  my  travelling 
companions  in  their  comfort,  and  to  wish  them 
good  night,"  said  he  to  the  three  newly  arrived 
strangers.  "  1  have  taken  my  sister  home,  and 
am  to  stay  at  the  Hotel  Faroux  to-night,  to  have 
a  meeting  with  some  one  early  in  the  morning 
on  business.  It  is,  to  be  sure,  a  holiday,  but 
not  an  English  one  !" 

His  travelling  companions  returned  the  youth's 
pressure  of  the  hand;  he  hastily  drank  a  cup  of 
tea,  and  inquired  if  he  could  be  in  any  way  use- 
ful to  them,  as  he  was  ready  to  devote  a  part  of 
the  following  day  to  them.  The  friends  returned 
their  thanks  with  the  same  heartiness  with  which 
the  offer  had  been  made.  Robert  then  stepped 
aside  with  Hinango,  and  revealed  to  him  under 
what  mask  Dolores  had  been  presented  to  his 
aiiut,  aud  begged  him,  incase  any  thing  was  said 


168 


DOLORES. 


of  her,  to  guide  himself  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
maintain  her  incognito.  Hinango  seemed  sur- 
prised at  the  cleverness  and  zeal  with  which  he 
had  conducted  in  this  afTair,  and  assured  him  of 
his  sincere  approbation.  The  youth,  thereupon, 
took  leave  as  hastily  as  he  had  come,  and  de- 
parted. 

"  Is  he  engaged  to ?"  inquired  Captain 

Finnsreen,  when  Mr.  Walker  left  the  room. 

"  To  the  young  lady  you  mean  who  accom- 
panied his  sister  on  board  at  Buenos  Ayres  ?" 
interrupted  Hinango  hastily,  with  a  stolen  wink, 
in  reference  to  the  presence  of  Mr.  Fitz,  towards 
whom  he  entertained  not  the  slightest  distrust, 
but  whose  levity  he  knew.  "  I  believe  not, 
captain,"  added  he,  "  Robert's  heart  appears  as 
yet  untouched  by  the  electric  ray  of  love."' 

"  He  is  an  excellent  young  man  !"  observed 
the  captain,  "that  he  is,  so  far  as  I  know  him, 
and  endowed  by  nature  and  by  fate  with  all  that 
might  make  a  woman  happy  who  is  worthy  of 
him.  He  behaved  nobly  and  resolutely  in  res- 
cuing Alvarez.  I  should  hardly  have  expected 
it  of  him." 

"  Nor  I  either ;  but  the  '  merchanf  has  not 
yet  choked  the  'man'  in  him,"  added  Hinango. 
"  He  has  deep  feelings,  and  his  position  is  dan- 
gerous; he  will  often  have  to  suppress  them  on 
the  exchange." 

"  No  one  has  any  business  there  with  mind  and 
feelings,"  said  Mr.  Fitz.  .  . 

Captain  Finngreen  looked  at  his  watch,  re- 
marked that  it  was  late,  and  rose  to  return  to  his 
vessel.  Horatio  and  Alvarez  had  taken  little 
part  in  the  conversation  in  the  Norse  language, 
and  being,  besides,  wearied  and  exhausted,  had 
withdrawn  to  their  rooms. 

Mr.  Fitz  attended  the  captain  to  his  shallop, 
and  Dr.  Thorfin  remained  alone  with  Hinango. 


CHAPTER   VII. 

PLANS    OF    MARRI.\GE. 

HnvANGo  had  already,  on  board  the  Nordtsjer- 
nan,  communicated,  in  all  brevity,  to  his  friend. 
Dr.  Thorfin,  the  circumstances  of  the  South 
American  lady,  whose  personal  security,  before 
all  things,  lay  near  his  heart. 

"  You  know  old  Mr.  Thomson,  then,  as  it  ap- 
pears, very  well  .>"  inquired  he,  now  that  they 
were  alone;  "  do  you  believe  that  he  is  a  man 
who  would  protect  her,  in  case  a  cunning  plan 
should  be  formed  for  carrying  her  off  to  Bue- 
nos Ayres. 

"  I  know  the  old  man,  and  have  great  confi- 
dence in  him.  He  is  a  genuine  Briton,  in  the 
noblest  sense  of  the  word  ;  who  possesses  many 
of  the  good  qualities  of  his  nation,  but  there- 
with, also,  the  individual  originality  which  we 
generally  find  among  Britons,  and  which  ex- 
actly characterizes  them.  So  far  as  I  know  old 
Mr.  George,  it  does  not  appear  improbable  to 
me,  that  he  may  come  to  the  resolution  to  offer 
his  hand  to  Dolores  !  to  marry  her !" 

Hinango,  to  whom  laughter  was  not  very 
familiar,  suddenly  underwent  the  involuntary 
violent  shaking  of  the  diaphragm,  which,  accord- 


ing to  the  assertion  of  physicians,  is  so  conda- 
cive  to  health,  and  is  not  so  easily  smothered  ; 
he  sank  upon  a  sofa,  and  yielded  himself  to  the 
influence  of  an  intimation,  which  was  certainly 
originally  British,  insomuch  as  two  extremes 
were  to  meet. 

"No!  you  joke!"  cried  he  at  length,  drying 
the  drops  of  Momus  from  his  cheeks ;  "  I  hardly 
think  that  he  can  entertain  such  an  idea." 

"  Why  not .'  he  has  had  four  wives,  and  is  now 
looking  out  for  a  fifth ;  and,  so  far  as  I  know  his 
taste,  such  a  majestic  figure  as  your  fellow-voy- 
ager, with  a  tendency  to  corpulency,  as  he  calls 
it,  and  which  he  likes,  is,  for  him,  an  alluring 
object." 

"  But,  Mr.  George  would  be  no  alluring  object 
for  Dolores,  so  far  as  I  know  her,"  said  Hinango, 
laughing. 

"  Of  that  I  am  just  as  well  satisfied." 

"  And  the  fellow,  the  spy,  of  whom  you  told 
me,  visits  at  Thomson's  V' 

"  He  has  worked  himself  in  there,  as  into 
many  other  families ;  less,  however,  as  it  appears, 
to  spy  there,  than  to  make  his  court  to  Mr. 
Thomson's  sister.  She  is  an  old  maid,  who  pos- 
sesses some  property,  and  hopes,  at  length, 
through  the  baron,  to  wear  the  ring." 

"  You  believe,  then,  that  he  designs  to  offer 
himself!" 

"  So  it  seems  to  me ;  a  speculation  on  his  part, 
to  betake  himself  to  repose,  somehow,  or  to 
travel  about  more  comfortably ;  to  keep  house 
here  and  there,  to  receive  foreigners  at  home, 
and  so  act  the  spy  more  conveniently.  We  see 
such  perambulating  social  circles  in  many  cities, 
where  the  elements  of  fermentation  exist,  which 
the  European  powers  think  it  important  to 
control." 

"  Yes,  indeed,  similar  posts  have  been  pro- 
posed to  both  of  us,  in  our  travels,  and  under 
very  brilliant  conditions,  too." 

"  To  you,  as  well  as  to  me,"  assented  Thorfin. 
"  Literati  and  physicians  appear  to  be  very  useful 
subjects  to  the  secret  police.  The  title  of  baron, 
whether  true  or  false,  always  has  its  value  with 
the  English  %vomen,  as  a  qualification  of  respect- 
ability, although  a  German  baron  certainly  does 
not  stand  very  high  in  England.  Whoever,  as  a 
foreigner,  makes  acquaintance  in  an  English 
family,  and  wishes  to  marry,  will  do  better  to 
call  himself  count,  and  in  three  weeks  he  will 
make  a  good  match." 

"  What  sort  of  person  is  Miss  Thomson  ?  how 
will  she  deport  herself  to  a  young  lady,  such  as  I 
have  described  Dolores  to  you  .'" 

"  As  lead  to  gold,  and  as  pebbles  to  a  diamond. 
She  is  one  of  those  females  of  English  manu- 
facture who  proceed  as  marriageable  from  the 
always  uniformly  moving  machine  of  English  fin- 
ishing. She  is  a  brilliant  production  of  the 
British  system  of  education,  according  to  which 
children  are  forbidden  to  cry,  or  to  laugh,  and 
are  rapped  on  the  knuckles  when  they  show  a 
lively  interest  in  any  thing,  as  that,  of  course, 
manifests  excitability  of  feeling.  She  appears 
to  be  a  masterpiece  of  such  culture,  since  there 
is  evidently  no  trace  of  feeling  left  in  hep.  One 
would  believe  that  such  beings  have  no  souls, 
and  in  consequence,  do  not  operate  with  the 
attraction  upon  the  manly  heart,  and  so  remain 
single,  their  characters  becoming  every  year 
more  soured  and  embittered,  until,  at  length,  a 


DOLORES, 


169 


canllditc  Tor  mAti'Imony  feels  himself  attracted 
tmv.ii'iii  thorn  by  their  fortune,  (in  case  they  po3- 
ses-i  one,)  and  so  '  the  antiquity '  is  taken  into  the 
bar;;ain. 

"  This  is  the  class  to  which  Miss  Thomson 
bolonijs." 

"  A  bad  governess  for  Dolores.  And  you  are 
Mr,  Thomson's  family  physician  ?" 

"  I  am  his  physician,  but  not  hers;  she  uses 
her  English  domestic  quack-pharmacopsia,  and, 
in  special  cases,  very  naturally,  an  English  phy- 
sician " 

"  Well !  you  visit  at  Mr.  Thomson's  country 
house  ?" 

"  To  be  sure  !  I  am  very  intimate  with  Mr. 
Thomson." 

"  We  shall  by  that  means,  on  our  part,  then, 
be  able  to  guard  Dolores ;  and  keep  up  a  com- 
munication with  her." 

"  So  long  as  the  country  house  at  Bota  Fogo 
is  not,  like  Paris,  surrounded  by  citadels,  and 
declared  in  a  state  of  siege,  I  hope  to  have  ad- 
mittance there." 

"  Whilst  the  old  negro  Achilles  remains  in 
her  service,  she  has  personal  defence,  besides 
her  pistols,  in  case  a  formal  attempt  sliould  be 
made  to  carry  her  off;  which  I  do  not  expect. 
I  rather  fear  that  they  will  endeavor  to  remove 
her,  and  get  her  in  their  possession  by  strata- 
gem, especially  if  she,  according  to  her  inten- 
tion, continues  her  literary  efTorts  here,  arranges 
her  poems  for  an  edition,  and  finally  issues 
them." 

"  That  would,  perhaps,  not  be  advisable." 

"  My  dear  Thorfin,  is  it  altogether  advisable 
on  her  part,  or  mine,  to  put  our  heads  at  hazard, 
and  renounce  all  claims  on  life,  from — how  shall 
I  call  that  which  impels  us  ?  from  a  self-convic- 
tion of  our  vocation  ?  from  an  irresistible  in- 
ward impulse,  which  drives  us  to  intellectual 
efrort3 .'  Is  it  not  the  requisition  of  the  strength 
within  her,  as  in  me,  to  strive  on  in  eternal  move- 
ment, induced  by  the  attraction  of  the  idea  whose 
rays  penetrate  us  .'" 

"  I  understand  you,  Ormur !  and  in  these 
words,  you  have  defined  your  position  and  hers." 

**  My  position  is  a  peculiar  one — I  know  my- 
self; I  stand  low  before  God,  for  he  knows  that 
I  bear  this  earthly  life  as  a  burden — that  I  long 
for  death." 

"  Ever  this  horrible  longing  for  death  !"  in- 
terrupted Thorfin.  "  Poor  Ormur  !  you  are 
weak.  Can  you  then  attain  to  no  side  of  life 
which  will  give  you  a  hold  upon  earthly  exist- 
ence ?" 

"None,  but  the  duty  yet  to  live  for  the  cause 
of  the  nations.  I  often  feel  myself  bowed  down, 
however,  and  from  day  to  day  become  more  de- 
solate within.  When  I  again  saw,  to-day,  this 
paradise  of  Guenabara,  I  cannot  tell  you  how 
entirely  different  it  appeared  to  me  from  before. 
It  seemed  to  me  as  if  a  veil  hung  between  me 
and  nature,  that  separated  me  from  her,  that 
made  me  foreign  to  her ;  as  if  the  whole  pano- 
rama around  me  here  were  a  pictured  image,  not 
through  its  originality,  as  at  the  first  view,  two 
years  ago,  but  through  a  certain  indescribable 
something  in  myself  that  isolated  me— separated 
me  from  the  world — the  social  world,  to  which 
1  do  not  belong,  which  has  thrust  me  forth  be- 
cause my  mind  recognises  an  aim,  in  advance  of 
tne  age,  that  stands  higher  than  our  time,  because 
22 


I  have  become  a  man,  and  the  world  only  re- 
quires machines." 

"  God,  who  has  assigned  you  the  path,  will  arm 
you,  also,  with  strength  to  tread  it,  to  pursue  your 
aim.  Continue  in  the  consciousness  of  your 
strength,  preserve  your  faith  in  humanity  and  in 
God.  And  now,  good  night.  I  have  the  chacara 
on  St.  Theresa  arranged  for  you  to-morrow.  Ho- 
ratio, and  Alvarez  can  likewise  come  to  me 
to-morrow,  at  my  house  on  da  Gloria.  I  did  not 
find  Vernon  at  home ;  he  will  bring  the  letters 
to  you  himself  early  in  the  morning." 

The  friends  separated,  and  Hinango  stepped 
out  upon  the  balcony,  gazed  upward  at  the  south- 
ern cross,  and  sank  into  meditations,  to  which  we 
will  leave  him  for  the  present. 


"WV^^ys/^.^^/^^^^- 


CHAPTER   VIII. 


MISS  SUSAN. 


Miss  Susan  Thomson  sat  in  a  shady  arbor  on 
the  garden  terrace  of  the  country  house  at  Bota 
Fogo,  which  she  inhabited  with  her  brother. 
She  was  a  "young  lady"  on  the  wrong  side  ot 
forty,  slender,  and  without  the  slighest  tendency 
to  corpulency,  in  a  pearl  coloured  satin  dress,  h 
la  Victoria,  with  flounce  trimmings,  a  la  Mel- 
bourne. Her  countenance,  though  tolerably  re- 
gularly formed,  was  without  expression,  an 
empty  leaf,  that,  as  the  title  page  of  her  heart, 
said  nothing  at  all.  A  moderately  large  light 
gray  eye  contained  so  little  "  fluid  ray,"  that  it 
hardly  entered  the  eyes  of  a  person  upon 
whom  she  looked,  when  in  conversation,  not- ' 
withstanding  which,  however.  Miss  Susan  saw 
as  keenly  at  a  distance  as  a  pilot  on  the  coast  of 
Old  England.  She  was  born  in  Berkeley  street, 
near  Berkeley  square,  London  ;  of  course,  she 
was  of  substantial  respectability.  From  the  first 
little  socks,  that  full  forty  years  before  she  had 
worn  on  her  little  feet,  to  the  certainly  somewhat 
larger  stockings  whose  silken  fabric  was  suitable 
to  the  larger  footing  on  which  she  lived  in  Rio, 
she  had  never  worn  a  single  thread  that  was  not 
of  British  manufacture.  She  was  reading  in 
Campbell's  "  Pleasures  of  Hope,"  in  a  book 
which  had  never  seemed  to  her  so  interesting 
and  attracting,  as  since  she  had  become  ac- 
quainted with  the  Baron  de  Spandau  whose 
attentions  had  awakened  thoughts  in  her,  that 
almost  bor(^ered  upon  sentiment.  Hearing  foot- 
steps in  a  sidewalk  of  the  park  which  led  from 
the  house  to  the  terrace,  she  thrust  the  "  Plea- 
sures of  Hope"  into  her  reticule,  and  took  out, 
instead,  the  Almanac  of  British  Missions,  in  the 
reading  of  which  she  appeared  absorbed,  as  a 
negro  brought  her  a  billet,  in  which  Mr.  Thom- 
son informed  her  of  the  arrival  of  the  relatives 
from  Buenos  Ayres,  with  the  request  that  she 
would  send  the  dark  blue  carriage  to  the  land- 
ing place. 

"  Is  it  possible!"  cried  she ;  "  Miss  Fanny  and 
Mr.  Robert  Walker,  from  Buenos  Ayres  !  is  it 
possible .'"  and  she  hastened  to  give  the  requisito 
orders  to  the  butler,  who  was,  besides,  chief  JD' 
tendant  of  the  equipages. 


170 


DOLORES. 


When  the  negro  had  withdrawn,  and  Misg  Su 
Fan  found  herself  once  more  alone,  at  home,  she 
ventured  to   pursue  her   worldly  reading   with 
the   more   security,   since    she   was    now   sure 
that   her   brother    would    not    come    so    soon 
Hardly,  however,  had  she  read  some  lines,  when 
she  was  again  disturbed,  and  again  took  in  her 
hand  the  Almanac   of   Missions,   being  threat 
ened  by  the  danger  of  having  her  sinful  propen 
aity  for  worldly  reading  remarked. 

A  negro  in  livery,  on  horseback,  brought  a 
flower  pot,  with  a  rare  Chinese  plant,  and  a  writ- 
ten compliment,  from  Monsieur  le  Baron  de 
Spandau,  in  which  he  commended  this  flower, 
from  the  Celestial  empire  of  legitimacy,  to  her 
especial  care,  significantly  adding :  "  They  call 
this  flower  (which  will  gradually  unfold  itself) 
I'Esperance  de  Chine,  or  "I'Amour  del'Empire 
Celeste  ?" 

Miss  Susan's  pale  countenance  %vas  suffused 
by  a  maiden  blush,  as  she  read  the  billet,  which 
was  directed  to  George  Thomson,  Esq.,  at  Bota 
Fogo,  and  was  unsealed. 

She  considered,  for  a  long  time,  whether  she 
should  give  a  millreis  to  the.servant  of  the  amia- 
ble baron,  or  whether  such  a  gift  would  not 
compromise  the  baron's  livery.  Not  from 
economy,  or  avarice,  but  out  of  pure  discretion 
in  respect  to  the  compensation  of  the  negro,  she 
at  length  decided  to  hand  him  a  patack  in  copper, 
which  the  mulack  on  horseback  received  with 
thanks,  and  departed  on  a  gallop. 

The  suddenly  ensuing  twilight  at  length  in- 
terrupted Miss  Susan's  reading ;  she  walked 
through  the  tropical  shrubberies  of  the  "  Eng- 
lish park,"  into  the  apartment,  furnished  in 
English  style,  and  placed  the  worldly  book, 
among  the  less  interesting  books  of  her  brother, 
,  which  principally  treated  of  the  art  of  fishing, 
a  favorite  study  of  the  old  widower.  In  expec- 
tation of  the  relatives  who  were  coming,  she 
commanded  the  stranger's  room  to  be  put  in 
order,  anrt  the  tea  table  set  for  four  persons, 
contemplating,  from  time  to  time,  the  plant  de 
I'Amour  de  I'Empire  Celeste,  which  only  showed 
a  very  small,  hardly  perceptible  bud ;  and  at 
length  the  blue  carriage  rattled  before  the  high 
gate  of  the  English  country  house. 

The  strangers  entered  the  garden,  and  Miss 
Susan  walked  slowly  towards  them,  for  a  hurried 
step  would  have  indicated  a  certain  excitement 
of  feeling,  which  was  contrary  to  all  fashion, 
»nd,  besides,  unknown  in  the  ice  cellar  of  her 
heart. 

"  Good  evening  Aunt  Susan  !  how  are  you  .' 
always  well  and  hearty  .'"  cried  Robert  to  her 
from  a  distance,  .^unt  Susan  made  bo  reply,  but 
directed  her  British  critical  glance  towards  that 
majestic  form  of  the  American  lady,  who  ap- 
peared on  the  arm  of  the  old  widower,  attended 
by  Achilles  and  his  daughter  Corinna.  The  rich, 
black,  splendid  hair,  '  a  I'enfant,'  of  the  young 
lady,  was  evidently  not  the  less  dark  hair  of  Miss 
Fanny  Walker. 

"  What  the  devil  is  this  ?"  she  muttered  to 
herself;  "  can  I  have  lest  my  senses  ?" 

"  How  are  you.  Miss  Susan  ?"  cried  Mr.  Thom- 
son also.  "  Thank  you  for  sending  the  carriage. 
I  have  the  honor  to  present  to  you  the  Seiiora 
Isabella  Campana — the  betrothed  of  our  nephew 
Robert,  who  has  run  away  with  her  from  Buenos 
Ayres.     Senora  Isabella  will  pass  for  our  niece 


until  we  hare  obtained  the  consent  of  her  pa- 
rents. Mark  that  !  and  keep  a  close  mouth.  Do 
you  understand  me.  Miss  Susan  ?  And  now  be 
properly  friendly,  and  give  your  hand  to  our 
future  relative  !" 

Senora  Dolores  courtesied  with  the  elegant  dig- 
nity which  %va§  peculiar  to  her  nature,  but  Miss 
Susan  by  no  means  held  out  her  hand  to  her. 
"  So !"  was  all  that,  after  a  long  pause,  her  thin 
violet  blue  lips  uttered.  She  stood  before  the 
exile  of  La  Plata,  like  a  statue  cast  out  of  sul- 
phur, lunar  caustic,  and  gall. 

It  was  not  merely  a  passing  moment,  it  was 
'ail  event'  in  her  dry,  lean  life  of  forty  years — an 
event  that  agitated  her  hardly  living  nerves,  in 
a  degree  to  which  no  event  upon  this  planet 
had  ever  yet  affected  and  agitated  Miss  Susan 
Thomson.  Nothing — ^nothing  in  the  world  in- 
terested her  beside  the  baron,  since  he  had 
admired  her  really  handsome,  though  rather 
large  teeth.  Nothing  could  make  any  impres- 
sion upon  her  but  a  visit  of  the  baron,  and  the 
incidental  intelligence  that  any  young  lady  of 
her  acquaintance  (whether  some  weeks,  months, 
or  years  younger  than  herself)  was  betrothed; 
was  to  be  married,  or  even  had  already  passed 
the  line  of  female  destiny.  With  a  contemptu- 
ous glance,  the  feeble  ray  of  which  did  not,  it 
is  true,  stream  forth  more  than  three  inches 
from  the  point  of  her  nose,  she  gazed  upon  the 
handsome,  stately  youth,  and  then  again  upon  the 
embarrassed  betrothed,  %vho  raised  her  hand  to 
meet  the  expected  pressure  of  Aunt  Susan's.  The 
hardly  grown  "  green  youth"  seized  in  her  stead 
the  hand  of  his  "  bride,"  and  shook  it  right  hear- 
tily, in  good  English  style,  and  said  : 

"  Come  in,  Senora  Isabella  !  uncle  George  will 
show  you  your  rooms ;  we  will  then  drink  tea, 
and  I  will  hurry  back  to  the  city,  to  my  hotel." 

The  words  "  to  the  city,  to  my  hotel,"  fell  upon 
Miss  Susan's  ear  like  a  verse  from  a  psalm,  and 
at  least  intimated  the  speedy  departure  of  her 
insufferable  nephew  from  La  Plata,  who,  "  hardly 
out  of  school,"  had  carried  off  a  young  lady,  and, 
as  it  appeared,  even  had  the  fixed  intention  to 
marry  her  !  an  idea  which  certainly  was  enough 
to  make  a  young  lady  like  Aunt  Susan  crazy,  as 
no  youth  on  earth  had  ever  sought  to  put  in  ex- 
ecution such  an  idea  towards  her,  notwithstand- 
ing she  was  already  some  months  older  than  this 
strange  person. 

Mr.  Thomson  led  the  young  lady  to  the  door 
of  a  room  that  stood  ready  for  her,  besought 
indulgence  for  the  ill  humor  of  his  sister,  and 
hurried  back  to  her  "  to  read  her  a  text"  upon 
such  inhospitality  towards  a  strange  lady,  whom 
their  genial  nephew  had  carried  off  from  Buenos 
Ayres  to  Rio,  as  dexterously  as  so  many  old  or 
young  gentlemen  in  England  have  escorted  a 
bride  to  Gretna  Green. 

"  George  !"  cried  Miss  Susan  to  her  brother, 
anticipating  his  lecture,  and  pointing  with  the 
dry  thumb  of  her  right  hand  to  a  path  sur- 
rounded by  thick  shrubbery,  towards  which  she 
directed  her  steps ;  "  George  !  I  have  something 
to  say  to  you." 

Mr.  George  followed  the  indication  of  the 
thumb,  and  entered  the  lonely  corner,  in  which 
his  sister  came  up  to  him,  with  both  hands  rest- 
ing on  her  waist,  and,  staring  at  him  from  head  to 
foot,  asked  him :  "  Have  you  dined  at  the  Hotel 
Faroux .'" 


DOLORES. 


171 


"  To  be  sore ;  with  the  Baron  de  Spandau 
and  Dr.  Thorfin,"  replied  the  old  widower. 

"  Then  you  are  intoxicated  ?" 

"  I  might  ask  you,  in  return,  whether  you  are 
crazy ;  but  it  would  be  unkind,  and,  therefore,  I 
shall  only  think  as  I  please." 

"  Notwithstanding  that,  I  repeat  the  question, 
what  does  this  mean  ?  What  is  it  ?  what  must  I 
call  it  ?  You  bring  a  foreigner  into  the  house,  and 
introduce  her  as  Robert's  betrothed,  whom  he 
has  carried  olT  from  Buenos  Ayres !" 

"  Carried  off  with  the  connivance  of  his  father, 
Mr.  John  Walker,  although  he  could  not  own  it 
in  Buenos  Ayres." 

"  With  Mr.  John's  consent  ?  Have  I  heard 
rightly  .'  And  she  is  a  Spanish  woman  !  a  South 
American,  and,  also,  a  Catholic.'" 

"  Probably !  and  has  brought  with  her  a  for- 
tune of  about  a  million  two  hundred  thousand 
pesos  in  solid  paper — for  she  is  of  age,  and  the 
consent  of  her  parents,  which  she  expects,  is  a 
secondary  concern." 

"  Then  she  has  property  ?  and  it  is  at  her  dis- 
posal ?  and  she  is  of  age  .'  Of  age  .'  Then  she 
IS  not  so  very  young;  and,  indeed,  that  may 
easily  be  seen.  She  is  no  longer  a  child.  But 
a  Catholic  !  and  I  must  live  under  one  roof  with 
her !" 

"  That  is  not  necessary,"  said  Mr.  Thomson, 
laughing.  "  You  can  move  into  the  pavilion, 
over  there  ;  that  has  a  separate  roof." 

"  Nonsense  !  You  even  permit  yourself  to 
jest  with  my  religion,  degenerate  as  you  are, 
with  all  your  Catholic  wives!  Four!  four 
women  has  this  man  led  to  the  altar,  and  a  per- 
son like  me  has  not  even "     She  suppressed 

her  righteous  lamentation,  and  burst  into  bitter 
tears.  "  And  that  simpleton,  that  booby,  Robert, 
already  thinks  of  matrimony,  and  is,  at  the 
utmost,  two  and  twenty  years  old ;  and  brings  a 
Catholic  into  the  house,  who  is,  to  be  sure,  not 
so  very  young.  But  what  is  the  particular  need 
of  her  being  married  just  now  ?  Ai'e  they  in 
such  a  hurry .'"  She  dried  her  righteous  tears, 
and  inquired  further  :  "  And  the  person  is  to 
pass  for  Miss  Fanny  .'" 

"  Yes  !"  replied  Mr.  George,  briefly  and  posi- 
tively. "  No  one  must  know  but  that  she  is 
Miss  Fanny  Walker ;  and  if  you  undertake  to 
betray,  by  a  look,  that  she  is  not,  I  will  forbid 
the  baron  the  house,  and  he  shall  never  cross 
my  threshold  again  I  Do  you  know  what's 
trump  ?  Hearts  are  played — take  the  trick,  or 
follow  suit." 

"  Shocking!"  sighed  Miss  Susan,  directing  her 
feeble  glance  towards  the  summit  of  the  Corco- 
vado,  into  the  cloudless  ether.  "  And  he  talks  in 
card-playing  language  to  spite  me,  in  the  bar- 
gain, for  he  knows  that  I  can  as  little  endure  card 
playing,  as  musical  instruments  and  Catholics." 

"  Then  the  Baron  de  Spandau  ought  never  to 
come  to  the  house  again,"  said  Mr.  George, 
biiefly  and  pointedly. 

"How  so?  Good  heavens!  how  so?"  in- 
quired she,  hastily. 

"  Why,  because  he  is  a  Catholic." 

"  A  Catholic  !  The  Baron  de  Spandau  a 
Catholic  ?" 

"  To  be  sure,  Miss  Susan  ;  a  Catholic,  from 
the  land  of  Goshen,  or  Posen,  in  Prussia,  or  some- 
wtere  else. '  But  he  is  a  Catholic  ;  that  I  know 
assuredly." 


Miss  Susan  stood  like  a  welt  spiced  plum 
pudding  overflowed  with  Jamaica  rum.  Mazing 
up,  and  the  blood  mounted  with  such  violence 
to  her  head,  that  the  veins  in  her  temples  threat- 
ened to  burst.  She  would  gladly  have  made 
an  exception  to  the  rule,  but  she  feared  it  might 
be  too  conspicuous,  and  found  it  expedient  to 
bring  into  the  world  another  long,  long  "  So !" 
and  at  length  inquired  :  "  And  Robert — he  is 
not,  then,  to  stay  with  her — with  this  person — 
this  foreigner  ?" 

"  Robert  will  stay  somewhere  else  until  we 
receive  the  consent  from  Buenos  Ayres,  which 
is  a  mere  form,"  returned  Mr.  George,  briefly, 
and  more  di'ily  than  before. 

"  And  the  Baron  will  come  to  dinner  on  Sun- 
day ?"  inquired  the  young  lady. 

"  He  comes  every  Sunday,  even  if  he  is  not 
invited ;  but  I  will  tell  him  to  come  to-morrow, 
for  I  have  to  go  to  the  Hotel  Faroux.  And  now. 
Miss  Susan,  be  properly  friendly,  and  sit  down 
to  the  tea  table  with  us,  and  speak  two  or  three 
words  to  Miss  Fanny.  Do  not  call  her  SeSora 
Isabella.  Do  you  hear?  She  speaks  as  good 
English  as  we — with  a  Spanish  accent,  it  is  true ; 
but  we  must  say  here,  what  indeed  is  the  truth, 
that  our  sister,  Mrs.  Walker,  died  early,  and  that' 
Miss  Fanny  was  educated  in  the  Spanish  lan- 
guage. Do  you  understand  ?  Take  heed  !  and 
be  properly  friendly." 

The  million  of  the  young  lady's  disposable 
property,  her  being  at  least  arrived  at  majority, 
and  the  baron's  Catholicism,  had  suddenly  given 
another  direction  to  the  old  English  brig.  Miss 
Susan ;  she  now  steered,  under  an  augmenting 
breeze  of  tolerance  around  the  reel's  of  her 
brother's  obstinacy,  which  she  had  already  run 
foul  of  so  olten,  and  laid  her  course  for  the  Cap 
d'Esperance  de  Chine,  or  Cap  d'Amour  de  I'Em- 
pire  Celeste,  without,  however,  allowing  it  to  be 
perceived  whither  she  was  sailing. 

"  I  will  come  to  tea,"  said  the  slender  young 
lady  in  a  pearl  colored  dress,  a  la  Roine  'Victoria, 
with  a  somewhat  milder  tone.  "  Robert,  is  go- 
ing into  town  again,  to  the  Hotel  Faroux ;  I  will 
come  directly — perhaps,  he  may  meet  the  baron. 
You  can  send  him  word,  by  Robert,  that  on  Sun- 
day he " 

"  Give  yourself  no  uneasiness,  about  that !  he 
will  be  sure  to  come  !  I'll  engage  for  that.  But 
I'll  write  him  a  line,  now,  right  away  ;  Robert, 
can  take  it  with  him." 

The  gloamings  of  a  'better'  humor  suddenly 
flitted  over  Miss  Susan's  countenance,  even  if 
it  were  still  far  remote  from 'good'  humor.  Her 
brother  had  now  tried  the  bridge  bit  upon  her, 
with  which  he  hoped,  with  skill,  to  man.ige  her, 
in  case  she  should  take  it  in  her  head  to  turn 
even  one  step  aside  from  the  prescribed  path  of 
silence.  By  these  means,  he  saw  the  incognito 
of  "  the  young  lady,  with  an  undeniable  ten- 
dency to  corpulency,"  assured  for  the  present; 
and,  what  was  most  important  to  him,  he  had, 
quite  incidentally,  througli  Robert's  own  contri- 
vance, obtained  an  admirable  pretext  to  get  his 
handsome  young  nephew  out  of  the  house. 
The  intimacy  with  his  betrothed,  who  was 
even  to  pass  for  his  sister,  appeared  to  the  old 
widower,  if  not  dangerous,  at  least  superfluous. 

Mr.  Robert  awaited  the  family,  in  the  spacious 
garden  saloon,  the  walls  of  which  were  decora- 
ted with  four  oil  paintings,  the  portraits  of  Mr, 


172 


DOLORES. 


Thomson's  four  corpulent  wives,  painted  during 
their  lives,  by  various  artists,  in  entirely  differ- 
ent styles.  One  thing  was,  however,  uniform 
on  all  four  of  the  portraits,  a  precise  threefold 
notice  of  weight :  first,  at  the  period  of  mar- 
riage; second,  the  highest  matrimonial  develop- 
ment; and  third,  the  weight  of  the  corpse,  set 
down  in  the  right  hand  corner  of  each  picture, 
in  gold  letters  and  figures. 

"Is  that  Robert's  negro  ?"  inquired  Miss  Su- 
san, in  a  mild  voice,  when  she  espied  old  Achil- 
les, whom  she  had  not  seen  before,  from  pure 
gall,  though  he  was  all  the  while  close  to  Do- 
lores. 

"  it  is  Miss  Fanny's  coachman  .'"  replied  Mr. 
Thomson,  briefly  and  seriously,  as  before ;  "  and 
the  negress  is  his  daughter.  Miss  Fanny's  cham- 
bermaid. They  are  free,  not  slaves,"  added  he. 
"  Order  our  people  to  treat  them  as  Miss  Fanny's 
attendants." 

"  A  coachman — corresponding  with  her  pro- 
perty—  certainly  very  respectable  —  *  carnage 
people '  then,"  thought  Miss  Susan,  and  went  into 
the  salon  with  her  brother,  just  as  Miss  Fanny 
was  led  in  by  an  opposite  door. 

Mr.  Robert,  in  accordance  with  his  double  sta- 
'  tion  of  brother  and  bridegroom,  hastened  to  meet 
his  bride,  or  his  sister,  (whichever  we  may  entitle 
her,)  offered  her  his  hand,  and  led  her  to  her 
place  at  the  tea  table,  which  Mr.  Thomson 
thought  very  wellbred  and  civil,  but,  notwith- 
standing, superfluous. 

"  Were  you  long  at  sea,  Miss  Fanny .'"  inquired 
Miss  Susan,  in  a  peculiarly  mild  voice,  and  with 
the  most  humane  glance  possible. 

"  Sixteen  days  from  the  English  Bank  at  the 
mouth  of  La  Plata,"  replied  the  niece,  and  the 
conversation  proceeded  in  a  tolerable  family  tone, 
until  Robert  had  drank  his  tea  in  haste,  and 
received  the  billet  from  his  uncle,  which  the  lat- 
ter had,  in  equal  haste,  written  to  Monsieur  le 
Baron  de  Spandau. 

Robert  now  lingered  for  a  moment  by  Miss 
Fanny,  and  whispered  in  her  ear  some  tranquil- 
lizing andconsoling  words,  which  the  old  widow- 
er found  not  only  superfluous,  but  in  the  highest 
degree  indiscreet,  as  he  did  not  understand  them, 
and  the  entire  relation  of  the  young  man  to  the 
imposing  beauty  from  La  Plata,  appeared  much 
too  intimate  for  him  to  find  Bob's  daily  presence, 
at  breakfast,  dinner,  and  tea,  even  endurable. 

Silently  rejoicing  at  the  plan  of  his  nephew, 
which  made  hislivingout  of  the  house  requisite, 
he  enjoined  it  once  more  upon  him  to  make  his 
visit  early  on  the  morrow  to  Sr.  Moreto's  rela- 
tive on  da  Glo»ia,  stuck  the  billet  in  his  pocket, 
and  availed  himself  of  that  opportunity  literally 
to  take  the  young  man  by  the  collar  and  put  him 
out  of  the  room,  where  his  presence  had  become 
in  the  highest  degree  irksome  to  the  old  widower. 

Mr.  Thomson  now  did  the  honors  to  the  young 
lady,  as  the  brother-in-law  of  Mr.  Walker,  who 
had  so  urgently  recommended  her  to  him,  while 
Mr.  Robert  rode  back  to  the  city,  where  we  have 
alreadv  seen  him  at  the  Hotel  du  Nord. 


CHAPTER    IX 

THE    STRANGERS    IN   THEIR    HOTELS. 

Hardly  had  Robert  seated  himself  on  the 
following  morning  at  breakfast  in  the  Hotel  Fa- 
roux,  when  the  servant  of  the  corridor  on  which 
his  apartment  opened,  brought  him  a  card, 
inscribed,  "  Forro  &  Co."  The  representative 
of  this  firm  was  conducted  to  the  private  parlor 
of  the  young  Briton,  who  soon  stood  in  his  pre- 
sence. 

Sr.  Forro  was  a  figure  of  the  middle  size,  ele- 
gantly dressed  in  the  Brazilian  business  costume, 
in  white  linen.  His  countenance  bore  a  strikingly 
calculating  expression,  which  undeniably  inti- 
mated that  he  was  a  man  of  business,  and  would 
even  make  a  profit  on  his  physiognomy,  if  a  La- 
vater  were  to  make  him  an  inviting  offer  to 
purchase  it ;  for  it  was  not  very  valuable  to 
himself,  giving  him  not  much  credit  with 
others. 

Robert  spoke  to  the  representative  of  the  house 
of  Forro  &  Co.,  in  a  brief,  businesslike  man- 
ner, and  announced  that  he  had  casually  heard 
that  a  geologist  had  projected  various  plans  and 
proposals  for  the  establishment  of  a  mining  co- 
lony on  the  coast  of  Brazil.  He  desired  to  enter 
into  connexion  with  the  geological  gentleman, 
as  he,  or  rather  his  house,  were  inclined  to  found 
a  similar  undertaking,  in  case  no  other  mercan- 
tile house,  of  any  nation  whatever,  had  positively 
entered  into  the  intended  business  ;  m  such  a 
case,  he  must  apologize  for  having  troubled 
him,  as  he  should  then  withdraw  his  propo- 
sition, and  consider  it  as  if  it  had  not  been 
made. 

The  decided  business  tone  of  the  young  man, 
and  especially  the  name  of  the  firm  of  Walker 
&  Co.,  appeared  to  please  the  agent  of  the  geolo- 
gist, and  he  replied,  with  brevity  : 

"  The  enterprise,  of  which  you  have  accident- 
ally heard,  is,  like  every  business  of  the  kind, 
strictly  a  secret  until  the  expiration  of  a  certain 
time.  As  Mr.  Closting's  agents,  we  are  in  nego- 
tiation with  a  certain  house,  and  expect  a  partner 
of  the  house  from  Europe,  via  Buenos  Ayres. 
According  to  our  last  agreement,  the  provisionary 
company  is  bound  to  sign  the  contract  within 
four-and-twenty  hours  alter  the  arrival  of  the 
partner  in  Rio,  or,  if  not,  it  is  at  our  option  to 
proceed,  or  not,  in  the  enterprise.  According  to 
the  Jornal  do  Commercio,  the  expected  partner 
arrived  here  last  evening,  and  we  require  the 
decision  to-day,  before  sundown.  If  no  one  ap- 
plies, we  are  under  no  further  obligation  towards 
this  house,  and  shall  not  be  disinclined  to  open 
the  whole  project  to  you." 

"  In  case  no  one  should  announce  himself  to 
you,"  replied  Mr.  Walker,  "  I  shall  expect  you 
directly  after  sundown,  this  evening,  at  the 
bureau  of  our  house,  in  Rua  Direita." 

"  Very  well !"  assented  Senhor  Forro.  "  In 
that  case,  I  will  not  keep  you  waiting  ;  and,  that 
you  may  not  wait  for  me,  I  will  send  you  word 
in  case  1  shall  not  come;  and  it  will  remain  as 
strictly  a  secret  that  I  have  had  the  honor  to 
make  you  this  visit,  as  the  business  has  been 
until  now." 

"  I  am  entirely  agreed,"  replied  the  young 
merchant ;  and  Mr.  Forro  took  a  hasty  leat'e, 
and  left  the  parlor  and  the  Hotel  Farouz. 


DOLORES. 


173 


In  the  narrow  billiard  room  of  a  German  pub- 
lic house,  in  the  Rua  do  Cano,  (which  certainly 
contained  less  stories,  and  corridors,  and  parlors, 
and  chambers,  than  the  Hotel  Faroux,)  at  this 
eame  time,  sat  a  stranger,  at  a  small,  moderate, 
and  neatly  covered  tat)le. 

It  was  his  princely  highness,  Tobo  Poutam,  a 
Botocudo  prince,  without  crown  or  sceptre, 
dressed  in  white  linen.  He  bore  a  broad,  trian- 
gular countenance,  with  long  and  thick  raven 
hair,  small  Kalmuck  eyes,  a  broad  flat  nose,  yel- 
lowish brown  complexion,  thick  lips,  with  a  sort 
of  bottle  cork  fastened  in  the  under  one,  and 
similar  ornaments  displayed  in  his  ears 

Tobo  Poutam  drank  his  national  Brazilian 
drink  of  coffee,  and  opposite  to  him  sat  Dr. 
Merbold,  similarly  employed,  and  near  him  a 
cigar  box  full  of  holes,  containing  the  double 
apecimen  of  the  Simplex  iVlerboldensis. 

"  You  are,  then,  an  Enger-eck-moung,"'  said 
the  savant,  looking  as  intently  upon  his  breakfast 
companion  as  he  ever  cared  to  look  at  any  thing 
that  was  not  a  beetle  ;  "  an  Engereckmoung  ! 
1  am  Very  happy  to  make  your  acquaintance ; 
that  is,  here  in  the  Rua  do  Cano-^for  at  your 
home,  there  on  the  Rio  Doce,  your  acquaintance 
might  be  somewhat  unpleasant." 

Tlie  honest  Engereckmoung,  who  undorstond 
»o  much  Portuguese  as  his  education  as  a  prince, 
in  contact  with  half  savage  European  princes, 
permitted,  comprehended,  at  least,  the  words 
Kio  Doce,  and  asked  the  '  Senhor  Branco '  if  he 
had  been  there,  among  his  tribe,  on  the  Rio  Doce 

"  Have  1  been  there .'"  said  the  little  beetle- 
Wan,  smiling;  "  I  should  think  so,  Senhor  En- 
gereckmoung. I  was  a  prisoner  there ;  a  prisoner, 
for  two  months,  among  your  noble  race.  I  lost 
myself  there,  one  day,  in  the  primeval  forest, 
when  I  was  hunting  beetles  upon  the  Rio  Doce, 
and  I  could  write  a  whole  book  upon  the  scien- 
tific aberration.  Enough  !  I  found,  at  length, 
amongst  apes  and  parrots,  a  couple  of  human 
beings — perhaps  a  couple  of  the  people  of  your 
tribe." 

"  Of  your  subjects,  you  should  say,  doctor;" 
interrupted  a  waiter,  in  German  ;  "  that  is  a 
prince — he  is  here  in  Rio,  in  audience  with 
the  prince,  and  to  acquire  a  notion  of  civiliza- 
tion '. 

"  Hey  !  the  devil !  a  prince  !  then  a  highness  ! 
a  serene  highness  !  I  wonder  whether  he  has  as 
liberal  views  as  our  crown  prince  of  Prussia  ? 
Do  you  know  whether  he  is  constitutional,  or 
despotic  .'  I  assure  you  that  the  prince  by 
whom  I  was  taken  prisoner  was  very  constitu- 
tional— nut,  at  all  despotic.  I  have  already  told 
you,  that  my  Botocudo  prince  kept  me  with 
him  in  the  forest,  as  a  prisoner  of  state — but  he 
helped  me  to  look  for  beetles,  and  laughed  at 
tee,  for  calling  that  my  business  !  His  naked 
bodyguard  had  taken  away  all  that  I  carried 
about  me,  but  all  Was  carefully  preserved — my 
whole  baggage,  and  even  my  money.  I  had 
sixty-eight  millreis  with  me,  when  they  took 
me  ;  every  evening  he  took  one  millreis  for  board 
and  lodging,  as  he  gave  me  to  understand. 
Well !  the  board  was  very  simple,  and  the  lodg- 
ing was  cerainly  the  largest  that  a  state  pris- 
oner ever  inhabited — it  was  the  wide  primeval 


*  The  proper  name  of  the  Botocudoes  j  the  latter  is  a 
nickname  which  the  Portuguese  have  bestowed  upon 
them,  in  reference  to  the  piece  of  wood  on  the  under  lip. 


forest !  When  I  had  dwelt  sixty-three  days 
with  him,  without  a  dwelling,  and  sat  at  his  ta- 
ble, where  there  was  no  table  at  all,  he  at 
length  gave  me  back  my  five  millreis,  for  travel- 
ling expenses,  and  showed  me  the  way  out  of 
the  forest,  to  the  banks  of  the  river,  and  made 
me  a  present  of  a  bow  and  arrows,  as  a  keepsake, 
and  of  a  handful  of  beetles,  among  which 
there  Was,  unfortunately,  no  undiscovered  spe- 
cies." 

His  highness  from  Rio  Doce  had,  during  tha 
relation,  retired  to  his  room.  A  negro  announced 
the  arrival  of  a  traveller,  who  inquired  for  Dr. 
Merbold. 

"  1  know,  already,  who  that  may  be !  It  is  my 
travelling  companion,  the  Englishman  from 
Buenos  Ayres,  what  Was  his  name ■  ?'' 

"  He  can  have  lodgings  here  !"  cried  the 
waiter,  following  the  naturalist  down  the  stairs, 
on  the  lowest  step  of  which,  stood  Mr.  Habak- 
kuk  Daily,  who  called  himself  Mr.  James  John 
Stone.  He  had  safely  reached  Brazilian  ground, 
from  the  smuggling  smack,  on  the  shore  of  a 
bay  outside  the  Sugar  Loaf,  and,  with  the  sacri- 
fice of  a  few  sovereigns,  (over  the  stipulated 
sum,)  had  been  well  served  by  his  companions, 
in  all  that  related  to  his  incognito  and  his  twcr 
heavy  trunks,  which  Were  now  borne  near  hins, 
upon  the  woolly  heads  of  two  gigantic  Loango 
negroes,  who  Were  just  in  the  act  of  relieving 
themselves  of  the  enormous  burdens.^  By_  what 
means  he  had,  since  midnight,  arrived  in  the 
city  from  the  shore,  the  mules  who  had  carried 
him  and  his  trunks,  and  perhaps  their  drivers, 
knew  better  than  he. 

Enough,  that  Mr.  Stone  had  an-ived  at  the 
German  tavern,  in  the  Rua  do  Cano,  which 
Dr.  Merbold  had  aerviceably  informed  him  of, 
and  now  entered  an  unpretending  department, 
where  he  safely  bestotved  his  trunks  for  the 
present. 

He  learned,  to  his  great  dissatisfaction,  that 
Mr.  Closting,  the  naturalist,  was  in  the  interior 
of  the  country,  and  was  not  expected  back  in 
some  months,  which  certainly  made  a  small  . 
"  stroke  through  his  reckoning,"  though  it  by 
no  means  annulled  it. 

Mr.  John  James,  or  James  John  Stone,  as  he 
variously  styled  himself,  (since  the  name  wag 
yet  new  to  him,)  made  his  toilet  like  a  clerk  who 
might  pass  for  a  "  gentleman,"  took  breakfast  by 
himself,  and  then  went  to  the  neighboring  Rua 
Direita,  to  announce  his  arrival  at  the  bureau 
of  his  house.  Walker  &  Co. 

The  three  trarelling  companions  from  the  river 
la  Plata,  who  had  gone  to  the  Hotel  du  Nord,  sat 
likewise  at  the  aromatic  collee,  which,  drank  at 
the  "  fountain  head,"  in  Brazil,  appears  like  an 
entirely  different  berverage  from  what  it  is  in  Eu- 
rope, since  the  beans  partly  lose  their  peculiar 
tropical  flavor  by  the  transportation  across  the 
ocean. 

Gango,  a  negro,  went  out  and  in,  and  was 
particularly  attentive  to  every  call  of  Hinan^o, 
since  he  had  already  become  acquainted  with 
him  two  years  betbre.  The  Scandinavian  caused 
the  two  South  Americans  to  observe  the  Ethio- 
pian, by  inquiring  how  he  had  been  since  he  saw 
him  last. 

Gango  thanked  him,  and  replied  that  he  had 
been  very  well. 


174 


DOLORES. 


"  And  do  you  still  copy  the  Jornal  do  Com- 
mercio  ?"  inquired  Hinango,  laughing,  and  re- 
lated to  his  companions  What  he  meant  by  the 
question : 

"  When  I  lived  here  two  years  ago,  I  came 
home  very  late  one  night,  and  found  Gango  bu- 
eied  in  copying,  as  precisely  as  possible,  with  a 
pen  and  ink,  the  print  of  the  Jornal  do  Commer- 
cio,  to  exercise  himself  in  writing,  as  he  did  not 
appear  to  know  that  other  letters  existed  for 
writing.  I  assure  you  he  had  nearly  attained  to 
the  perfection  of  caligraphy  !" 

The  negro  was  embarrassed,  and  observed  that 
he  had  practised  long  enough  to  be  able  to  copy 
the  letters  properly. 

"  What  do  you  say  to  this  desire  for  cultiva- 
tion, which  you  meet  with  here  amongst  the  Bra- 
eilian  negroes  !  I  will  take  you  to-day  to  a  poor 
black  tailor,  who,  without  a  teacher,  has  learned 
French  by  means  of  a  grammar  and  dictionary, 
and  now  reads  French  authors  in  his  leisure 
hours  !  Dees  not  such  a  negro  shame  many  of 
the  whites  of  Europe,  who  can  hardly  read  and 
write  their  mother  tongue,  and  never  take  a  book 
in  their  hands  besides  a  cash  book  .'" 

"  There  goes  an  equipage  with  a  white  coach- 
man and  white  footman,"  remarked  Horatio,  who 
had  stepped  out  upon  the  balcony,  "  and  a  negro 
is  sitting  inside,  elegantly  dressed,  with  a  young 
negress,  like  a  dame  a  la  mode  !" 

"  That  will  not  surprise  you,"  replied  Ormur, 
"  when  you  become  better  acquainted  with  Rio  ; 
you  will  here  find  negresses  and  mulatto  women 
at  the  balls  of  the  elegant  world.  The  most  cele- 
brated minister  of  state  under  king  John  was  a 
neero.  The  capacity  for  cultivation,  and  the 
intellectual  powers  of  the  negro,  never  appeared 
strange  to  me;  but  one  thing  surprises  me;  the 
intolerance  and  prejudice  with  which  the  whites 
of  so  called  Christian  nations  treat  the  colored 
people ;  thrust  them  out  as  outlaws,  while  the 
Christian  religion  inculcates  the  principles  of 
love  and  equality,  and  permits  no  distinction  of 
person  nor  of  color." 

"  The  Protestants  appear  more  intolerant  in 
this  respect  than  the  Catholics,"  observed  Alva- 
rez. 

"  The  oppression  of  intolerance  will  corrupt 
and  demoralize  any  people,  as  history  shows," 
added  Hinango.  "  Tolerance  and  humanity  will 
elevate  any  people,  and  any  class.  Brazil's  bet- 
ter future  is  founded  upon  the  tolerance  which 
a  man  finds  here,  let  him  be  of  what  religion  or 
of  what  color  he  may  !" 

The  negro  Gango  interrupted  the  conversa- 
tion, with  the  announcement  that  Mr.  Vernon 
was  there,  and  wished  to  speak  to  Mr.  Hinango. 

"  I  will  come  directly  ;  show  him  to  my  room," 
replied  Ormur,  and  then  said  hurriedly  to  his 
two  companions : 

"  Dr.  Thorfin  has  arranged  an  abode  for  you 
both  in  the  house  where  he  lives.  You,  Sr.  Al- 
varez, will  for  the  present  remain  his  guest,  until 
you  receive  an  answer  from  Bahia  respecting  the 
fate  of  your  sister  ;  you  had  better  write  to-day, 
at  once ;  friend  Robert  will  take  care  of  your 
letter."  He  allowed  the  unhappy  fugitive  no 
time  to  express  his  grateful  feelings,  but  left  the 
room,  and  hurried  to  the  apartment  where  Mr. 
Veiiion  was  waiting  for  him. 


CHAPTER  X. 


HINANGO  S  CONFESSIOJT 


Mr.  Vernon,  partner  of  a  European  house  in 
Rio,  greeted  the  ex-naval  officer,  Ormur  Olafur 
Hinango,  with  measured  civility,  and  handed 
him  the  open  envelope  which  Dr.  Thorfin  had 
already  mentioned. 

"  1  thank  you  for  your  kindness,"  began  Hi- 
nango. "  I  know,  already,  the  circumstances 
under  which  you  have  received  this  packet  of 
letters  for  me,  and  regret  that  my  friends  in 
Europe  have  compromised  me  with  you." 

"  And,  also,  rae  and  our  house,"  remarked 
Mr.  Vernon. 

"  Until  now,  the  seal  of  a  letter  in  England, 
and  under  British  post  regulations,  has  been  an 
inviolable  sanctuary — at  least,  it  has  passed  for 
such  ;  and  if  my  friends,  relying  upon  this  insti- 
tution, have  availed  themselves  of  the  kind 
permission  on  your  part,  to  send  me  letters  under 
your  address,  I  beg,  in  their  name,  for  your 
indulgence,  for  forgiveness  from  yourself  and 
partners,  and  take  upon  myself  all  the  conse- 
quences of  this  affair.  No  one  can,  or  will,  ever 
call  you  to  account  for  an  indiscretion,  or  what- 
ever you  may  call  it,  committed  by  men  in  Lon- 
don, who  are  entire  strangers  to  you." 

"  1  by  no  means  came,  Mr.  Hinango,  to  re- 
proach you  with  what  has  occurred.  1  should 
not  have  said  a  word  to  you  about  it,  if  Dr. 
Thorfin  had  not  anticipated  me.  1  come  to  you 
as  a  friend;  to  a  man  who  has  been  highly 
recommended  and  accredited  to  us  by  our  busi- 
ness friends  in  Europe.  What  a  future  you  are 
rushing  upon,  Ormur  !  What  a  path  you  are 
pursuing  !  Where  will  your  efforts  lead  you  I 
To  the  fortress  Do-Vilganhon  ;  to  the  patriots  of 
Rio  Grande  ;  and,  at  length,  to  the  wretchedness 
of  a  joyless  existence." 

"  I  understand  you,  friend  Vernon,"  returned 
Hinango,  slowly  and  seriously,  "  I  thank  you 
for  your  warm  interest.  As  regards  my  path,  it 
proceeds  (like  the  aims  and  dealings  of  every 
man)  from  within,  as  the  unconditional  conse- 
quence of  my  convictions,  of  my  perceptions,  of 
my  self-consciousness  as  a  man.  You  are  now 
aware  of  my  position  ;  condemn  me  as  a  man  of 
business,  explain  to  me  that  I  evidently  act 
against  my  own  interest,  that  I  renounce  my 
claims  to  earthly  happiness  and  peace,  to  do- 
mestic life,  and  the  enjoyment  of  terrestrial 
felicity  ;  but  do  not  break  the  staff"  over  me  as  a 
man,  for  you  can  consider  me  from  no  othej 
point  of  view.  Judge,  with  a  clea^ perception, 
the  "  man'  in  rae." 

'*  Whom  I  honor,  even  although  1  am  not  able 
to  comprehend  you,"  answered  Vernon.  "  I  am 
aware  of  your  former  position  in  the  Russian 
service,  and  know  that  you  might  now  be  com- 
mander of  a  frigate,  if  you  had  continued  there. 
1  know  that  you  have  sacrificed  yourself  for  the 
cause  of  the  Poles,  anu  that  you  are  sacrificing 
yourself  now  for  the  cause  of  Italy  and  South 
America;  but  what  will  be  your  fate  i  Do  you 
really  hope,  or  believe,  that  you  will  outlive  the 
crisis  of  the  political  fermentation  of  our  epoch  .' 
Do  you  expect  to  conquer  before  your  death  .'  to 
see  the  result  of  your  efforts  and  endeavors 
realized  ?" 

"  ho  l"  answered  Ormur,  in  a  decif"      tone 


DOLORES. 


175 


"  In  the  lonely  nights,  in  the  gloomy  solitude  of 
Bubterranean  dungeons,  I  have  surveyed  the 
history  of  the  nations,  so  far  as  it  is  Icnown  to  us 
through  their  annals.  I,  as  a  man,  have  ascer- 
tained my  position  towards  manl<ind.  The  de- 
velopment of  the  nations  from  slavery  to  the 
open  struggle  for  freedom,  to  the  confirmation  of 
their  nationality,  was  never  the  work  of  a  short 
human  life.  The  idea,  however,  of  freedom,  of 
progress,  of  ennoblement,  has  been  transmitted 
from  one  epoch  to  another,  by  individual  men, 
who  felt  this  vocation  within  them.  With  their 
self-consciousness,  the  strength  was,  also,  in- 
creased in  them,  to  tread  their  path,  to  bear  their 
lot,  even  to  the  grave  at  the  foot  of  the  scaffold. 
Without  a  prospect  of  the  realization  of  the  idea, 
whose  ray  penetrated  them,  their  death  was  a 
personal  resignation,  without  claims  to  the  ac- 
knowledgements of  their  contemporaries." 

"  I  comprehend  you,  and  your  resignation 
shocks  me.  Do  you  know  that  men,  from  the  very 
countries  for  %vhich  you  sacrifice  yourself,  de- 
spise you  ?  So  called  liberals,  even  exiles,  who 
have  once  been  drawn,  against  their  wills,  into 
the  whirlpool  of  the  revolutionary  excitement 
of  their  nation — exiles  who  do  not  know  for 
what  they  contended,  and  now  regret  their 
'  youthful  indiscretion' — despise  you ;  and  would 
laugh  at  you,  if,  in  your  banishment,  you  sunk 
into  poverty  and  misery." 

"  I  know  that ;  I  know  that  there  are  men  who 
think  that  I  am  indebted  to  their  nation,  because 
I  have  written  in  their  dead  language  ;  others, 
who  boast  that  they  have  afforded  me  the  oppor- 
tunity to  share  the  fame  of  having  contended, 
according  to  their  views  of  entering  into  a  spec- 
ulation, in  furtherance  of  their  cause,  which, 
alas !  like  so  many  other  enterprises,  "  miscar- 
ried." But,  are  such  individual  men,  the  ■  na- 
tion,' for  which  I  contended  ?  How  little  does 
the  scorn  and  contempt  of  individuals  trouble 
me,  if  I,  knowing  myself,  have  a  clear  con- 
science? '  Each  judges  of  another  by  himself — 
this  is  an  incontrovertible  truth  in  the  judge- 
ment of  men.  Whoever,  is  incapable  of  making 
any  sacrifice  for  the  cause  of  mankind — who- 
ever always  acts  with  calculation  to  his  own 
selfish  interests,  will  not  understand  me,  cannot 
judge  me  correctly — he  only  sees  himself  in  me." 

"  And  you  cannot,  and  will  not,  turn  aside 
from  your  path .'  betake  yourself  to  repose 
somewhere  ?  renounce  all  politics  ?  seek  for 
domestic  happiness,  and  live  in  peace  .'" 

"  What  do  we  understand  by  Politics,  Mr. 
Vernon  .'  Is  the  cause  of  South  America  for- 
eign to  the  cause  of  Kurope  .'  Is  the  principle 
of  freedom,  which  is  struggling  in  iVIonte  Video 
and  Rio  Grande,  different  from  the  principle 
for  which  hundreds  in  Italy  and  Poland  ended 
their  lives  in  solitary  dungeons  ?  Can  I,  as  a 
man,  contemplate  the  cause  of  South  America 
with  indifference,  v/ithout  contradicting  myself, 
when  I  look  back  upon  Europe  .'  You  ask,  if  I 
will  not  seek  repose  somewhere,  and  enjoy  do- 
mestic happiness  ?  Do  you  believe,  that  the  in- 
tellectual force  in  me,  as  a  force,  will  ever  re- 
pose, which  can  only  be '  force'  in  movement,  and 
which  impels  me,  because  it  is  a  part  of  my  ex- 
istence .'  Will  you  command  this  pulse  to  stop  .' 
Well,  then  death  ensues !  and  the  cessation  of 
my  spiritual  motions  would  be,  moral  death  ! 
Do  you  understand  me  now  .'" 


"  Ever  more  and  more ;  but  I  also  pity  you  i 
you  strive  for  a  phantom  !" 

"  Phantom  !"  exclaimed  Hinango,  suddenly 
turning  pale,  and  staring  at  a  point  beside  him, 
33  if  he  beheld  something.  He  then  recovered 
himself,  just  as  quickly  and  proceeded ;  my 
heart  could  be  broken,  the  peace  of  my  soul 
could  be  destroyed,  a  "  phantom"  (in  an  entire 
ly  different  sense,  from  that  in  which  you  mean 
it,  friend  Vernon,)  can  hurl  me  into  the  grave,  a 
convulsion  can  end  my  life ;  but  not  my  faith 
in  humanity, 

"  Humanity  '."  repeated  Mr,  Vernon.  "  You 
are  in  error ;  there  is  no  humanity  !  What  do 
you  call  humanity  .'  the  mass  of  the  people,  in 
which  each  individual  takes  care  of  his  per- 
sonal interest,  and  troubles  himself  but  little 
about  the  fate  of  his  neighbor  ?  Observe  the. 
bustle  here  in  the  Rua  Direita,  the  throng  in  and 
before  the  exchange ;  do  you  call  that  humanity  ? 
Seek  me  out,  from  among  them,  one  who  would 
not,  this  day,  sell  your  whole  so  called  humanity 
to  the  devil  for  a  per  centage,  if  he  could  make 
such  a  bargain." 

"  What  have  a  multitude  of  brokers  and 
usurers  to  do  with  humanity  .'  Does  the  ex- 
change represent  humanity  ?  There  are,  to  be 
sure,  nations  who  have  no  thought  for  any  thing 
but  money ;  but  I  will  not,  on  that  account,  give 
up  all  mankind,"  replied  Hinango. 

*'  If  you  give  a  people  their  freedom,"  re- 
turned Vernon  *'  they  will  only  use  it  to  make 
money." 

"  You  would  say,  they  would  sink  into  mate- 
rialism !"  interrupted  Hinango,  "  and  make  for 
themselves  an  idol,  such  as  the  Jewish  nation 
set  up,  when  Moses  freed  them  from  tlie  yoke  of 
Pharaoh.     They  worshipped  the  golden  calf!" 

"  Very  true  !  and  confirmed  by  examples  in 
the  present  time." 

"  But  Moses  perceived  this  abyss  of  ruin,  and 
gave  laws  to  his  people.  He  established  the  fu- 
ture of  his  people  upon  religion,  nationality,  and 
love  of  country.  And  on  this  basis  alone,  will 
the  welfare  of  mankind  bloom  and  flourish  !  on 
no  other !  none  !  All  other  means  of  deliver- 
ance will  be  eternally  fruitless  !  But  the  rep- 
resentation, the  government  of  a  nation,  must 
set  up  a  higher  aim  than  the  miserable  one  of 
making  money  in  the  service  of  the  golden 
calf !  Intellectual  and  moral  development 
through  science  and  art,  and  self-sacrifice  from 
love  of  country,  are  higher  aims  than  to  make 
money  for  money's  sake.  The  government  of  a 
nation,  that  disowns  the  higher  aims  of  human- 
ity, is  unworthy  of  the  freedom  in  the  element 
of  which  it  supports  an  existence.  The  liigh- 
est  power,  is  the  human  mind  !  You  may  see 
me  imprisoned,  in  chains,  and  in  a  capote,  (as 

1  have  already   worn  them )  but   you   will 

never  see  doubt  in  humanity  gain  the  ascen- 
dancy over  me,  for  I  believe  in  God  I  and  know 
myself  as  a  man. 

"  Mr.  Fitz  told  me,"  continued  he,  after  a 
pause,  there  was  a  small  schooner  brig  lying 
here,  suitable  for  me,  but  under  what  flag,  I  for- 
got to  ask  him.  I  believe  she  is  called  the 
Vanda  or  Vesta.     Have  you  heard  of  her  .' 

"  And  you  will  really  go  to  sea  again  ?  prob- 
ably towards  Rio  Grande .'" 

"  We  will  say  towards  Africa  again.  In  gene- 
ral, Mr.  Vernon,  I  beg  you,  from  henceforth,  to 


176 


DOLORES. 


npsak  of  me  as  a  ncgfo  trader,  for  the  people  on 
the  exchange  will  comprehend  that  sooner.  I 
Rm  looking  for  a  vessel  here ;  well,  tell  them 
that  I  purchase  it,  as  every  other  vessel  here  is 
purchased,  for  the  slave  trade." 

"  That  will  be  the  best  way.  In  case  any  one 
belonging  to  government  makes  allusion  to  your 
position,  in  consequence  of  the  opened  letters,  1 
will  give  such  explanations  that  even  these  shall 
serve  me  *o  disguise  your  speculation,  as  th4t  of 
a  negro  trader,  as  captain  of  a  slave  ship. 

"  Admirable  !  so  be  it !  At  least,  many  will 
more  readily  believe  that  I  am  speculating  as  a 
negro  trader,  than  that,  as  a  man,  I  sacrifice  my- 
self for  a  '  phantom  1'  " 

"  I  Will  inquire  about  the  Vesta,  or  whatever 
the  vessel  is  called,"  said  Mr.  Vernon,  and  can, 
from  this  time,  under  the  mask  of  serving  you 
in  your  negro  speculation,  be  at  your  call  unmo- 
lested, in  case  you  wish  to  purchase  this  or  ano- 
ther vessel." 

The  friends  conversed  for  awhile,  on  indifTcr- 
cnt  subjects,  and  then  separated  ;  Mr.  Vernon 
to  pass  the  holiday  somewhere  in  the  country, 
while  Hinango  hastened  to  read  his  newly  re- 
ceived letters  and  documents. 


-"»'**^#^^♦vf.®  #*y*^*-..--. 


CHAPTER   XI. 


BENHORA  GRACIA. 


The  young  lady,  whom  we  observed  on  that 
eventful  moonlight  night,  reading  the  "  Pyscho- 
logy  of  Love,"  in  her  pavilion,  sat,  on  the  morn- 
ing in  which  the  above  conversation  took  place 
at  the  Hotel  du  Nord,  on  her  divan,  with  open 
windows  and  doors,  at  the  Gloria. 

The  fresh,  cooling  Seabreeze  played  around 
und  kissed  her  charming  neck,  while  it  blew 
single  locks  of  her  equally  charming,  rich,  dark 
hair,  off  into  the  room,  like  streamers  of  a  line 
of  battle  ship,  and  then  letting  them  fall,  it  took 
Up  the  neighboring  locks,  to  play  with  them  in 
the  same  inanner. 

The  innocent,  but  enviable  Seabreeze  ! 

The  lady  was  dressed  in  a  full  white  robe, 
with  Grecian  sleeves,  which  only  in  part  covered 
the  shoulders,  and  was  girt  at  the  back,  while 
the  front  remained  loosely  enveloping  the  ideal 
form  of  youthful  beauty. 

She  was  sitting,  occupied  with  a  very  proaaic 
employment,  by  a  basket  of  freshly  waslied  little 
stockings,  part  her  own,  part  for  the  little  girl 
whom  wo  left  in  undisturbed  slumber  the  other 
night,  and  who  was  now  walking  about  the  gar- 
den under  the  care  of  the  negress  Maria. 

.Senhora  Gracia,'  for  so  the  youthful  mother 
called  herself,  wag  busied  mending  stockings. 
This  pastime  of  domestic  wives  on  the  European 
Continent  has,  as  it  appears,  a  peculiar  charm, 
since  it  atfords  the  thoughts  a  wide  latitude,  and 
symbolically  represents  the  social  destiny  of 
woman,  "  to  fill  up  a  gap  here  and  there." 

Although  a  negress,  according  to  our  views, 
could  have  accomplished  the  business  just  as 
handily,  it  appears,  notwithstanding,  to  belong 


♦The  Spanieh  Oracia,  instead  of  the  Turtuguese  Qraga. 


to  the  virtues  of  a  domestic  wife,  to  attend  licr- 
self  to  the  rents  which  must  evidently  exist  lit 
consequence  of  a  wearing  contact  with  the  earth, 
so  far  as  the  feet  touch  the  earth  in  stockings. 
The  employment,  however,  was  by  no  means 
Brazilian,  since  a  Brazilian  lady  hardly  puts  on 
a  pair  of  shoes  a  second  time,  to  say  notliing  of 
having  her  stockings  mended,  or  mending  them 
herself,  if  they  should  need  it.  The  lives  of 
women  in  Brazil,  resemble  the  lives  of  the 
'I'urkish  ladies  in  their  harems,  only  with  ths 
difference,  that  the  various  wives  of  a  man  in 
Brazil  do  not  know  each  other,  and  are  shut  up 
separately ;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  they  pass  the 
time  of  loneliness  in  the  favorite  *  costume  dU 
in^tier,^  that  is,  in  a  light  negligee,  and  mostly, 
even  vvithout  stockings. 

The  so  called  destiny  of  woman,  as  the  pro- 
perty of  her  husband,  for  which  neither  intellect 
nor  heart  are  called  into  requisition,  makes  this 
mode  of  life  extremely  "  practical." 

The  existence  of  women  sinks  to  an  animal 
vegetation,  in  which  many  find  their  "  domestic 
happiness,"  and  distinguish  themselves,  as  "  ex- 
emplary wives,"  by  mending  their  husband's 
stockings. 

Horses'  hoofs  clattered  upon  the  rocky  path  up 
the  hill,  and  stopped  at  the  gate  of  the  chacara. 

"That  must  be  the  .Sr.  Ingles!"  said  Sra. 
Gracia,  half  aloud,  to  the  negress  Anna,  who  was 
dusting  the  furniture  in  the  room,  and  a  heavi- 
ness came  over  the  heart  of  the  young  lady  which 
she  did  not  know  how  to  account  for. 

The  negress  Maria,  who  was  in  the  garden 
with  the  child,  had  already  opened  the  gate, 
which  allorded  an  insight,  through  the  open  door 
of  the  pavilion,  to  the  \Yindow  under  which  Sra. 
Gracia  sat  on  the  divan.  The  pavilion,  shaded 
by  mangoes,  jacarandas,  and  gigantic  bananas, 
with  tropical  flowers  of  strange  form  blooming 
around,  enclosed,  like  a  magic  frame,  the  living 

picture 'in  the  back  ground,  the  bay,  with  its 

colossal  rocks. 

"  Is  the  Seiiora  at  home  ?"  inquired  the  young 
gentlemen,  for  it  was  Mr.  Robert  Walker,  who 
had  just  dismounted  from  the  saddle  and  given 
his  horse  to  the  care  of  a  negro  who  attended  him. 

A  significant  movement  of  the  negress  towards 
the  female  in  the  middle  ground,  already  in- 
formed him  of  the  answer  by  anticipation,  and 
Mr.  Robert  involuntarily  drew  near  the  pavilion. 
The  lady  had  left  her  seat,  and  appeared  at  the 
door.  Both  seemed  to  observe  each  other  with 
a  single  comprehensive  glance,  and  ki  conse- 
quence of  some  inward  emotion,  inexplicable  to 
themselves,  appeared  to  have  lost,  for  the  mo- 
ment, the  usual  conventional  unconstraint. 

The  young  lady  beheld  a  youth  of  some  twen- 
ty years,  whose  form  was  as  symmetrically  noble 
as  his  deportment  was  imposing.  A  fine  profile, 
with  an  expression  of  seriousness  and  dignity 
about  the  well  formed  lips,  harmonized  with  the 
deep  blue,  richly  radiant  eye,  more  striking  in 
contrast  with  the  black  hair  and  eyelashes. 
The  glances   of  both  encountered  each  other! 

Why  did  the  youth  lose,  at  the  moment,  that 
ease  and  self-possession  which  at  all  other  times 
made  a  part  of  his  nature,  and  was  so  peculiar 
to  him .'  Was  it  a  movement  of  the  senti- 
ment in  the  inward  depths  of  that  female  heart, 
(which  like  tlie  magnetic  fluid  operating  like  a 
ray)  involuntarily  flowing  out  of  her  soul,  and 


DOLORES. 


177 


injfstcriously  penetrating  into  the  depths  of  hia 
nature  ?  Who  can  .mswer  this  question .'  It  is 
even  doubtful  whether  she  herself  ever  arrived 
at  a  clpai  understanding  of  it. 

To  love  at  first  sight,  as  when  a  woman  sees  a 
man,  or  a  man  a  woman,  and  immediately  "  falls 
in  love,''  is  one  of  those  absurdities  in  the  usual 
modes  of  speech,  which  contradict  all  pschyo- 
logical  probabilities  and  the  nature  of  the  human 
heart.  A  person  may,  at  first  sight,  make  an 
inexplicable  and  indiscribable  impression  upon 
another,  may  awaken  a  sentiment  or  an  emotion 
that  is  not  to  be  expressed  in  words,  wliicli  may 
afterwards  ripen  into  love  ;  but  to  call  this  mo- 
mentary emotion  love,  would  be  ridiculous. 

There  are  moments  in  the  excited  inward  life, 
in  wliich  it  seems  to  us  as  if  we  find  ourselves, 
for  the  second  time,  in  the  place  that  surrounds 
us ;  as  if  we  had,  at  some  previous  time,  seen  the 
landscape  which  is  about  us,  while  we  recognise 
the  impossibility  tliat  such  could  have  been  the 
case.  It  seems  to  us,  as  if  we  had  already  seen 
tliis  or  that  person  with  whom  we  come  in  con- 
tact, somewhere  before ;  that  we  had  heard  the 
voice  at  some  former  time,  whose  tones  we  now 
hear,  and,  nevertheless,  no  such  meeting  has  ever 
before  taken  place  on  earth.  It  seems  to  us,  upon 
encountering  the  glance  of  an  eye,  as  if  it  pene- 
trated inlo  the  innermost  depths  of  our  hearts,  as 
ii'itreidthe  hieroglyphics  of  our  souls.  Both 
Robert  and  the  lady  found  themselves  there  in 
such  a  moment,  without  being  clearly  conscious 
of  the  sentiments  which  we  have  just  mentioned. 

At  length  Robert  felt  yiat  it  would  only  be 
proper  to  speak  to  the  lady.  He  uttered  in  a 
broken  manner,  a  compliment  from  Sr.  iWoreto 
and  from  his  uncle,  witii  the  surmise  that  the 
former  had  probably  intimated  to  her  the  design 
of  his  visit. 

"  .Sr.  iVIoreto  sent  me  word,  last  evening,  that 
you — that  a — that  a  relvtive  of  .Sr.  Thomson — 

a  young  Englishman please  to  come  in,"  said 

tlie  young  lady  interrupting  herself;  "  please  to 
be  seated.  Anna,  bring  a  chair  for  the  gentle- 
man— perhaps  the  draught  of  wind  is  disagreea- 
ble to  you  ?"  While  she  uttered  these  fragments 
of  conversation  with  an  exceedingly  gentle  voice, 
and  a  charming  embarrassment,  the  slender 
British  youth  had  entered  the  apartment,  and 
now  replied,  with  somewhat  more  presence  of 
mind : 

"  On  the  contrary,  Seiiora,  I  thank  you.  I  like 
the  draught  of  air  here  in  this  room."  He  then 
appeared  suddenly  to  recollect,  that  he  might 
h;ive  expressed  himself  better,  and  remained  po- 
litely standing,  until  the  .Seiiora  )md  placed  her- 
self upon  her  divan. 

"  Pray,  sit  down — wait  a  moment,"  said  she, 
without  knowing  why  or  wherefore  she  wished 
that  the  young  Briton  would  wait,  and  still  loss 
how  she  came  upon  the  idea  of  uttering  the  re- 
quest. 

Robert  took  a  seat,  and  his  eye  fell  upon  the 
piano. 

"  You  are  musical,  I  presume  !"  said  he,  for 
the  sake  of  asking  a  question. 

"  I  am  a  great  lover  of  music,  and  occasionally 
practice  on  the  piano  ;  whether  I  am  musical — 
that   is,   whether  I   possess    musical  talent,   I 

doubt " 

"  This  very  reply  leads  me  to  suspect  that  you 
possess  peculiar  talent,  for  whoever  in  any  de- 
23 


partment  of  art  has  no  talent,  generally  consid- 
ers himself  very  talented." 

"  I  have  not,  for  some  years,  had  much  time 
and  leisure  to  occupy  myself  with  music.  When 
one  is  married,  and  obliged  to  attend  to  one's 
children,  there  remains  little  time  to  indulge  the 
inclination  for  music." 

"  I  see  there  the  dearest  little  girl,"  inter- 
rupted Robert,  "  probably  your  sister .'" 

"  It  is  my  daughter !"  replied  the  lady,  w'ith  a 
self-complacent  smile. 

"  Impossible  !"  exclaimed  the  youth,  while  he 
observed  the  little  one,  "  It  cannot  be  your 
daughter." 

"  How  30,  sir  ?  Why  not  ?"  said  the  mother 
smiling. 

"  Because — because— because  you  are  yet  a 
ciiild  yourself,"  replied  he  very  hastily,  after  he 
got  past  the  "  because." 

The  young  lady  blushed,  and  could  not  again 
restrain  a  smile.  "Pardon  me,  sir,"  said  she,  with 
an  expression  of  naive  unconstraint  on  her  beau- 
tiful Brazilian  lips;  "pardon  me,  I  have  been 
married  four  years,  and  had  three  children ;  two 
alas  !  are  no  more." 

Robert  was  serious,  almost  vexed,  for  it  ap- 
peared to  offend  him,  that  the  lady  should  take 
him  for  a  simpleton  To  explain  to  ourselves 
the  cause  of  this  vexation,  in  the  presence  of 
such  an  amiable  young  mother,  we  must  men- 
tion, beforehand,  that  .Senhora  Gracia  was  mar- 
ried in  her  thirteenth  year,  and  had  become  the 
mother  of  tliree  children  in  the  first  tlu'ee  years. 
Robert  Walker  did  not  believe  this  truth,  after 
the  lady  had  repeatedly  assured  him  of  it,  and 
we  should  hardly  have  believed  it  ourselves, 
since  the  peculiarly  maidenly  timid  nature  of  the 
lady  who  sat  there  on  the  divan,  and  maintained 
this  "  absurd"  assertion,  plainly  contradicted  it. 

The  expression,  "  have  had  three  children," 
not  only  peculiarly  oH'ended  the  youth,  but  it 
evidently  embarrassed  him,  he  had  outgrown  the 
shoes  in  which  he  stepped — when  he  was  told 
that  the  "  stork  brought  children,"  or  that  they 
were  "  taken  out  of  the  well." 

The  "  young  girl  of  seventeen  years,"  at  the  ut- 
most, who  took  the  liberty  to  assure  him  repeat- 
edly that  she  was  married,  and  had  already  had 
three  children,  appeared  evidently  to  desire  to 
jest  with  him ;  he  resolved,  therefore,  to  break  off 
from  the  ticklish  subject,  and  made  the  inquiry 
whether  the  pavilion,  which  had  been  spoken 
of  by  Senhor  IVIoreto  and  iVIr.  Thomson,  was  to 
let. 

"  The  pavilion  ?"  said  the  young  lady,  in 
greater  embarrassment  than  ever,  "  the  pavilion 

to   let .' 0   yes  ! 1    believe   not 1 

have  certainly  expressed  a  wish pardon 

me,  I  will "     With  this  obscure  fragmentary 

reply,  she  had  arisen,  and  laid  her  little  hands 
upon  a  pier  table,  on  which  stood  two  vases  of 
artificial  flowers,  under  glass  shades,  but  nothing 
else  that  she  could  grasp  at.  "  I  will  show  you 
the  pavilion,"  added  she  at  length,  with  extraor- 
dinary quickness,  and  without  any  farther  re- 
mark, she  ran  past  the  young  Briton  into  the 
garden. 

"  What  a  wonderful  prospect !"  sighed  Robert, 
casting  a  glance  around  him,  and  looking  upon 
the  ba\',  which  was  alive  with  vessels  and  small 
boats,  and  was  spread  out  before  him,  enclosed 
by  the  azure  mountains. 


178 


DOLORES. 


"  Does  it  please  you  here  ?"  inquired  the  little 
matron,  in  a  tone  that  involuntarily  expressefl 
the  earnest  wish,  that  the  young  man  might  be 
pleased  there,  and  she  just  as  involuntai'ily  felt, 
that  lier  tone  had  betrayed  something  which, 
guileless  and  pure  as  it  might  be,  she  would  ra- 
ther not  have  betrayed,  as  she  herself  did  not 
even  Icnow  what  it  was.  But  she  became  sud- 
denly extremely  well  pleased,  when  the  youth, 
surprised  by  the  situation  and  prospect  of  the 
garden,  made  that  exclamation. 

Was  it  the  generous  feeling  of  joy  in  her  so 
heavily  oppressed  heart,  which  followed  the  dis- 
covery that  a  being,  endowed  v/ith  sensibility, 
enjoyed  with  her  this  prospect,  the  charm  of 
this  delightful  scenery  .'  She  had  neither  time, 
nor  desire,  to  examine  long  the  cause  of  this 
childish  joy.  It  pleased  her  that  the  prospect 
suited  the  youtli  so  well — that  was  enough. 

Anna  now  brought  the  key  to  the  pavilion  in 
question,  that  stood  on  a  similar  terrace,  about 
twenty  steps  distant  from  the  other.  She  opened 
the  diior,  and  then  the  window :  the  prospect 
was  the  same  that  the  youth  had  jnst  found  so 
charming,  only  more  unrestricted,  because  the 
pavilion  in  which  they  now  were,  did  not  oc- 
cupy a  portion  of  the  landscape. 

"  Wonderful !  incomparalile  !"  sighed  Robert, 
who  stretched  his  eyes  over  the  garden,  and 
groups  of  trees  on  the  slopes  of  the  hills,  to 
where  a  great  part  of  the  suburb  of  da  Gloria 
lay  at  his  feet ;  and  far  and  still  farther  was  ex- 
tended the  indescribable  landscape  composition 
of  nature.  The  young  lady  stood  near  him  at  a 
window,  and  being  larger  than  she,  he  looked 
sideways,  down  upon  the  nearest  object  in  the 
foreground.  It  was  her  waving  hair,  floating 
around  her  neck. 

"  Ah  !  it  is  so  beautiful  here !"  he  again 
sighed,  in  all  the  purity  of  his  youthful  heart. 

The  young  lady  was  silent,  but  her  silence 
was  expressive. 

"  It  depends  then  on  your  consent,  Senhora," 
began  Robert,  after  a  long,  long  pause,  during 
which  he  admired  the  wonderful  prospect — "  it 
depends  on  your  consent,  whether  I  am  to  enjoy 
the  honor  and  happiness  of  inhabiting  this  pa- 
vilion." 

"  On  my  consent  ?"  whispered  the  lady,  almost 
inaudibly,  though  she  could  not  explain,  even  to 
herself,  why  she  had  not  spoken  aloud. 

"  I  must  say,  frankly  and  decidedly,  what 

what  stipulation  I  am  compelled  to  make,  Sen- 
hor,"  said  she,  louder,  and  very  hastily. 

**  I  am  ready,  Senhora,  tf>  accept  your  stipula- 
tions, and  will  strive  to  fulfil  them  punctually." 

She  stepped  back  into  the  apartment,  and 
pointed  to  a  divan,  while  she  took  a  seat  herself. 

"  Sit  down,  Senhor  !"  said  she,  with  a  tone  of 
decision  that  appeared  distant  in  comparison  to 
the  former  tone  of  her  voice,  although  not  less 
musical.  "I  live  here  alone,  Senhor,  alone  !  with 
my  child,  and  two  negresses  as  attendants.  My 
husband  is  absent;  1  expect  him  in  two  months, 
if  not  sooner.  I  may,  perhaps,  be  able  to  dis- 
close to  you,  hereafter,  the  circumstances  that 
have  induced  me  to  shut  myself  up  here 
Enough !  I  am  here  in  danger — but  in  what 
respect,  I  cannot  explain  to  you  to-day.  I  wished 
for  a  '  man'  in  my  neighborhood,  as  the  occupant 
of  this  pavilion  ;  a  man  to  whom  I  could  confide 
myself — to  whom  I  could  entrust  my  life.     You 


are  as  strange  to  me  as  any  man  on  earth ;  but 
my  uncle  knows  your  uncle — both  are  honorable 
men.  You  are  the  nephew  of  Senhor  Thomson, 
whom  I  know  myself.  Notwithstanding  you  are 
strange  to  me,  I  feel  unbounded  confidence  in 
you."  Her  lip  trembled,  and  her  eye  appeared 
dim.  "  Will  you  be  my  protector  ?  I  am  in 
danger  !"  she  repeated,  in  a  tone  of  melancholy 
and  subdued  sorrow. 

The  expression  of  the  lovely  countenance,  that 
with  nearly  every  word  of  this  declaration  con- 
veyed the  impression  of  a  different  sentiment, 
seized  as  powerfully  upon  the  youth,  as  the  con- 
fidence, with  which  the  lady  honored  him, 
aroused  his  manly  pride. 

Without  allowing  him  time  to  answer,  (which 
would,  besides,  have  been  extremely  difficult  for 
him,)  she  continued :  "  If"  you  come  here,  let 
it  remain  an  impenetrable  mystery  who  I  am — 
what  my  name  is — let  it  be  a  secret,  as  well  to 
you  as  to  the  world,  until  I  myself  discover  it  to 
you.  No  person,  except  one  friend,  whom  you 
probably  possess,  must  visit  you.  No  one !  and  if 
he  should  accidentally  know  me,  he  must  neither 
tell  you  who  I  am,  nor  any  one  else.  Should  he 
disturb  my  incognito,  I  will  immediately  leave 
my  pavilion.     You  are  musical,  1  presume  1" 

"  Why  do  you  presume  that,  Senhora .'"  in- 
quired Robert,  with  all  the  naivety  that  was,  at 
times,  at  his  command. 

"  I  have  guessed  it." 

"  I  confess  that  I  am  passionately  fond  of  play- 
ing on  the  piano,  and  should  order  an  instrument 
here  at  once." 

"  That  is  what  I  wished  to  speak  about," 
interrupted  the  lady.  "  Ask  Senhor  Moreto  to 
send  your  instrument  here  ;  and  it  must  come  in 
while  I  am  invisible — while  I  shut  myself  up  in 
my  house.  And  now,  yet  one  more  stlpuUition. 
1  will  point  out  to  you  a  single  melody,  which 
you  must  nut  play — only  one.  Besides  that,  I 
shall  be  gratified  to  hear  you  play  what  you  like. 
But  one  melody  you  must  not  play,  which  you, 
perhaps,  might  casually  hit  upon,  and  thereby 
increase  my  danger.  It  is  a  well  known  elegicai 
composition,  called:  The  Last  Accords  of  Weber."' 

"  I  will  most  punctually  comply  with  these 
conditions.  You  have  honored  me  with  your 
confidence — I  shall  know  how  to  prize  it,  and 
hope  to  show  myself  worthy  of  it."  He  uttered 
the  last  words  with  a  self-consciousness  of  his 
pure  heart,  that  by  no  means  escaped  the  young 
lady. 

"  My  confidence  assures  you  that  I  am  con- 
vinced of  this  beforehand,"  replied  she,  vvith  an 
expression  of  oppressed  womanhood,  wbich 
beautifies  every  noble  woman,  and  imparts  the 
glow  of  loveliness  to  even  less  beautiful  forms. 
A  thought  ajjpeared  suddenly  to  strike  her  ;  she 
looked  before  her,  without,  in  reality,  seeing  any 
tiling — then  laid  the  forefinger  of  her  right  hand 
on  her  rosy  under  lip,  and  said  :  "  You  are  the 
nephew  of  Mr.  Thomson,  of  Bota  Fogo ;  my 
physician.  Dr.  Thorfin,  a  European,  is  your  un- 
cle's physician.  How  will  it  be  possible  to  main- 
tain my  incognito,  if  he  learns  where  you  live  !" 

"  Dr.  Thorfin  !"  replied  Robert,  "  I  have  seen 
him  already  !  one  of  his  friends  came  from  Bue- 
nos Ayres  with  me — a  certain  Mr.  Hinango  !" 

"  Hinango  !"  cried  the  young  lady,  and  hei 
countenance  lost  its  color ;  "  Hinango  the  priva 
teer,  the  Russian  naval  officer  .'" 


C  0  L  0  R  E  S . 


179 


,  "  The  same  !"  replied  Robert,  evidently  sur- 
prised by  the  inward  emotion  vvliich  this  name 
excited  in  her.  "  Perhaps  you  l<now  this  man  .' 
forgive  the  inquiry  " 

**  I — I  know — 1  know  this  man  by  sight — as  a 
countryman  of  my  husband's 1  have,  how- 
ever, never  poken  a  syllibte  to  him — never  !" 

It  was  now  tlie  youth's  turn  to  become  pale. 
He  shuddered  inwardly  ;  he  pressed  his  riding 
whip  with  both  hands,  as  if  he  wished  to  break 
it ;  a  sudden  connexion  of  ideas  reminded  him 
of  a  warning  of  Hinango  in  resjiect  to  '  Madame 
Closting.'  His  pulse  seemed  to  stop,  for  there 
was  something  inexplicable  in  the  alarm  of  the 
young  lady,  and  in  the  connexion  ol  ideas. 

"  I  have  never  spoken  to  him— never!"  con- 
tinued the  latter,  with  her  eyes  fixed  on  the 
ground  ;  "  I  have  merely  seen  him." 

"  Do  you  suppose  that  he  knows  your  present 
abode,  and  that  by  this  means ^" 

"  No  !"  returned  she  hastily,  **  he  certainly 
does  not  know  where  I  am  now;  it  would  not 
even  interest  him." 

"  Hinango  would  be  the  very  friend,  whom  I 
would  have  wished  to  invite— I  will  not  do  it." 

**  Why  not !"  inquired  the  lady,  with  evident 
embarrassment :  "  I  will  speak  to  Dr.  Thorfin ;  I 
am  firmly  convinced  that  neither  of  them  would 
ever  say  who  I  am,  if  I  aslied  them  not  to,  for 
both  are  honorable  men,  I  beg  you,  also,  not 
to  inform  either  Dr.  Thorfin,  or  the  privateer, 
where  you  live,  until  I  have  spoke  to  the  doctor. 
You  understand  me." 

"  Perfectly!  1  thank  you  for  your  confidence," 
said  Robert,  with  an  oppressed  heart,  and  held 
out  his  right  hand  in  honest  English  style,  to 
the  Brazilian  lady,  who  seized  it  and — convul- 
sively pressed  it.  Suddenly  blushing,  for  fear 
of  betraying  her  embarrassment  to  the  youth, 
she  sought  for  words,  and  said  ; 

"  Farewell !  inhabit  this  house,  if  it  suits  you  ; 
consider  my  request,  which  I  make  a  condition, 
and  gratify  me  by  3'our  visits — as  often  as  you 
are  willing — to  afford  a  sufferer  the  consolation 
of  your  presence.    Adieu  !" 

She  hastily  withdrew,  and  hurried  into  her 
pavilion. 

Robert  stood  for  a  moment,  as  if  paralysed, 
and  then  walked  through  the  garden  to  the  gate, 
that  was  bolted  on  the  inside.  Old  Anna  opened 
it,  and  he  mounted  his  horse,  and  rode  thought- 
fully back  to  the  city. 

Madame  Closting  had  hardly  reached  the  divan 
in  her  pavilion,  when,  without  being  able  to  de- 
clare the  cause  even  before  God,  she  was  seized 
with  an  inward  convulsion,  burst  into  bitter, 
scalding  tears,  and  sobbed  aloud,  as  old  Anna 
related  and  affirmed  years  afterwards. 


CHAPTER   XII. 

THE  SPIRIT  OF  "  YOUNG  EUROPE." 

Dr.  Thorfin  entered  Hinango's  apartment,  to 
invite  him  and  his  companions  to  take  a  walk. 
He  found  his  friend  with  the  unfolded  letters 
near  him,  and  with  tears  in  his  eyes. 

"  Konarski  has  been  arrested,  and  is  under 


Russian  torture,"  sighed  Hinango,  and  handed  a 
letter  to  t!ie  doctor.  "  That  you  may  better  un- 
derstand its  contents,  1  will  first  explain  to  you 
the  position  of  this  friend. 

"  Simon  Konarski  wsa  twenty-two  years  old 
when  the  revolution  Broke  out  in  Poland.  He 
was,  at  that  time,  a  subordinate  officer,  and  a 
young  man  ol  distinguished  education.  He  was 
soon  advanced  to  the  rank  of  captain,  and  re- 
ceived the  cross  of  honor  for  his  personal  brave- 
ry. He  shared  the  fate  of  his  corps,  and  reached 
France  as  a  fugitive ;  but  his  spirit  remained 
in  Poland,  and  his  glowing  patriotism  allowed 
him  no  rest  in  e.xile.  In  the  spring  of  1S33 
he  arrived,  incognito,  with  many  other  Poles, 
by  the  way  of  Germany,  in  Poland,  where  a 
partisan,  or  guerilla  war,  was  begun,  with  the 
design  of  gradually  bringing  the  whole  of  Po- 
land again  under  arms.  The  bold  enterprise 
failed;  arrests  and  executions  followed,  and  en- 
tire villages  were  ordered  out  to  apprehend  the 
*  rebels,'  who  were  hunted,  like  stags,  by  peasants 
and  hounds  IMany  were  hung  and  shot ;  many 
were  escorted  to  Siberia.  Konarski's  flight  bor- 
dered on  the  miraculous,  and  one  day  he  only 
owed  his  deliverance  to  the  sympathy  of  a  Rus- 
sian oflicer,  who  searched  the  country  house 
where  he  was  concealed.  The  officer  took  the 
owner  of  the  house  aside,  and  whispered  in  his 
ear,  '  I  am  one  of  the  followers  of  Mouravieft';* 
you  understand  me  !  save  your  friend.'  Konar- 
ski arrived  at  Antwerp,  by  way  of  Dantzig,  when 
the  expedition  of  Savoy  v/as  in  preparation,  and 
came  to  me  at  Nyon,  on  the  Lake  of  Geneva, 
where  I  was  occupied,  at  that  time,  incognito,  as 
an  emissary  of  the  expedition.  I  passed  some 
days  there  with  him,  which  I  shall  never  forget. 
The  expedition  failed,  and  the  society  of  '  Young 
Europe '  arose,  like  a  phenix,  from  the  ashes  of 
the  bivouack  fires  in  Savoy.  Konarski,  long 
since  familiarized  with  the  idea  of  a  '  lioly  alli- 
ance of  nations,'  resolved  soon  again  to  return 
to  Poland  as  an  '  apostle  of  humanity.'  With 
unexampled  diligence  and  perseverance,  he 
learned  the  trade  of  a  watchmaker  in  Switzer- 
land and  France,  that  he  might  more  securely 
undertake  his  journey  under  the  mask  of  this 
profession.  Prepared,  in  all  respects,  for  his 
mission,  he  went  to  London,  in  the  year  IS.3.5, 
where  the  central  committee  of '  Young  Poland,' 
as  a  division  of '  Young  Europe,*  confided  to  him 
the  mission  that  he  desired.  He  first  went  to 
Cracow,  in  the  strictest  incognito,  towards  the 
end  of  the  same  year.  Prepared,  at  every  step, 
for  dungeons,  tortures,  and  the  scaflbld,  he  tra- 
versed Volhynia,  Podolia,  and  Lithuania — in 
short,  all  the  provinces  of  Poland,  which,  since 
half  a  century,  had  been  governed  by  the  Russian 
knout.  Everywhere  he  found  the  spirit  which 
he  looked  for  ;  the  field  of  the  heart  in  which  to 
scatter  the  seed,  that,  moistened  with  blood,  will 
one  day  spring  up  in  a  pure  future  !  An  apostle, 
the  like  of  whom  our  association  has  bai'dly 
found,  he  wrought,  with  immense  eflect,  upon 
the  hearts  that  thirsted  for  consolation.  Nature 
had  imprinted  on  his  brow  the  stamp  of  his 
exalted  vocation — a  noble,  open  countenance, 
with  the  flashing  glance  of  a  deep  blue  eye,  cool- 
ness and  presence  of  mind  in  danger,  sincerity 


*  One  of  the  heads  of  the  Russian  conspiracy,  in  the 
year  isaa. 


ISO 


DOLORES. 


and  animation  in  intercourse  with  his  friends, 
and  heart-stirring  eloquence  in  the  secret  assem- 
blages of  the  association,  united  to  form  a  person 
who  awakened  unbounded  confidence  in  kindred 
souls.  Endowed  with  divine  power,  he  ful- 
filled his  vocation  of  strengthening  his  country- 
men in  faith  in  the  resurrection  of  the  human 
race.  He  turned,  also,  to  the  female  sex,  in  the 
consciousness  of  the  exalted  worth  and  the  im- 
mense influence  of  woman  upon  the  rising  gene- 
ration, to  impress  upon  the  heart  of  the  mother 
that  she  should  infirse  into  the  suckling  at  her 
breast,  love  of  fatherland,  faith  in  God  and  hu- 
manity, and  hatred  to\Yards  all  tyranny.  His 
persona!  appearance,  which  I  have  described, 
facilitated  his  entrance  among  all  classes  of  the 
people.  Not  only  susceptible  youth  and  females, 
where  he  approached  them,  but,  also,  priests 
»nd  functionaries  of  the  government,  and  officers 
of  the  army,  joined  our  association.  Many  of- 
ficers and  functionaries  of  high  rank,  manifested 
the  spirit  that  found  harmony  and  fellowship  in 
them.  He  wrought  thus  for  about  two  years 
and  a  half,  sought  for  in  every  quarter  by  the 
Russian  secret  police,  and  only  protected  by  the 
spirit  ofthe  association,  which  efficiently  .opposed 
the  element  of  treachery,  and  eluded  the  strictest 
inquiry.  At  length,  however,  his  fate  has  over- 
taken him — that  awful  fate,  to  which  he  always 
looked  forward.     Read  this  letter  from  London." 

Thorfin  was  profoundly  impressed  by  this  com- 
Liunication,  which,  as  it  appeared,  shook  the 
heart  of  his  friend  in  its  raost  secret  depths,  as  if 
had  also  newly  awakened  the  sense  of  his  own 
position  in  South  America. 

"  He  was  apprehended  in  the  month  of  May, 
this  year,  1S3S,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Wilna," 
Dr.  Thorpin  read,  "  after  he  had  so  lon»  suc- 
ceeded, with  unexampled  adroitness,  in  etu-ding 
the  embittered  Russian  seci'et  police. 

"  .Ml  those  who  had  been  in  personal  contact 
with  him,  were,  very  naturally,  liable  to  the  same 
persecutions;  but,  according  to  the  organization 
of  our  association,  the  discovery  of  the  confede- 
rates is,  thank  God  !  difficult. 

"  He,  as  well  as  his  fellow-prisoners,  are  sub- 
jected to  the  torture,  with  all  its  horrors,  to  ex- 
tort confessions,  in  order  to  renew  the  arrests. 

"  Konarski  nndergoes  tortures  of  a  barbarity 
which  characterises  the  RiHsion  government. 
Not  only  the  knout  is  employed  to  extort  con- 
fessions from  him,  (wbich  can  be  obtained  from 
him  alone,)  but  the  tortures  of  the  middle  ages, 
with  all  their  inconceivable  suffe^nngs,  were  ex- 
hausted upon  him.  His  fingers  have  been  torn 
out  of  joint  with  pincers,  and  iron  nails  driven 
into  the  flesh  under  his  fingernails.  He  endures 
such  martyrdom,  and  holds  his  peace!  Burning 
sealing-wax  has  been  dropped  in  the  open  wounds 
made  by  the  knout.  He  endures  morally,  even 
when  he  faints  from  prostration  of  physical 
strength.  Until  the  present  time,  not  a  single 
confession  has  passed  his  lips." 

•'  My  God  !"  sighed  Thorlin,  "  what  a  man  !" 
He  read  further : 

"  The  sympathy  and  reverence  which  his  fate 
and  his  almost  superhuman  steadfastness  have 
prodnced  among  the  Russians,  resembles  the 
effect  of  his  boldest  activity  among  the  Poles. ' 
A  Russian  captain,  on  service  to  guard  him,  re- 
solved to  escape  with  him — to  save  Konarski. 
A  fellow  prisoner,  who  was  let  into  the  plan,  j 


found  it  more  advisable  to  commenJ  hiraicK  tn 
the  mercy  of  the  emperor,  and  demeaned  him- 
self to  be  a  traitor.  The  captain's  name  is 
Koravieff;  he  was  at  once  condemned  to  death,* 
and  Konarski,  yet  more  deeply  immersed  in  sub- 
terranean dungeons,  awaits  still  more  inhuman 
tortures." 

"  The  Russian  government  does  not  yield  to 
Rosas  in  Buenos  Ayres  !"  sighed  Thorfin ;  "  but 
meaner,  if  possible,  than  such  barbarity  in  itself, 
is  the  cowardice  of  the  creatures  of  these  go- 
vernments, whodeny  thcreality  of  such  persecu- 
tion. Every  Russian  ambassador,  or  his  lowest 
lackey  or  secretary,  would  deny  it  to  our  faces, 
and  maintain  that  this  intelligence  is  false,  that 
there  is  no  such  torture  in  Russia ;  while  the  same 
creatures  would  gladly  avail  themselves  of  an 
opportunity  to  assist  in  delivering  us  up,  to  ob- 
tain thereby  an  order,  or  a  better  post.  While 
Rosas  reitei-ated  two  dozen  times  in  every  num- 
ber of  his  otficiai  Gaceta  de  Comercio,  his  cui'se, 
"Mueran  los  salvagos  IJnitarios  ;"  his  ambassador 
here  denies  that  there  i^  any  political  persecu- 
tion in  the  Argentine  republic.  Fugitives  by 
hundreds  land  upon  the  coast  of  Brazil  to  elude 
the  executioner's  axe  of  Rosas,  and,  notwith- 
standing, the  friends  of  the  Gaucho  here  deny 
that  a  man  has  ever  been  executed  in  Uueno* 
Ayres  for  political  crimes.'*' 

"  Absolutism  and  slavery,"  remarked  Hinan- 
go,  "  continue  always  as  consistent  in  their  ope- 
ration in  politics,  as  in  marriage  without  love. 
Here  is  the  same  case  that  we  touched  upon  last 
evening.  A  slave  of  Rosas,  or  ofthe  emperor  o! 
Russia,  with  stars  and  orders,  will  as  steadily  and 
firmly  deny  the  barbarity  of  his  master,  as  a  wife 
in  a  ne%v  hat  or  shawl  denies  the  blows  which 
she  herself  has  received  from  her  husband.  Who 
can  explain  these  absurdities  of  the  demoraliza- 
tion of  all  legalized  slavery .'  Have  you  read 
this  part  ?"  he  asked,  pointing  to  some  lines  in 
the  letter.  Dr.  Thorlin  read:  "Awaking  from 
a  swoon,  after  such  torture,  Konarski  turned  to- 
wards his  executioner,  and  cried  :  '  Wretch  !  I 
have  already  declared  to  you,  I  know  nothing  !  I 
amacquainted  with  nobody  I  Am  I  guilty.'  Well! 
I  have  at  least  no  accomplices  I'  He  often  said 
to  the  governor,  who  wished  to  persuade  him  ti 
confers :  •  Seek  for  new  torments !  find  out  a 
yet  more  horrible  torture,  and  we  shall  see 
wliether  yoa  can  extort  a  single  syllable  from 
me.'  The  governor,  a  hardened  servant  of 
tyranny,  proverbially  known  for  his  obduracy, 
related  this  expression  of  Konarski,  and  added: 
'  The  man  must  be  of  iron  !'  and  Konarski's  fate 
and  his  unexampled  steadfastness,  became  known 
in  this  manner  among  the  Russians."! 

*  According  to  hiter  inteJJigence  comlucted  to  Siberia, 

i  SimoD  Konarski  was  exeL-uleJ  at  XNilDa^ou  theiTih 
of  February,  1^39.  His  death  wae  such  as  ins  character, 
bis  life,  and  the  spirit  of  the  association  that  inspireU 
him,  would  lead  us  to  expect.  "With  similar  traiKiaillUy 
oi  soul,  as,  some  years  later,  the  two  Baiultery^^at  Coseu 
za.tfl)  in  Italy,  and  like  the  three  brothers  i'izarro,  who, 
as  apostles  of  humaAity,  were  executed  in  Buenos  Ayres, 
he  sarw  bis  open  grave  with  a  smile,  and  looked  d'Jratk 
firmly  in  the  face. 

.\  pamphlet,  "  Quatrirme  Anniversaire  de  Ift  Mort  tie 
Sitooa  Konarski,  celebree  a  Londres  le  27  Kverier.  1843, 
Paris,  imprimeric  de  F.  H  Briard,  Rue  des  Six  Jolons, 
84",  contains  many  interesting  particulars,  as  a  contri'iu- 
tion  to  tbe  history  of  our  time. 

a  See-'KicoltideiFratelli  Baudiera  et  dei  loro  Compag 
ill  di  Mai-tirio  in  Cosen/.a,  il  35  J  ugiio,  ld44,  etc.,  etc 
Farigi  Wiart,  Editore.    Via  d'Enghien,  lU,  19.    1946.] 


DOLORES, 


181 


Horatio  and  Alvarez  came  in,  to  inquire  when 
they  should  take  their  walk.  Hiriango  hurried 
to  complete  his  toilet,  and  gave  to  his  two  com- 
panions one  of  the  letters,  written  in  French,  to 
impart  to  tliem  the  fate  of  Konarski. 

The  leaf  trembled  in  Horatio's  hand,  whilst 
Alvarez  read  the  lines  with  him.  Both  inter- 
rupted tlieir  reading;  with  sigiis  and  exclama- 
tions, until  at  length  they  looked  at  each  other, 
and  Horatio  said  :  '*  Does  it  nut  seem  as  if  we 
were  reading  a  leaf  out  of  the  history  of  the  first 
martyrs  of  Christianity  in  the  first  century,  before 
the  church  overcame  this  spirit,  and  sought  to 
bury  it  in  forms  ?" 

'•  What  a  spirit  must  lie  at  the  foundation  of 
this  association  of"  Young  Europe,"  and  prevail 
in  its  apostles,  when  it  counts  such  men  as  this 
among  its  martyrs  !"  sighed  Alvarez.  *'  And 
■what  fate  should  1  have  si)ared,  and  our  Dolores, 
if  the  slaves  of  Rosas  had  discovered  us,  and  con- 
ducted us  to  the  prisons  in  Buenos  Ayres  I" 

Hinango  re-entered,  prepared  for  the  walk.  Al- 
var«  z  hurried  up  to  him,  and  pressed  him  to  his 
heart.  The  friends  left  the  hotel,  and  walked, 
under  Dr.  Thorfin's  guidance,  to  the  "  Passeio 
Publico,"  the  public  garden  of  the  city  of  Rio, 
with  a  terrace  on  the  shore  of  the  bay,  present- 
ing shady  alleys,  and  a  prospect  of  the  won- 
derful Organ  Mountains.  They  met  there,  at 
the  appointed  hour,  the  "  air  pump  controller," 
Mr.  Fitz,  in  his  invariable  good  humor,  who 
gave  them  this  rendezvous,  for  inspecting  toge- 
ther the  schooner  brig  Vesta,  which  he  had  re- 
commended to  the  ex-Russian  naval  officer,  as  a 
privateer  for  Rio  Grande,  or  as  a  slave  trader  for 
Angola  and  Loango,  according  to  either  use  that 
Hinango  might  make  of  it,  which  was  quite  in- 
different to  the  astronomer. 


6  .f^^'.f.f^.t^— 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

THE  PARTNEa  AND  THE  YOUNG  SWISS. 

Abd  EI.  Kader,  the  Congo  servant  of  the 
house  of  Rossbriick  &  Co.,  in  the  Rua  da  Al- 
fandega,  informed  all  the  business  people,  on  the 
holiday  morning,  that  the  breakfast  was  ready, 
and  Mr.  Doubly  sent  him  into  the  cabinet  of  the 
young  man,  who  gave  himself  out  for  a  certain 
William  Rossbriick,  to  invite  him  to  breakfast 
likewise.  The  "[gentleman  "  seemed  of  the  opin- 
ion that  he  should  compromise  himself  less,  if  he 
spoke  a  word  to  a  "  nigger  "  than  to  a  clerk,  and 
asked  the  servant  when  filr.  Ros-sbriick  or  Mr. 
Dumpling  (a  pai'tner  in  the  concern)  would  come 
home. 

"  Don't  know,"  answered  the  negro ;  "  they  at 
chacara — both  senhors — ^far  away — in  San  Chris- 
tova.  Be  sure  to  come  Monday— be  here  early 
Monday." 

The  gentleman  seemed  to  consider  what  he 
should  do,  and  Abd  el  Kader  repeated  his  invi- 
tatioo  to  breakfast. 

"  I  shall  not    come ;     I  will    not   breakfast 

with ,"  he  grumbled,  suppressing  tlie  words 

that  wavered  upon  his  tongue,  and  turning  his 
respectable  back  upon  the  negro,  who  did  not 
fcjonor  him  long  with  the  contemplation  of  the 


faceless  latitude  of  his  body,  but  withdrew,  to 
carrc  to  his  young  masters,  who  were  already 
assembled  around  the  covered  table,  the  result 
of  his  mission. 

"  Then  he  may  let  it  alone  !"  said  Mr.  Dou- 
bly, and  all  loolted  intently  at  each  other.  After 
the  conclusion  of  the  breakfast,  the  young  men 
made  their  toilet,  and  left  the  liouse,  to  enioy 
the  aromatic  air  of  the  environs.  Some  of  tliem 
desired  that  the  dinrier  should  not  be  kept  wait- 
ing for  them,  as  they  were  going  to  visit  Prayi 
Grande.* 

Mr.  Doubly  was  left  at  home  alone,  and  sat 
reading  a  volume  of  poetical  poems,  written  by 
a  young  Eurojiean,  when  the  **  gentleman  "  came 
out  of  his  room  door,  which  admitted  of  a  view 
into  the  interior  of  Mr.  Doubly's  apartment.  "  I 
am  satisfied,"  thought  he,  interru]iting  his  read- 
ing, "  that  this  young  European  will  write  no 
political  poetry  !" 

The  "gentleman"  stared  at  the  clerk,  who 
looked  up  from  his  book  and  into  his  eyes,  but 
bade  him  no  good  morning  ;  he  only  pressed  his 
patent  gloves  a  little  deeper  between  the  lingers, 
and  left  the  room  and  the  house  without  saying 
a  word. 

"  Go  to  the  devil !  and  greet  your  gentlemen 
in  their  private  hell !"  muttered  the  young  man, 
as  the  gentleman  slammed  the  door  of  the  gal- 
lery behind  him,  and  stumbled  down  the  steps. 

Where  the  stranger  went  to,  who  called  him- 
self'Mr.  William  Rossbriick,  whether  he  sought 
a  breakfast  in  some  hotel,  or  calie,  was  indiflerent 
in  the  highest  degree  to  the  young  man  who 
guai'ded  the  house  of  Rossbriick  &.  Co.  An 
hour  afterwards,  there  was  a  tap  at  the  door 
which  divided  the  corridor  from  the  steps.  Abd 
el  Kader  opened  it ;  the  gentleman  walked  in 
again,  did  not  even  look  around  him,  (while  the 
negro  observed  him  from  head  to  loot,)  and  re- 
tired to  his  cabinet 

The  forenoon  passed  off,  and  it  was  two 
o'clock  ;  the  table  was  covered  for  dinner,  and  a 
friend  of  young  Doubly  appeared,  whom  he  had 
invited  to  keep  him  company.  The  negro  in- 
formed the  gentleman  that  dinner  was  ready ; 
"  1  shall  not  come  !"  muttered  he,  in  the  same 
surly  tone  with  which  he  had  declined  the 
breakfast,  and  Abd  el  Kader  again  brought  the 
refusal  to  yoiing  Doubly. 

"  Only  wait !"  said  he,  half  aside  to  himself; 
"  1  see  now  who  I  have  to  deal  with  !  If  you 
feel  too  good  to  sit  at  table  with  us,  I  will  show 
you  that  I  am  at  home  here.     Wait  now  !" 

The  guest  of  the  clerk,  a»young  Italian,  direc- 
tor of  a  musical  chapel  in  Rio,  learned  superfi- 
cially who  was  in  the  cabinet,  and  took  as  little 
notice  of  the  unknown  as  Mr.  Doubly  did,  apai't 
from  the  indirect  ofience. 

"  Do  you  know  that  the  Scandinavian  is  here 
again .'"  inquired  the  Italian,  as  they  seated 
themselves  at  the  table. 

"  I  have  already  sent  my  card  to  him  at  the 
Hotel  du  Nord,  as  1  could  not  go  out  to-day  to 
call  on  him,"  reijlied  Mr.  Doubly.  "  He  is  an 
early  friend  of  my  foimer  principal,  in  whose 
society  1  became  acquainted  with  him.  I  would 
gladly  have  invited  him  to-day,  but  my  present 
principal  is  al'raid  of  being  compromised  in  case 


»  Opposite  to  the  shore  of  the  city,  a  favorite  place  of 
recreation. 


1S2 


DOLORES. 


he  entors  this  house.     Even  hig  name  frightens 
him,  if  he  reads  it  in  the  European  newspapers." 

"  I  must  lieep  away  from  him,  on  account  of 
my  situation,"  said  the  Signore  Maestro,  as  he 
ate  his  soup.  **  They  would  suspect  that  I  be- 
longed to  the  association  of  '  La  Giovine  Italia,' 
and  displace  me — take  my  situation  from  me; 
and  that  would  surely  be  dreadful." 

"  As  concerns  myself,"  returned  the  young 
Swiss,  "  I  had  just  as  iief  it  wonld  be  known 
here  that  I  belong  to  '  Young  Switzerland,'  and 
be  seen  walking  with  an  associate  of  '  Young 
Europe,'  as  not;  and  if  my  jirincipal  should 
take  my  situation  away  from  me  on  that  account, 
I  should  soon  find  anolher;  and  if  Old  Europe' 
should  ever  break  loose,  1  am  convinced  that  we, 
Swiss  in  Brazil,  could  equip  a  small  man-of-war, 
and  a  part  of  us  would  emlrark,  provided  the 
crisis  had  come  on  in  Europe,  that  must  follow, 
sooner  or  later." 

"  Certainly,  when  it  comes  to  that,  I  Vfill  do 
my  part ;  but  *  prudence  can  do  no  harm  ;'  and  I 
promised  my  father  to  keep  away  from  '  Young 
Italy.'  My  father  has  a  post  at  the  Court  of 
Modena." 

"  There  is  the  difference.  I  have  promised 
my  father  and  myself  to  continue  a  Republican, 
wherever  1  might  be.  You  know  that  we  Swiss, 
here  in  Rio  de  Janeiro,  maintain  our  love  of 
fatherland,  by  social  confederation,  in  a  Riflers' 
Union.  To  be  sure,  there  are  many  among  them, 
likew'ise,  that  would  tremble  to  eat  a  plate  of 
soup  with  a  confederate  of  '  Young  Europe.' 
There  are  cowards  amongst  all  nations  The 
Swiss,  however,  have  preserved,  until  this  time, 
the  spirit  of  freedom;  and  if  our  republics  are 
insignificant,  our  people  are  not  the  most  insig- 
nificant in  Europe.  Switzerland  yet  contains 
some  republicans." 

The  two  young  people,  (though,  to  be  sure 
with  apparently  different  views  of  life,)  chatted 
away  the   hour  at  table,  and  a  portion  of  the 
afternoon,  without  quarrelling  about  their  politi 
cal  differences. 

Towards  five  o'clock,  the  stiff  figure  of  the 
gentleman  in  black  patent  gloves,  again  ap|)eared 
in  the  parlor,  again  stared  at  the  young  Swiss, 
and  walked  out  of  the  door. 

"The  clown  has  certainly  been  bitten  by  a 
mad  Englishman,"  said  Mr.  Doubly,  laughing,  as 
both  looked  after  him. 

"  He  feels  his  nullity,  and  would  gladly  be 
something,"  remarked  the  Itilian  ;  "  and  as  it  is 
easier  to  play  the  deaf  and  dumb  gentleman,  than 
the  intelligent  Frenchman,  it  is  easily  explained 
how  he  came  to  wear  this  mask.  As  to  the  rest, 
the  foreign  nature  peeps  awkwardly  forth  from 
the  mask.  No  Englishman  would  ever  take  him 
for  a  countryman." 

"This  is  just  the  crazy  side  of  the  German 
Anglo-mania,"  said  Mr.  Doubly,  "  and  evinces 
the  narrow-mindedness  of  those  who  are  ashamed 
of  being  Germans,  and  ape  the  English.  Will  a 
Briton  ever  deny  his  nationality,  and  as-sumethe 
least  of  a  foreign  form,  let  him  be  in  what  coun- 
try he  may  ?  The  (Germans,  however,  have  no 
nationality  ;  how  can  they  maintain  it  ?  As  a 
nation  of  full  thirty  millions  of  men,  the  Germans 
might,  truly,  just  as  well  be  self-existent  and 
independent,  as  the  French,  the  Spanish,  or  the 
English." 

"  The  British  is,  undoubtedly,  the  first  nation 


on  earth — no  one  can  deny  that,"  remaricn?'  the 
Italian. 

"  Certainly,  in  material  respects,"  replied 
Doubly  ;  "  but  there  are  two  sorts  of  greatness — 
material  and  intellectual.  The  giant  of  eight 
feet,  who  excites  the  astonishment  of  the  rude 
populace  in  some  suburban  theati-e,  is  certainly 
great 

"  The  English  characterize  their  own  gpreatness 
by  their  acknowledgment  and  admiration  of  any, 
or  all,  other  material  greatness.  An  English- 
man respects  no  intellectual  gi-eatness,  becaus« 
he  is  a  strdn;er  to  it ;  he  honors  no  talent,  no 
science,  no  art,  no  intellect,  but  only  the  reault 
of  talent  or  of  intellect — the  result  in  money. 

"  On  the  contrai'y,  he  admires  and  honors  mate- 
rial greatness,  let  it  be  as  spiritless  as  it  may. 
Great  wealth,  a  gn;at  ox,  a  great  cheese,  a  great 
vessel,  a  great  hog,  a  great  plum  cake,  a  great 
pumpkin,  a  great  boxer:  all  greatness  of  this 
sort  interests  the  Englishiaan,  if  the  ox  or  the 
cheese  is  English.  As  a  positive  consequence 
he  nc^t  only  has  no  notion  of  any  intellectual 
greatness,  but  it  appears  ridiculous  to  him — 
without  money." 

"If  the  Son  of  Man'  were  to  come  again,  and 
were  to  make  his  appearance  in  England,  with- 
out an  equipage  with  four  hoi-ses,  and  without 
being  recommended  to  Rothschild,  he  would 
hardly  find  an  English  Clu'istendom,"  observed 
the  Signore  Maestro. 

"  1  will  read  to  you,  as  an  Italian,  a  fragment 
from  a  [xiem,  that  is  certainly  written  in  a  dead 
language,  and  had  to  be  first  translated  into 
English,  to  be  read." 

The  young  Swiss  brought  a  book  from  his 
room,  and  read,  in  an  impi-essive  voice : 

"  Sydon  and  Tyre  have  once  been  great  in  traffic, 
And  Carthage,  too,  has  had  her  HauaibaJ. 
The  storms  of  time,  that  mighty  foe  to  form, 
Have  swallowed  all,  e'en  to  the  smallest  trace 
Of  their  magnificence  j  tirst  weak,  then  weaker. 
Their  splendor  died  e'en  to  its  last  faint  beam. 
Mysteriously  extinguished  by  a  power 
That  sweeps  oli^  in  ;in  instant,  towns  an'd  states. 

A  single  hour — one  battle's  dire  event, 
Has  oft  cut  down  a  liingdom's  palmy  bloom, 
And  erusheiJ  its  (irm  foundations  in  themselves. 
And  all  its  power  and  splendor  made  extinct. 
Preserved  from  all  decay.  Idea  stands — 
Idea,  tiod's  own  light  in  human  souls  I 
Babel,  once  great  and  pow  erful,  has  fallen  ; 
Rome,  Sparta,  Athens,  mock  at  such  a  fate. 

From  Tyre,  from  Sydon,  and  from  Babylon, 
All  that  remain  are,  ruins  of  the  past  ; 
All,  save  the  saying — '  Here  a  throne  once  stood. 
Here  kings  witii  wanton  Phrynes  revelled  once— 
Hei-e  stood  the  exchange,  and  there,  not  far  removed^ 
The  slave  mart — here  the  jeweller's  baaaar  j' 
No  more  is  said  of  them  in  history. 
Than — '  Here  gieat  trallic  once  was  carried  on  I' 

From  Rome,  from  .A.thens,  and  from  Ithaca, 
More  than  the  narae  is  handeil  down  to  ua  , 
The  human  intellect,  in  brilliaat  splendor. 
In  arts  and  science,  gleams  upon  us  Ihence, 
Displaying  culture's  bright  meridian  path. 
In  opposition  to  the  tragic  silence 
Of  other  cities'  ruins — other  states, 
Once  great  in  gold  and  stones,in  hirelings  anil  in  brokers 

Athens  and  Ilouie,  and  Sparta  still  survive  j 
Vain  are  all  efforts  to  extirpate  .Mind. 
The  Greeks  still  bid  defiance  to  tlieyoko 
Of  ser\'itude — the- Spartans,  (the  Mainotes.) 
Are  roused  again  in  freedom's  sacred  cause  ; 
The  Italians  may  be  mocked  by  parasites  ; 
The  Vatican  and  Peters  haughty  dome, 
Eternally  enclese  the  mighty  spirit  of  Rome  I 

Behold  we  not  virtue  in  Italy — 
While  freedom's  martyrs  pine  in  dungeons  tUerfi  ; 
Voutlis  who,  in  words  and  deeds,  have  boldly  dareil 
To  sacri&ce  themselves  for  fartherland  1 


DOLORES 


183 


Dungeons  and  exile  have  no  power  to  blight 
The  Moom  of  mind  ;  desjiots  may  ever  strive 
To  slay  a  people,  and  to  share  a  land, 
But  Rome's  Nemesis  will  not  lie  entombed. 

JN'o  nation's  dead,  tliat  wortliy  martyrs  count, 
ForGoil  and  freedom — honor — fatherland  ! 
No  nation's  'lead,  tliat  sull'ers  in  its  chains, 
Scourged  and  dismembered  by  tiie  hangman's  hand, 
If  nationality  still  nerves  the  spirit's  strength. 
£'en  slioiilj  the  nation's  f.  mc  and  splendor  vanish, 
Fhonlii  treachery  destroy  Italia's  sons, 
Through  nationality  she'll  rise  again. 

The  spirit,  in  tilt  strife  with  matter,  fills 
The  t)loody  book  of  the  world's  history. 
'Tis  from  the  feelings  that  all  action  springs. 
Tyranny  can  do  nouglit,  'gainst  strengtli  of  mind. 

Mysteriously  enclosed  in  mourning  crape, 
Sits  justice,  in  the  judgement  of  the  world. 
Surrounded  tty  all  nations'  martyr-shades, 
Deciding  on  the  rise  and  fall  of  states. 

And  \vhat  a  nation  does,  and  what  intends. 
All.  as  a  nation,  that  it  strives  to  efft?ct. 
Shall  be  ma-le  i<nown.     Long  as  the  earth  revolves, 
So  long  shall  liithy  selfishness  be  scorned. 
Mind  will  be  recognised,  and  gather  fame 
But  despotism  still  remains  accursed  ; 
For  it  the  sentence  from  that  judgement  seat, 
Shall  be  :  To  pass  from  memory  to  Oblivion  I 

Oblivion  clouds  the  splendor  of  those  states, 
Which  love  to  man,  in  spirit,  have  denied, 
Which,  nation  after  nation  have  betrayed. 
Appropriating  land  on  land  by  fraud. 

No  fruit  can  e'er  arise  from  any  seed. 
Unless  the  genn  receives  the  Spirit's  ray  ; 
All  that  is  mortal  tleets  away  with  time ; 
The  spiritual,  alone,  gains  immortality." 

There  was  another  rattling  and  knocking  at 
the  door  of  the  corridor,  and  Abd  el  Kader  again 
opened  it  The  gentleman  strode  slowly  and 
gravely,  with  wooden  stiffness,  through  the  salon, 
and  disappeared  in  the  passage  that  led  to  his 
room ;  the  two  young  men  again  looked  after 
him,  and  Mr.  Doubly  now  declared : 

"  I  will  invite  the  clown  once  more  to  tea, 
this  evening ;  if  he  refuses,  upon  my  soul !  I 
will  lock  him  in  his  cabinet,  and  take  upon  my- 
self, voluntarily,  the  care  of  the  house  to-morrow, 
and  he  shall  sit  there  until  early  the  day  after, 
till  Mr.  Kossbriick  comes  home.  He  may  knock 
and  call  as  much  as  he  will ;  any  one  might  walk 
in  here,  and  give  himself  out  for  William  Ross- 
briick,  and,  after  all,  be  some  clever  thief,  who 
may  there  hide  things  about  his  person,  and  carry 
them  out  of  the  house.  I  know  what  I  have  to 
do  for  the  security  of  the  property  of  our  house. 
If  the  fellow  behaves  himself  this  evening,  as  is 
to  be  expected  from  a  relative  of  the  house,  and 
if  he  gives  me  sufficient  evidence  that  he  is  the 
person  th'dt  he  pretends  to  be,  well;  if  not,  then 
I  shall  take  the  measures  towards  him  that  1 
have  resolved  on." 

The  young  It.ilian  found  this  resolution  as  ori- 
ginal as  just,  since  no  thief  could  certainly  have 
chosen  a  better  mask,  to  cover  his  entrance  into 
a  house,  and  enable  him  to  carry  on  his  business 
with  all  convenience.  The  Sr.  Maestro  with- 
drew towards  evening,  and  some  of  the  inmates 
of  the  liouse  appearing  at  tea  time,  Mr.  Doubly 
informed  them  that  he  should  assume  the  watch 
for  the  following  day,  and  sent  to  invite  the  gen- 
tleman once  more  to  tea.  The  same  churlish 
answer  was  again  returned — "  1  will  not  come !" 
and  the  young  Swiss  kept  his  word. 

Mr.  Robert  Walker  went,  towards  sundown,  to 
his  house  in  the  Rua  Direita  where  a  young  Eng- 
lishman kept  watoli  in  the  same  manner  as  did 
Mr    Doubly  in  the  house  of  Rossbriick  &  Co. 

The  suu  had  hardly  gone  down,  and  its  last 


rays  ceased  to  linger  on  the  bare  rocky  masses 
of  the  Corcovado,  when  a  clapping  of  hands  was 
heard  in  the  corridor  of  the  house  of  Walker  & 
Co.  At  this  intimation  that  some  one  required 
admission,  a  negro  opened  the  door,  and  Sr. 
Forro  announced  himself,  and  enquired  if  Mr. 
William  Walker,  from  Buenos  Ayres,  was  tliere. 

The  negro  conducted  him  to  a  room  which  Mr. 
Thomson  kept  as  an  office  when  he  had  any 
thing  to  do  in  town. 

"  No  one  has  announced  himself,"  began  Mr. 
Forro,  after  the  usual  salutations,"  and  we  are 
now  ready  to  lay  before  you  tlie  plan  of  tliis  bu- 
siness, to  carry  out  which  important  steps  have 
already  been  taken." 

"  The  business  relates  to  mines  of  metal .'" 
inquired  Robert,  as  the  two  seated  themselves 
opposite  to  each  other. 

"  I  herewith  hand  you  the  necessary  docu- 
ments, which  will  aflbrd  you  a  clear  insight  in(o 
the  whole  project.  The  mines  are  the  principal 
object,  as  the  working  of  them  will  be  the  basis 
of  the  industry,  which  is  to  support  the  colony. 
Iron  and  lead  are  found  there  in  great  abundance. 
The  ground,  covering  the  mines,  is  rich  in 
furniture  wood,  of  excellent  quality,  and  both 
sources  are  nearly  inexhaustible.  The  climate 
is  similar  to  that  of  the  south  of  Etirope,  and  the 
luxuriance  of  the  vegetation  admits  of  the  culti- 
vation of  nearly  all  tlie  most  profitable  European 
fruits.  In  case  you  enter  upon  this  business, 
two  vessels  must  immediately  be  freighted  in 
Europe,  to  bring  out  the  laborers  and  emigrants 
who  are  already  engaged  there,  as  well  as  the 
necessai'y  machines  and  manufactured  products 
of  all  sorts  for  the  colony.  Regular  vessels  from 
Europe  can  then  ply  hack  and  forth,  as  the  do- 
main of  the  colony  lies  almost  in  immediate  con- 
tingency to  the  ocean." 

"  Very  well !"  replied  Robert,  when  the  agent 
of  the  naturalist  had  ceased  speaking,  and  ap- 
peared to  expect  an  answer.  *'  When  do  you 
desire  a  definite  answer  on  o'ur  part,  after  we 
shall  have  looked  over  the  documents  and  mate- 
rially weiglied  the  whole  affair  !" 

"  This  is  Saturday,"  answered  Mr.  Forro ; 
"  Monday  morning,  at  nine  o'clock,  I  shall  wish 
to  hear  your  decision." 

"  Very  well,"  concluded  Robert ;  "  I  shall  ex- 
pect you  here  on  Monday  morning,  at  nine 
o'clock,  and  will,  in  the  meantime,  consult  with 
my  uncle,  Mr.  Thomson,  about  the  plan,  that 
we  may  then  give  you  our  fixed  determination." 

The  two  men  of  business  parted  from  each 
other  with  businesslike  brevity,  and  Robert 
mounted  his  horse  to  hurry  towards  Bota  Fogo, 
to  lay  before  his  uncle  the  affair,  of  which  he  had 
already  given  him  previous  notice.  He  galloped 
past  the  hill  of  da  Gloria,  and  looked  hastily  up- 
ward at  the  two  pavilions,  one  of  which  he  was 
to  inhabit  on  the  coining  night.  For  this  purpose, 
he  had  despatched  tliither  his  carpet  bag,  as  the 
examination  of  his  trunks  and  boxes  at  the  alfan- 
dega  was  postponed,  on  account  of  the  holiday. 

The  wish,  or,  rather,  the  command,  of  the 
amiable  young  lady,  in  relation  to  the  mainte- 
nance of  her  incognito,  hardly  permitted  him 
even  to  ask  himself  the  questions,  who  she  was, 
and  what  was  the  danger  to  which  she  was  ex- 
posed. It  was  sufficient  for  him  that  he  was 
honored  by  her  confidence,  and  summoned  to  her 
protection.     Notwithstanding  this,  however,  aa 


184 


DOLORES. 


indescribable  uneasiness  came  over  him,  when 
he  recurred  to  the  warning  of  his  friend  Hinango, 
and  the  singular  impression  which  this  name 
had  mado  upon  the  fair  unknown. 

The  thought  that  the  natural  connexion  of 
ideas  was  founded  upon  the  reality  that  this 
young  lady  was  Madame  Closting,  gained  more 
and  more  probability,  and  caused  him  to  shudder 
with  that  indefinable  feeling  for  which  he  could 
find  no  name.  The  secret  of  the  young  Brazilian 
lady,  however,  whatever  circumstances  might, 
make  it  necessary,  was  sacred  to  him.  She  was 
in  danger,  and  the  suspicion  that  she  might  be  the 
lady  whom  Hinango  had  mentioned,  could  not 
deter  him  from  occupying  the  pavilion,  as  he,  in 
his  youthful  purity,  was  unconscious  of  the  dan- 
ger wliich  might  threaten  himself. 

The  image  of  the  distressed  unfortunate  came 
before  his  soul  with  ineffaceable  liveliness,  and 
the  melodious  tones  of  the  voice  in  which  she  had 
requested  for  herself  the  consolation  of  his 
presence,  resounded  in  the  depths  of  his  throb- 
bing heart.  He  thought  that  he  had  trotted  too 
rapidly,  and  restrained  his  horse  to  a  slower 
pace ;  partly  to  draw  his  breath  more  freely, 
pai'tly  to  have  a  longer  sight  of  the  pavilion  on 
the  Gloria,  which,  at  length,  disappeared  behind 
trees  and  houses. 


t^^^^-*-*^^^^^ 


CHAPTER   XIV. 


SECRET  BUSINESS. 


In  one  of  the  quiet  by-streets  extending  to 
the  four  winds  from  the  Campo  da  Santa  Anna, 
(perhaps  the  largest  square  in  any  city  upon 
earth,)  an  antiquated  garden  wall  arose,  with 
bananas  rustling  above  it,  and  protected  by  a 
covering  of  broken  bottles,  to  prevent  unbidden 
guests  from  climbing  over  it.  A  narrow  opening 
in  this  wall  formed  a  gate,  or  door,  on  which, 
in  contrast  with  the  undeniable  antiquity  of  the 
massive  wood  work,  as  well  as  of  the  wall,  a 
brass  bell-handle  glittered,  which  had  been 
placed  there  but  a  short  time  before. 
.  It  was  late  in  the  evening.  The  rockets  and 
blue-lights,  in  honor  of  the  saint  whose  name- 
day  had  just  ended,  whizzed  and  snapped  about, 
and  filled  the  clear  tropical  atmosphere  with 
powder  smoke.  Empty  casks,  and  even  whole 
piles  of  wood,  blazed,  and  crackled,  and  burned, 
in  the  middle  of  the  streets,  corrupting  with 
soot  and  smoke  the  air,  that  for  many  men  there 
was,  indeed,  much  too  pure.     There  was  hissing, 

and  crackling,  and  clatter  without  end,  like 

a  holiday  evening  in  Rio  de  Janeiro. 

A  little  thin  short  fellow,  in  a  black  dress  coat, 
just  tlien  glided  along  by  the  antiquated  wail, 
and  pulled  the  brass  knob,  whereupon  a  bell 
sounded  in  a  far  distance.  After  a  time,  pro- 
portioned to  the  space  that  evidently  extended 
between  the  gate  and  tlie  bell,  something  living 
stirred  inside  of  the  old  door,  and  a  voice,  tliat 
appeared  to  proceed  from  a  broken  pot,  cried 
out,  tolerably  loud : 

"  Que  ah  >"  (who's  there  ?) 

"Amigalhao  !"♦    snarled    the    little    fellow 


•  Intimate  friend. 


through  his  nose,  and  a  key  grated  in  the  lock 
of  the  old  door, 

"  Ah  !  Senhor  de  Monte  Video  !  welcome ; 
walk  in!  Dabedi  !  dahbedikademlafuganita!" 
cried  an  old  negress,  whose  voice  bore  this  bro- 
ken sound. 

The  little  man  stepped  over  the  threshold,  and 
very  carefully  ascended  two  extremely  old  steps, 
almost  worn  out  from  long  use,  into  a  '■  botan- 
ical garden,"  whose  "  scientific  wealth"  had 
grown  up  so  confusedly  together,  that  it  became 
difficult  for  the  little  man,  notwithstanding  his 
contracted  latitude,  to  work  his  way  thro\igh  it, 
without  being  wounded  by  the  thorns  of  agigantic 
aloe. 

The  "  Senhor  de  Monte  Video,"  an  "  intimate 
friend  of  the  house"  that  was  so  concealed 
by  trees  and  bushes  of  all  sorts,  was  told,  with- 
out asking,  that  he  wiis  welcome,  (at  least  to  the 
old  negress,)  and  that  the  baron  was  there. 

"  But  he  is  with  the  senhora  '."  whispered  the 
I  old  porteress  in  his  ear,  "  with  the  senhora  !  in 
'  the  back  room  !  Dahbedibadatunichabanifi — 
dabitunamnalabamda — hihihi  !"  said  she,  with 
inimitable  rapidity,  in  a  sort  of  Ethiopian  mo- 
'  ther  tongue,  in  which,  early  and  late,  she  dis- 
j  coursed  with  hei"self. 

"  What  do  you  say  ?"  said  the  little  stranger, 
turning  towards  her. 

I  "  I  speak  my  Killomandambisch,  hihihi !" 
laughed  the  old  woman,  and  drew  her  visage, 
otherwise  not  peculiarly  charming,  into  a  hide- 
ous grimace. 

"  Yes !  but  what  did  you  say  in  your  lan- 
guage .'  you  said  something  to  me !" 

"  Not  at  all !  I  speak  my  Killomandambisch, 
that  I  may  not  forget  my  language !  the  lan- 
guage of  my  nation  !  hihi !" 

"  What  was  the  meaning  of  what  you  said  just 
now  ?" 

"  That  I  do  not  know ;  but  I  always  speak  my 
mother  tongue,  that  I  may  not  forget  it,  as  I 
have  forgotten  the  sense  of  the  words.  Hihihi ! 
Bamdadipumanuadduntiicicadembutis." 

"  Have  you  then  no  countrymen  or  women  of 
your  tribe,  with  whom  you  could  speak  your 
language .'" 

"  Women  ?  ladies  .'  none  !  I  am  the  only  one  ! 
for  they  are  much  too  dear  !  becaui^e  we  are 
very  handsome !  very  handsome !  too  dear ! 
Badituhabenkikadotaludamiduli !  hihihi !  Sen- 
hor Baron  Branco  is  up  there,  with  Senhora  For- 
tuna.  Dadicabem  !  pst !  still !  Senhor  de  Monte 
Video!  hihihi  !" 

The  little  man  had  reached  the  steps  of  a 
dwelling,  in  the  back  ground  of  the  natural  un- 
artincial  botanic  garden,  and  now  entered  an 
apartment  that  was,  at  the  same  time,  corridor 
and  entrance  hall,  after  the  mode  of  building 
Brazilian  houses. 

The  lighting  of  the  apartment  was  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  naturalness  of  the  arrange- 
ment of  the  garden,  and  very  clieap.  The  my- 
riad of  stars,  glittering  more  and  more  in  the 
firmament,  generously  sent  their  shining  rays 
througli  an  open  wind^iw,  increasing  thereby 
the  saving  of  gas  lights  to  the  occupant;  not- 
withstanding which,  it  was  evidently  lighter  in 
that  apartment,  than  it  is  at  times  in  many  shops 
in  London,  at  twelve  o'clock  in  a  November  day, 
with  a  blaze  of  gas,  almost  extinguished  by  the 
mass  of  fog. 


DOLORES. 


185 


Senhora  Bebida*  was  a  splendid  specimen  of 
Ethiopian  originality ;  a  shrunken,  dwarfish  fig- 
ure, of  about  four  feet  high.  Her  entire  apparel 
consisted  of  an  old  coarse  colfee  sack,  with  a 
hole  for  the  neck,  and  two  others  for  the  two 
arms.  The  cloth  did  not  quite  cover  the  entire 
pedestal  of  this  antique  figure,  but  was  confined 
over  the  hips  by  a  ludf  withered  vine,  whose 
leaves  and  ends  hung,  Bacchus-like,  over  her  nar- 
row drapery.  Her  head,  overgrown  with  pray 
wool,  was  two-thirds  mouth,  always  grinning; 
the  rest  was  nose,  and  some  little  feirehead.  Her 
cheeks  and  temples  were  tattooed  with  Ethiopian 
hieroglyphics,  and  decorated  with  remarkably 
spai'kling  little  eyes. 

Bebida  desired  the  stranger  (who  appeared  to 
be  extremely  well  known  as  an  '  intimate  friend ' 
of  the  house)  to  take  a  seat,  and  ascended  a  nar- 
row stairway  to  a  door  which  was  locked. 

"  Go  in  the  front  rot)m  and  clear  away  the 
table  !"  cried  a  female  voice  on  the  inside. 

"Front room!  clear  away  table  !  Dahbedipa- 
puia  !"  repeated  Bebida  ;  "  Sr.  de  Monte  Video 
IS  below  !   Datipaluchugalida!" 

"  What  do  you  say  ?"  inquired  the  same  voice. 
"  Sr.  de  Mon-te  Vi-de-o  is  below  !  wants  to 
speak  to  Sr.  Baron  !  Dapilachatihatchuti !" 

"  Tell  him  to  wait  !  1  will  come  down  !"  cried 
a  male  voice,  which  had  sounded  opposite  to  old 
Mr.  Thomson  in  the  Hotel  Faroux,  and  belonged 
to  the  30  called  Baron  de  .Spandau,  as  his  '  lawful 
property,'  to  say  nothing  as  to  whether  he  pes 
sessed  much  '  lawful  projjerty '  besides. 

"Wait!  I'll  come  !  Dapilacolmaliquhetebu  !' 
murmured  Bebida,  and  went  into  the  designated 
front  room,  where  the  relics  of  a  tete-a-tete  sup- 
per stood  upon  a  round  table  before  a  sofa. 

Without  long  hesitation ,  Bebida  seized  a  cham- 
pagne bottle,  which  caught  her  eye,  held  it  uj> 
in  the  starlight,  weighed  it  in  her  hand,  mut- 
tered some  phrases  of  her  motlier  tongue,  and 
pushed  the  neck  of  the  bottle  into  her  tolerably 
capacious  mouth.  "Bonito!  bonito!''t  murmured 
she,  when  not  a  drop  more  flowed  out ;  and  tlien 
removed  the  oyster  sliells,  and  ananas,  orange  and 
other  rinds,  into  her  apron,  which  was  nothing 
else  than  the  front  part  of  her  single  sack  gar- 
ment. She  continued  muttering  to  herself,  as 
she  went  prudently  down  the  steps. 

The  friend  of  the  house  had,  in  the  meanwhile, 
seated  himself  at  a  similar  round  table,  in  tlie 
middle  of  the  hall,  which  likewise  served  as  a 
reception  room. 

"  Bebida  !  light  the  lamp  !  Dapalaradamba,'' 
she  muttered  as  she  now  again  made  her  appear- 
ance. "Baron  come  !  senhor  must  wait  !"  She 
tried  a  chemical  match,  and  laughed  immoderate- 


*  "A  disgusting  drink,"  as  she  was  named  by  some  wag. 

Bebida — and  nearly  all  the  other  characters  of  this 
•  novel,  from  the  most  important  to  the  most  insignificant, 
are  portraits  drawn  from  nature,  and  inwoven  in  this 
composition. 

This  novel,  in  itself,  may  meet  the  reproach  of  con- 
sidering many  social  and  anti-social  relations,  from 
the  most  unl'avorablc  side,  and  throwing  a  sharp  light 
upon  them — wherefore  the  author  gives  the  assurance, 
once  for  all,  that  all  its  characters,  relations,  and  events, 
are  founded  upon  real  facts.  On  the  other  hand,  how- 
ever, tile  author's  endeavor  has  been,  to  arrange  and  to 
marli  the  original  materials  as  the  strictest  discretion 
required,  without  thereby  injuring  in  the  least,  the 
psychological  amd  social 'truth  on  which  this  work  is 
founded  as  a  "  character  painting  of  our  epoch." 

\  Beautiful  y  agreeable. 

24 


ly,  when  it  snapped  and  took  fire.  "  Bonito  ! ! 
bonito  !  !  !  fire  !  fire !  bonito  !  !  !  Dabelikata- 
pakuibadem  !" 

After  a  moment  there  was  a  wax  light  burn- 
ing under  a  glass  shade,  which,  in  contrast  with 
the  starlight,  seemed  rather  to  make  it  darker 
than  lighter,  but  near  which  tlie  friend  of  the 
liouse  was  able  to  read  the  compressed  writing 
of  some  [lapers,  he  had  already  laid  down  before 
him  on  the  table. 

The  apartment  was  a  Brazilian  reception  and 
sitting  room,  with  an  alcove  in  the  back  ground, 
near  wliich  a  passage  led  into  the  back  part  of 
the  house,  below  a  staircase  that  divided  it  from 
the  front. 

A  stuH'ed  sofa,  some  chairs,  and  an  ornamental 
table,  witli  artificial  flowers  covered  with  glass 
shades,  composed  the  furniture.  Some  coarse 
colored  litliograph  prints,  in  glass  and  frames,  or- 
namented the  walls,  as  :  Bonaparte  on  the  bridge 
of  Areola,  la  Belle  Suisse,  the  Prodigal  Son, 
Paul  and  Virginia,  and  some  interesting  images, 
which  properly  belonged  in  the  alcove,  or  in  the 
back  room  of  the  upiier  story  An  old,  very 
interesting  copperplate  engraving  above  the  sofa, 
was  of  peculiar  value,  it  represented  Rahab  call- 
ing out  tlie  spies  fiom  under  the  flax  on  her  roof, 
to  assist  their  flight.* 

All  remained  tolerably  quiet  over  the  head  of 
the  '  intimate  friend  of  the  house,'  until  nearly 
half  an  hour  had  elapsed ;  footstep.s  were  then 
heard,  without  tamancas,  or  bouts,  or  shoes,  and 
after  some  minutes  the  baron  appeared,  the 
point  of  his  nose  directed  heavenward,  and  his 
cheeks  highly  colored,  in  a  Brazilian  dressing 
gown  "  a  la  Guizot,"  and  a  truly  national  German 
nightcap  of  white  North  American  cotton.  The 
intimate  friend  of  the  house  arose,  and  drew  an 
armchair  near  the  table,  for  the  baron. 

"  It  is  very  agreeably  cool  this  evening,"  be- 
gan the  visiter,  as  the  fii'st  word  on  either  side, 
while  the  baron  was  still  busied  with  the  capu- 
chin girdle  of  his  dressing  gown. 

"  Very  pleasantly  cool  this  evening,  Senhor 
Prole.     Have  we  letters  from  Buenos  Ayres  .'" 

"  One  for  you,  baron,  and  one  lor  me.  Mine 
is  from  Falsodo.  Important  intelligence,  but 
nothing  decisive,  as  yet." 

"  I  will  write  to  Buenos  Ayres  in  regard  to 
what  you  refer  to.  Do  you  remember  what  I 
dictated  to  you,  three  weeks  ago,  wliich  you 
copied  as  a  letter  ?  Do  you  remember  that, 
Senhor  Prole  ?" 

"  As  well  as  if  t  had  written  it  yesterday, 
baron.  You  informed  the  Director  General  of 
the  Secret  Cabinet-Police,  tliat  you  wore  able  to 
give  information  concerning  the  autliorship  of 
the  '  Elegias  dela  Plata,'  and  oOiired,  under 
certain  stipulations,  to  place  the  person  who 
wrote  the  '  Elegias  '  at  the  disposal  of  justice  in 
Buenos  Ayres." 

"  Well,  then,  you  need  not  be  surprised,  if 
the  awkward  Senhor  Falsodo  has,  until  now, 
written  nothing  decided.  Nevertheless,  its  all 
the  same.     Wliat  does  he  write  .""' 

"  This,  among  the  rest,"  replied  Senhor  Prole, 
and  read  :  '  I  avail  myself  of  the  letter  bag  of  a 
Swedish  brig,  to  inform  you,  in  all  haste,  that 

.Senlior   Alphonso   de   P is  condemned  to 

death,  and  will  be  shot  to-morrow,  at  sunrise. 

♦  Joshua,  chap.  ii. 


186 


DOLORES. 


The  Franciscan  monlc,  Padre  Fernando,  has  not 
been  able  to  get  any  thing  out  of  him  ;  and  the 
said  Alphonso  has  requested  a  Benedictine  monk, 
named  Celeste — in  his  former  worldly  relations, 

Senhor  Lorenzo  de  V '  " 

"  Now  all  is  arranged,"  interrupted  the  Baron  ; 
"  '  I  have  further  notice  of  his  worldly  rela- 
tions  ' " 

— "  '  worldly  relations,' "  continued  Sr.  Prole, 

reading,  "  '  named  Senhor  Lorenzo  de  V , 

might  be  admitted  to  him,  and  his  request  has 
been  granted.  1  have  spoken  with  Senhor  Bor- 
rachezo  r  specting  the  fatality  that  occurred  to 
you  in  Monte  Video.' " 

"  Respecting  the  drubbing  that  you  received 
in  the  printing  office  there  .'  That  is  a  personal 
matter." 

"  Certainly,  a  personal  matter.  Baron,  inso- 
much as  1  received  it  in  my  own  person." 
"  Is  that  .dl  he  has  written  to  you  ?     All  ?" 
"  'I  commend  to  your  particular  observation,'  " 
Senhor  Prole  continued  to  read,  "  '  Seidior  Ho- 
ratio de  P ,  nephew  of  the  traitor  Alphonso, 

who  has  received  permission  to  be  banished  from 

the  A.rgentine  Republic '" 

"  Unique  style,  that !"  observed  the  Baron. 
"  '  To  be  exded,  and  has  shipped  to-day  on 
board  of  this  same  Swedish  brig,  Nordstjernan.' 
Further:  '  Likewise  suspicious,  but  without 
direct  accusation,  a  Russian  captain,  formerly  a 
naval  ofHcer,  wished  to  purchase  here  a  Danish 
vessel  from  St.  Thomas,  named  Ormur  Olafur 

Hinango '     Is  that  the  name  of  the  brig,  or 

the  fellow  ?"  said  Prole,  interrupting  himself. 

"  I  know  best  about  that ;  the  two  are  already 
here.     Does  he   write  you   nothing  about   the 
other  passengers  of  the  Nordstjernan." 
"  No  !  nothing  at  all !" 

"  The  jackass  !  Well,  so  much  the  better  ! 
so  much  the  better  I  There  was  then  no  other 
suspicious  person  on  board  !  none  at  all  !  If  my 
letter,  however,  does  not  contain  something  ol 
more  interest  than  yours,  I  shall  begrudge  the 
postage.  To  be  sure,  I  cannot  yet  have  an  an- 
swer to  my  stipulations  ;  I  must  wait  for  the  next 
English  packet." 

He  broke  open  and  read  the  letter,  which  had 
likewise  been  enclosed  under  cover  to  Sr.  Prole, 
and  appeared  not  to  be  at  all  edified  by  its  con- 
tents. 

"  Well  then,  they  are  busy  in  Patagonia,  as 
well  as  in  Lapland  !  the  cursed  fellows  !"  said 
he,  interrupting  himself  during  the  reading  of 
the  letter,  "  and  what  is  worse,  amongst  the 
sons  of  the  ocean  in  the  Mediterranean  sea, 
as  upon  the  Southern  Atlantic  !"  He  read  half 
aloud  :  "  '  The  privateer  Mazzini,  Captain  Bari- 
galdi,  is  on  the  coast,  destined  for  Rio  Grande.' 
Yes,  we  know  the  fellow;  I  will  hand  him  over 
to  you  yet.  On  Monday  1  will  go  to  the  Minis- 
ter of  Marine,  and  have  a  corvette  .sent  towards 
Rio  Grande.  We  must  have  him,  alive  or 
dead !  Is  the  note  despatched  to  the  Ger- 
man bL'etleman  .'  the  invitation  to^  breakfast  to- 
morrow in  my  room  at  the  Hotel  Faroux  .'" 

"  It  has  been  sent '.  he  will  come — Dr.  Mer — 
Mer — wliat  is  his  name  ?" 

"  Merbiild  I    Very  well,  have  you  looked  up  a 
pair  of  beetles,  at  Sr.  Forro's,  iroui  the  col  lee 
tion  of  Mr.  Closting  ?  a  very  rare  specimen  !" 

"  All  iias  been  done,  and  is  ready  for  you  at  the 
Hotel  Fai-oux,  since  six  o'clock  this  evening.    A 


pair  of  '  Spinoza  hoods,'  as  they  are  called ;  the 
rarest  that  Sr.  Forro  found  on  Mr.  Closting's 
register;  they  cost  twelve  millreis  " 

"  Twelve  millreis  ?"  cried  the  baron,  in  peev- 
ish surprise.  "  Forro  is  a  Jew  !  whether  bap- 
tized or  not !  Six  pesos  for  a  pair  of  worthless 
beetles  !  Oh,  well !  they  will  pay  for  them- 
selves; and  if  they  were  not  something  peculiar, 
1  could  not  offer  them  to  Dr.  Merbold ;  at  least 
1  should  fail  in  my  object.  Bebida !  Bcbida  !" 
cried  he,  and  rang  a  small  handbell  that  stood 
near  the  light, 

"  Senhor  !  senhor  !"  resounded  on  the  thresh- 
old, "  Dabikidabinlegomalifu  !" 

"  Shut  your  wide  mouth,  and  bring  us  a  bottle 
of  the  long  light  green,  in  the  right  hand  corner 
of  the  cellar !" 

"  Wide  mouth — long  bottle — light  green- 
right  hand  corner — cellar — Dabedi !  Dabedika- 
dulibula !"  she  muttered,  and  hurried  out. 
"  Have  you  nothing  else.'" 
"  Yes,  indeed  !"  the  famous  Organization  -Act, 
which  has  made  all  our  investigations  so  diffi- 
cult." 

"  That  must  be  the  same  that  was  printed  long 
ago.     I  know  the  fellow  who  plaimed  it." 

"  He  has  outwitted  us  with  his  '  Temples  !'  " 
interrupted  Sr.  Prole.  "  There  is  the  pajier ;  and 
here  is  also  the  famous  National  Manifest  of  the 
'  Humanita.'  " 

"  Read  them  to  me  ;  but  first  wet  your  lips — 
there  is  Bebida  with  the  Rhenish  !" 

"  Senhor  !  Rhenisli  !  and  two  glasses  !  is  it 
so  .'  Badilikademsafifu  !  !"  She  made  a  profound 
courtesy,  laughed  heartily  without  any  special 
occasion,  and  brought  two  bottles,  three  wine 
glasses,  and  a  small  liquor  glass.  Both  looked 
silently  at  her,  as  if  (hey  were  waiting  to  see  what 
Bebida  would  do ;  she  placed  two  wine  glasses 
near  the  two  men,  took  the  third  in  her  right 
hand,  and  the  small  one  in  her  left,  and  re- 
mained standing,  like  a  bronzed  idol  image. 
When  the  baron  had  filled  his  glass,  she  held  out 
the  two  glasses,  and  began  her  murmur:  "  One 
for  Sra.  Fortuna — up  stairs — the  big  one  !  and 
for  Senhoraya*  Bebida  the  little  one  !  Fifidabe- 
dikadembepumfidabila  I  thank  ye !  thank  ye  !  too 
much  !" 

"  You  have  none  yet  I"  said  the  baron,  laugh- 
ing- 

"  Sra.  Fortuna  up  stairs,  tired !  very  tired  ! 
worked  hai'd,  Dababedikademsabifili !  must  have 
a  glass  !" 

"  There  !  she  may  help  herself,  and  you  too, 
and  bring  the  bottle  back  directly  !"  cried  the 
baron,  as  he  handed  it  to  her  ;  "  but  if  Bebida 
drinks  on  the  stairs,  there  hangs  the  chigote, 
out  there  !" 

The  old  woman  laughed  immoderately,  made 
a  profound  courtesy,  took  the  bottle  with  the 
two  glasses,  and  hurried  away  with  her  "  Dabedi- 
kademba,"  etc. 

"  Now,  Sr.  Prole,  read  the  Organization.  Pity 
the  fellow  will  not  enter  into  our  service ;  hand- 
some offers  are  made  to  him  !  he  would  have 
invented  a  new  organization  of  the  secret  police  ! 
1  confess,  that  tliis  organization  of  their  Union 
is  famously  conceived,  lor  even  under  the  tor- 
ture they  can  denounce  no  more  than  the  few 
persons  whom  they  know.  Read  it,  Sr.  Prole  " 
♦  Senhoraea,  a  I'ortuguese  word  for  a  person  who  playi 
the  great  lady. 


DOLORES. 


187 


The  police  spy,  Sr.  Prole,  from  Buenos  Ayres, 
driven  from  Monte  Vidio,  with  a  thrashing,  and 
become  a  *'  political  refugee"  in  Rio,  and  besides, 
appointed  as  the  secretary  and  perambulating 
factotum  of  the  Baron  de  Spaiidau,  through  a 
secret  recommendation  from  Buenos  Ayres,  drank 
his  glass  of  wine,  and  read  as  follows : 

ORGANIZATION, 

Of  the  Union:  The  "  Humanitn." 

1.  Eleven  men  and  youths,  who  acknowledge 
themselves  bound  to  the*  *****  an  nationality, 
unite  and  choose  a  leader  for  a  delinite  period  of 
time. 

2.  Apart  from  all  symbols,  we  require  names 
to  designate  things,  and  will  call  tiie  union  of 
these  eleven  persons  a  Rock. 

3.  Eleven  such  Rocks,  (each  of  which  is  to  be 
known  by  a  definite  number,)  form  a  Foundation, 
(121  persons,)  the  eleven  leaders  of  which  form 
a  committee,  (fundamental  committee,)  and  elect 
from  among  them  a  leader,  a  secretary,  and 
r.ashier. 

4.  Eleven  Foundations  form  a  Pillar,  (1.331 
persons,)  the  eleven  leaders  of  which  likewise 
meet  and  choose  a  leader,  a  secretary,  and  cashier. 

5.  Eleven  Pillars  constitute  a  Hall,  (14,611 
persons,)  whose  eleven  leaders  likewise  meet, 
and  choose  the  three  above  mentioned  officers 
from  their  number. 

6.  Eleven  Halls  constitute  a  Temple,  (IGl  ,0.51 
persons,)  whose  eleven  leaders  likewise  meet  in 
committee,  and  choose  the  three  said  officers. 

7.  The  national  union,  can  choose  their  ge- 
neral committee  in  the  same  manner,  as  fast  as 
the  niunber  of  members  increases. 

8.  For  inasmuch  as  despotism  declares  patriot- 
ism "  high  treason,"  the  national  union  organized 
as  above,  can  shield  itself  from  publicity,  as  the 
members  of  the  union  are  unknown  ;  for  if,  in 
spite  of  all  precaution,  a  spy  should  steal  into 
the  union,  he  can  never  discover  more  than  ten 
persons ;  should  he  be  chosen  leader,  he  can 
never  know  the  names  of  more  than  twenty, 
among  121  persons,  of  thirty  among  1331  per- 
sons, and  among  14,641,  of  only  forty  persons. 

9.  In  case  the  union,  in  the  above  form,  should 
ever  become  a  perfect  Temple,  the  resolutions 
of  the  general  committee  (directory)  can  very 
soon  bring  161,000  persons  into  action. 

10.  Should  our  nation,  by  a  decisive  contest, 
clear  the  way  to  liberty,  a  speedy  organization 
of  the  diflerent  races  will  be  necessary  to  found 
the  representation  ;  this  can  be  done  in  a  few 
days  without  difficulty,  by  means  of  the  above 
arrangement.  Every  province  may,  in  such  case, 
organize  itself  in  Temples.  The  Rocks  will  be 
formed  with  reference  to  the  residence  of  the 
members.  Besides  the  eleven  Hall  leaders,  (com- 
mittee §6,)  they  will  also  choose  twenty-two 
known  patriots  from  their  number,  who,  together 
with  the  Hall  leaders,  form  a  Directory,  or  Coun- 
cil ;  thirty-three  persons  who  choose  their  own 
officers. 

H.  As  soon  as  several  Temples  of  the  differ- 
ent r.aces  constitute  a  nation,  the  Council  of  the 
People,  (Provisorial  Congress)  organizes  itself 
The  number  of  the  members  of  this  Congress 
will  be  determined  according  to  circumstances. 

12.  All  elections  shall  be  made  for  a  definite 


*  South  American — Central  American,  Scandinavian, 
etc.,  etc. 


term.  Intrigue  and  bribery  in  an  election,  un- 
der this  organization,  are  very  difficult.  It  is 
very  improbable  that  an  unworthy  member 
should  get  into  a  committee,  and  still  more  im- 
prob.ible  that,  by  four  successive  elections,  he 
should  become  Hall  leader  or  representative  to 
a  National  Congress. 

13.  The  election  of  a  national  representation 
(Congress)  can,  by  means  of  the  above  organiza- 
tion, be  made  in  a  few  days,  without  disorder,  as 
never  more  than  eleven  persons  meet  at  once. 
Pu!)lic  meetings  can,  however,  take  place,  the 
preparation  fur,  and  regulation  of  which,  may 
easily  be  managed  under  the  above  organization. 

"  There  we  have  it !  Take  yourself  off!  set 
down  the  bottle,  and  go  away  !"  cried  he  to  the 
old  Bebida,  who  just  then  came  in  and  lightly 
muttered,  "  Dabedicademlamalilipiji !  Senhora 
Fortuna  says  thank  ye  !  Bonito!"  made  a  more 
profound  courtesy  than  before,  and  withdrew, 
with  "  Dabedikadembuh  !" 

"  There  we  have  it !"  repeated  the  baron.  "If 
it  be  true  that  the  men  of  former  centuries,  rise 
again,  then  the  spirit  of  Jacques  Molay  exists  in 
the  fellow  who  invented  this  organization.  If 
we  could  only  have  him  imprisoned  and  burned, 
like  Molay  of  old  !"' 

"  That  is  a  singular  thought  which  you  ex- 
pressed, that  the  men  of  former  centuries  live 
again  in  spirit !" 

"  A  thought  that  comes  very  close,  when  we 
consider  the  prominent  personages  here  and 
there.  For  example,  Casimir  Perrier  is  evi- 
dently Martin  Luther,  who  has  discovered  the 
'juste  milieu,'  that  the  other  only  imitated. 

"  The  sensual  poet  king  Solomon,  with  all  his 
wives,  is  the  poet  king  Louis  of  Bavaria  :  '  All  is 
vanity,'  is  his  motto,  and  he  builds  splendid  tem- 
ples, like  the  other. 

"  Nebuchadnezzar,  who  at  length  ate  nothing 
but  salad,  is  the  old  Charles  the  Tenth,  who  could 
endure  nothing  but  vegetables  at  the  last. 

"  Jeremiah  is  the  German  poet  Bcerne,  who 
laments  the  destruction  of  his  people. 

"  Judas,  the  last  of  the  Maccabees,  is  Abd  el 
Kader,  if  the  latter  be  not  even  bi-aver  still. 

"  Nero  is  our  Rosas,  who  persecutes  the  Uni- 
tarians, as  the  other  did  the  first  Christians. 

"  Moses,  who,  with  sword  in  hand,  taught  na- 
tionality and  the  faith  in  the  only  God,  is  Mazzini. 

"John  the  Baptist,  is  De-Lamenais. 

"  Balaam's  ass  that  spoke,  is  Dr.  Merbold,  who 
takes  the  crown  prince  of  Prussia  for  an  arch 
liberal  !" 

The  secretary's  laugh  accompanied  that  of  his 
chief 

"  And  do  you  know  who  is  the  ox  of  Luke 
the  Evangelist .'"  inquired  the  baron,  with  em- 
phasis. ^ 

"  No!"  replid  Senhor  Prole,  after  earnest  de- 
liberation. 

"  It  is  you" — and  both  laughed  heartily,  and 
again  emptied  their  glasses. 

Sr.  Prole,  having  emptied  his  glass  once  more 
in  private  business,  continued  to  read  the  fol- 
lowing : 

N.^TIONAL    MANIFEST, 

Of  the  Union:  The  "  Hximanita." 
1.  We  the  undersigned,  •*•«•»  ans,  unite 
ourselves  into  a  union  of  equality  and  brother 


183 


DOLORES. 


hood,  in  the  spirit  of  our  nationality  and  call  this 
union  *  *  *  * 

2.  We  believe  in  the  primitive  spirit  of  man- 
kind, which  reveals  itself  as  the  principle  of 
progress,  development,  and  melioration,  in  the 
history  of  all  nations  and  of  all  times. 

3.  We  believe  in  mankind  as  a  whole,  con- 
sisting of  nations — the  nations  consisting  of  dif- 
ferent races,  united  by  the  bond  of  patriotism. 

4.  We  recognise,  as  ahistorical  truth,  the  ex- 
istence of  particular  traits  of  character  in  every 
nation,  which  is  shown  by  all  history,  from  the 
most  ancient  tu  the  present  time. 

0.  The  bond  of  nationality  is  the  oldest  and 
most  sacred  bond  that  unites  man  to  mankind, 
whilst  the  idea  "mankind"  disappears,  in  a 
formless  chaos,  with  the  denying  of  the  nation- 
ality of  peoples,  whereof  it  consists. 

6.  We  believe  that  our  position,  our  duties, 
and  our  dignity,  as  men,  in  the  great  union  of 
mankind,  are  the  conditions  of  our  nationality. 

7.  We  believe  that  tlie  bonds  of  nationality  are 
the  basis  of  humanity.  "  Whoever  does  not  love 
his  own  nation,  cannot  love  mankind,"  which 
consists  of  nations. 

8.  We  believe  in  the  union,  harmony,  and 
unity  of  races  related  in  their  nationality ;  and 
in  the  fraternity  of  nations  in  the  great  union  of 
mankind. 

9.  The  principle  of  equality  is  the  basis  of 
freedom;  freedom,  the  means  of  all  develop- 
ment and  melioration. 

10.  We  recognise  our  fatherland  *  *  *  *,  in  a 
geographical  point  of  view,  as  it  was  formed  of 
itself,  by  population  of  kindred  races,  from  *  *  • 
•  to  •     *     *     * 

11.  We  thus  recognise,  as  *  '  *  *  ans,  the 
races  of    *****     * 

12.  We  believe  in  the  principle  of  the  equal- 
ity of  all  races,  without  prerogative  or  distinc- 
tion, as  we  also  recognise  the  principle  of 
equality  in  all  the  nations  of  the  earth,  united 
in  the  spirit  of  humanity. 

13.  We  recognise  man  upon  eai'th,  as  an  inde- 
pendent and  morally  free  being  ;  the  dignity  of 
man  as  founded  in  the  consciousness  of  his  na- 
tionality ;  and  the  essence  of  all  duties  towards 
mankind,  in  the  fullilment  of  the  fundamental 
conditions  of  humanity. 

14.  We  believe  in  the  primitive  spirit  of  man- 
kind, which  reveals  itself  in  cultivation  and  me- 
lioration, from  century  to  century.  We  believe 
it  to  be  the  sacred  duty  of  all  nations,  in  conse- 
quence of  this  spirit,  to  strive  and  work  for  the 
noble  end  of  the  emancipation  and  ennoblement 
of  the  human  race. 

15.  We  recognise  the  primitive  spirit  of  man- 
kind as  the  spirit  of  love,  liglit,  and  power,  as  a 
Unity,  and  consequently  no  resisting  second 
power,  no  "  evil  spirit." 

16.  We  believe  in  the  principle  of  freedom  in 
man  and  in  nations.  We  believe  in  the  moral 
freedom  of  man  to  choose  what  is  good  ;  and  in 
the  political  freedom  of  every  nation,  that  man 
may  be  able  to  act  in  conformity  to  his  moral 
freedom.  We  recognise  the  liglit  of  the  primi- 
tive spirit  within  us  as  "  reason,"  and  the  senti- 
ment of  patriotism  as  the  basis  of  every  noble 
action. 

17.  In  consequence  of  the  principles  of  free- 
dom, man  can  be  morally  free,  when  he  wills, 
and  a  nation  can  be  politically  free,  when  it  re- 


veals its  will  for  unity,  through  the  union  of  iU 
powers  in  the  spirit  of  nationality. 

IS.  We  recognise  a  spiritual  and  formal  union 
of  the  moral  powers  of  a  nation,  and  a  union  of 
nations  founded  upon  the  principle  of  humanity, 
■IS  absolutely  necessary  to  operate  against  des- 
potism, which  robs  tlie  people  of  their  sacred 
rights,  and  declares  patriotism  "  high  treason." 

lU.  We  recognise  the  sacred  "  right"  of  a  na- 
tion to  develop  itself  in  the  element  of  freedom, 
but,  at  the  same  time,  we  also  recognise  the 
"duty"  of  every  man  to  work  for  the  deliver- 
ance of  the  oppressed  people,  and  tlie  duty  of 
every  nation  to  assist  and  to  support  the  struggle 
for  the  deliverance  of  another  nation. 

20.  We  recognise  the  historical  truth,  that  a 
nation  has  never  yet  obtained  its  liberty  and  in- 
dependence, without  an  obstinate  struggle  for 
its  sacred  rights. 

21.  We  understand  it  as  the  interest  of  des- 
potism, to  nourish  and  sti-engthen  national  ha- 
tred and  disunion  in  the  dillerent  races  of  each 
nation — to  keep  them  separate  from  each  other, 
in  order  more  easily  to  keep  them  in  subjection. 

22.  We  recognise  the  principle  of  love,  as  the 
basis  of  humanity — the  band  of  family,  as  the 
basis  of  morality. 

23.  In  consequence  of  the  principle  of  equal- 
ity, we  acknowledge  no  prerogative  of  birth  and 
blood. 

21.  We  recognise  no  lord,  but  the  Lord  of  the 
Universe,  and  no  earthly  power,  but  the  Power 
of  the  People. 

25.  No  government  is  "  legitimate,"  which  ia 
founded  on  the  prerogative  of  birtli  and  blood. 

26.  We  recognise  it  as  the  right  of  a  nation 
tu  rule  over  its  own  concerns,  by  means  of  rea- 
sonable organization,  and  representation  by  free 
election. 

27.  We  believe  that  the  development  of  a 
nation,  in  the  element  of  freedom,  can  only 
progress  on  the  basis  of  popular  education  and 
rational  legislation. 

2S.  In  consequence  of  the  principles  of  honor 
and  virtue,  we  do  not  measure  the  "  worth  "  of  a 
man,  by  his  money  or  property. 

2'J.  Apathy  and  indiiierence  in  the  character 
of  man,  and  prejudice  and  moral  slavery  in  so- 
ciety, are  the  greatest  evils  of  our  age,  inasmuch 
as  tliey  tend  to  bar  every  advance  towards  free- 
dom and  melioration. 

30.  We  believe  in  the  self-consciousness  of 
man,  and  the  power  of  conviction  as  the  founda- 
tion of  every  advance  in  humanity.  We  recog- 
nise the  opposite  conviction  of  enemies,  and  we 
honor  an  enemy,  when  he  defends  his  conviction, 
in  life  and  tleath,  as  we  do  ours. 

31.  In  contending  for  the  sacred  rights  of 
mankind,  we  demand  a  fair,  unconditional  deci- 
sion ;  a  denying  of  all  seihsm  by  patriotism.  We 
honor  in  our  enemies  the  same  self-denial,  if 
they,  like  us,  sacrifice  their  lives  and  property 
in  contending  against  us.  We  despise  indeci- 
sion, apathy,  and  indilWrence,  and  declare  our- 
selves uncompromising  enemies  of  all  treason 
in  the  cause  of  the  nations. 

32.  We  adopt,  for  our  universal  union,  the 
motto :  "  Dios  y  Humanidad,"  (^God  and  man- 
kind;)  and  as  for  our  National  branch,  the  motto  ;* 


•  The  Italians :  "  Ora  e  scmpre" — The  Scflndiuavians : 
"  Aut  pro  aut  contra,"  etc.,  etc. 


DOLORES. 


1S9 


33.  Wc  recognige  the  plan  of  an  organization 
of  the  ITnion,  of  the  12th  of  August  1834,  as  the 
basis  of  our  Union,  and  recommend  it  to  the  con- 
sideration of  all  members. 

34.  We  recognise  a  committee  as  '  *  *  *  an 
national,  which  consists  of  eleven  *  *  *  *  ans, 
and  vvliich  is  formed  according  to  the  aforesaid 
organization,  to  be  connected  with  the  Central 
Committee  of  "*•**,"  on  *  *  *  *  an  soil. 

35.  We  recognise  a  Central  Committee  of 
eleven  *  *  *  •  ans,  on  *  *  *  *  an  soil,  ac- 
cording to  the  above  organization,  as  nationally 
binding. 

36.  We  acknowledge  the  necessity  of  a  na- 
tional symbol,  and  consequently,  we  recognise 
the  colors  *****••*,  as  national  colors ; 
also,  a  national  ensign  :a«*«*«** 

37.  We  acknowledge  it  necessary,  that  every 
member  of  our  union,  on  *  *  *  *  *  an  soil, 
should  provide  himself  with  arms. 

38.  We  believe  in  the  special  duty  of  every 
*****  an,  on  foreign  soil,  in  his  position  as 
citizen,  or  inhabitant  of  a  foreign  country,  in  so 
far  as  he  acknowledges  himself  spiritually  bound 
to  the  *****  an  national  union.  We  re- 
commend to  him  the  strict  observance  of  the  law 
of  that  state  which  affords  him  personal  security 
and  protection. 

39.  We  are  impressed  with  the  necessity  of 
keeping  our  union  a  secret  on  *****  an  soil, 
until  the  day  when  the  people's  voice  calls  us  to 
arms.  We  leave  the  policy  of  making  public  the 
transactions  of  a  *  *  *  *  an  committee  on  the 
free  soil  of  foreign  countries,  to  the  considera- 
tion and  prudence  of  its  members. 

40.  We  adopt  as  an  insignia  for  the  seal  of  the 
•_****  an  Union,  a  ♦  *  *  *  •  with  the 
circumscription,     *    •     «    •    •     ^ggg  §32.) 

41.  We  found  this  Union,  when  despotism  has 
anew  gained  the  victory  over  the  cause  of  the 
nations.  But  instead  of  despairing  for  the  fate 
of  mankind,  we,  on  the  contrary,  declare  our 
faith  in  God,  who  governs  the  destiny  of  nation's, 
who  leads  men  and  nations  from  night  to  light, 
from  slavery  to  freedom. 

42.  We  recognise  the  Act  of  Fraternity,  of 
April  15th,  1834,  and  are  prepared  to  join  the 
otiensive  and  defensive  alliance  of  nations. 

43.  We  believe  that  God  reveals  himself  in 
mankind ;  the  history  of  all  nations  and  of  all 
ages  to  be  the  impress  of  the  primitive  spirit  of 
humanity,  in  the  working  and  striving  of  the  na- 
tions for  melioration  and  perfection. 

44.  As  sons  of  our  fatherland,  *  •  «  •  '^  vve 
acknowledge  it  as  our  duty  to  sacrifice  ourselves 
on  the  altar  of  patriotism.  We  declare  ourselves 
resolved  and  ready  to  seal  the  covenant  of  our 
nationality  with  our  blood,  when  our  hour  has 
come  to  die  for  God  and  Mankind  in  the  spirit  of 
humanity.     Amen.     August,  1338. 

*'  They  seem  to  be  thorough-going  fellows, 
baron  !  those  Humanitarios  !"  began  Sr.  Prole, 
after  a  pause ;  "  and  according  to  this  devilish 
organization  we  can  devise  little  against  them  !" 

"  And  we  can  learn  even  less  by  the  conti'ol 
of  their  letters  in  relation  to  the  associates  ;  no 
devil  can  comprehend  their  mode  of  writing  who 
has  not  the  key  ;  it  is  impossible." 

*'  Dabidekademlakonifatumkabanfiiopudam! — 
Bonito  !  Vinho  bonito  !  Dabedikadem  !"  whis- 
pered jBebida,  and  laughed  a  Uihihi  afterwards, 


as  she  appeareil,  tmcalled,  and  brougnt  the  third 
bottle.  .She  went  close  to  the  baron,  tri-^d  to 
force  her  comical  black  mask  to  the  most  pro- 
found seriousness  of  which  she  was  capable,  and 
whispered  in  his  ear,  "  Sra.  Fortuna  sent  to  re- 
quest that  you  would  come  up — to  her — soon- 
right  away — waiting — wants — will — Debedika- 
dem  !" 

"  I  will  come  right  away  !  just  tell  her  so  ! 
and  do  you  go  to  bed  !  I  will  fasten  the  door  my- 
self." 

"Dabedikademlafakatibaha,hihihi !"  answered 
Bebida.  She  made  a  profound  courtesy,  and  took 
with  her  the  two  first  bottles,  in  which  there 
still  remained  a  few  drops  of  "  vinho  bonito"  for 
her. 

"  Can  the  Russian  Hinango  be  an  emissary  of 
the  Humanitarios  .'"  inquired  Prole,  when  they 
were  once  more  alone,  and  had  again  emptied 
their  glasses. 

"  Jackass — there  are  many  in  the  city  of  Ge- 
neva, in  Switzerland!"  cried  the  baron,  soften- 
ing with  great  presence  of  mind  the  word,  which 
might  have  somewhat  offended  the  assistant  spy. 

"  We   know   his    position  !" "  but    it    will 

not  do  to  arrest  him  yet!"  said  he,  interrupt- 
ing himself.  '*  The  Russian  ambassador  here 
had  him  under  his  own  surveillance  two  years 
ago;  his  secretary  sought  admittance  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  pavilion  where  he  lived,  but 
the  fellow  is  too  cunning.  It  was  all  in  vain  ! 
He  takes  care  of  himself,  and  the  government 
here  even  protect  him,  so  long  as  he  undertakes 
nothing  directly  against  them.  Well !  then  you 
have  appointed  the  beetleman  to  meet  me  at  the 
Hotel  Faroux,  and  the  two  beetles  are  ready  for 
him  .'" 

"  According  to  your  orders,  baron  !" 

"  Take  notice  yourself  of  all  the  passengers 
who  arrived  in  the  Nordstjernan,  and  observe 
them  sharply,  excepting  the  German  ape,  who 
plays  the  Englishman  ;  he  is  as  harmless  to  us 
as  any  real  Englishman  upon  the  European  con- 
tinent. I  cannot  nnder.stand  the  narrow-minded- 
ness of  governments  that  see  a  demagogue  in  a 
Briton  !  Every  '  gentleman '  is  naturally  a  royal- 
ist, and  will  not  be  apt  to  compromise  himself, 
as  an  apostle  of  the  idea  of  the  future.  The  real 
young  gentleman,  however,  from  the  Nordstjer- 
nan, forms  an  exception,  as  he  was  brought  yp  at 
Buenos  Ayres,  in  association  with  Unitarians. 
You  may  keep  an  eye  upon  him.  And  now,  good 
night.  Take  another  glass.  It  is  midnight ;  we 
will  conclude  our  labors." 

Sr.  Prole  emptied  another  glass,  and  then  the 
chief  agent  of  European  and  Ai-gentine  espion- 
age, accompanied  him  through  the  garden  to  the 
gate,  locked  it  behind  him,  then  the  house  door; 
and  then  mounted  the  narrow  stairs,  and  disap- 
peared in  the  alcove  of  the  back  room. 


CHAPTER   XV. 

THE  WEIGHT  FROM  THE  HEART, 

Opf  the  Sunday  immediately  following  the  Sa- 
turday before  referred  to,  all  was  in  movement  in 
the  country  house  of  old  Mr,  Thomson,  at  Bota 


190 


DOLORES. 


Fogo.  It  is  true  that  no  one  was  particularly 
invited,  except  Monsieur  le  Baron  de  Spandau, 
and  Dr.  Tliorfin  ;  but,  nevertheless,  all  went 
"  festively  on,"  because  Miss  Fanny,  and  Mr. 
Robert  had  ;irrived  from  Buenos  .^yres,  and  be- 
cause Mr.  George  Thompson  had  been  three 
years  a  widower  for  the  fourth  and  a  half  time. 
It  was  by  no  means  the  day  on  which  his  last 
incomparable,  comfortable  wife  had  departed  this 
life — by  no  means  !  Similar  days,  of  which  he 
had  five  to  keep,  (for  he  counted  in  the  day  of 
the  death  of  his  West  Indian  betrothed,  one,) 
had  been,  for  three  years,  spent  very  seriously 
and  lonesomely.  The  scales,  on  the  left  of  the 
door  that  led  from  the  "  green  parl.ir"  into  the 
gardeji,  were  on  such  days  hung  with  myrtle  and 
crape. 

Mr.  Thomson  had,  on  the  day  before,  (after 
long  consultation  with  an  English  hair  dresser,) 
caused  his  thin  hair  to  be  cut  a  la  Romeo,  and 
had  already  appeared  at  breakfast  in  "  half  gala" 
dress,  because  he  had  casually  dressed  himself 
earlier  than  usual,  and  because  Miss  Fanny, 
from  Buenos  Ayres,  was  seated  next  to  him. 

It  was  towards  one  o'clock.  Dr.  Thorfin  and 
Mr.  Robert  had  already  arrived  on  horseback  ; 
the  blue  carriage  retured  from  the  city,  and 
brought  Miss  Susan  and  Miss  Fanny  from  the 
F.nglish  church,  where  the  Catholic  lady  from 
Buenos  Ayres  had  perhaps  worshipped  with  as 
much  devotion  as  the  British,  who  belonged  to  a 
sect  that  ate  no  meat,  and  tolerated  no  musical 
instruments.  Love  makes  people  tolerant,  and 
since  Miss  Susan  believed  that  the  Baron  de 
Spandau  loved  her  to  distraction,  she  considered 
all  "  no  Christians,"  (that  is  to  say,  all  who  did 
not  belong  to  her  sect,)  with  far  greater  indul- 
gence than  before. 

The  baron  had,  from  the  first,  announced  him- 
self as  a  Catholic  in  Rio  de  Janeiro,  as  that  was 
the  religion  of  tlie  court,  and  he  lived  in  the 
hope  of  obtaining  a  permanent  situation  under 
the  government,  such  as  had  been  obtained  there 
by  adventurers  wlio  were  far  more  stupid  than 
he.  Of  course  he  regularly  visited  the  court 
chapel,  near  the  imperial  residence,  and  the 
Carmelite  church,  near  the  court  chapel,  as  both 
churches  were  close  to  each  other,  and  the  ele- 
gant female  world  of  each  rivalled  the  other. 
Wh^her  the  baron  was  baptized  as  a  Catholic  or 
a  Protestant,  very  naturally  concerned  nobody, 
if  only  the  money  for  the  baptism  had  been  duly 
paid  forty  years  before.  The  sponsors,  who,  ac- 
cording to  the  regulations  of  the  church,  had, 
after  this  or  that  ritual,  solemnly  pledged  them- 
selves to  take  care  of  the  spiritual  and  corporeal 
welfare  of  the  new  member  of  Christendom,  had 
probably  long  since  forgotten  this  promise  at  the 
altar,  and  would  have  considered  it  indiscreet 
and  silly,  in  the  highest  degree,  for  any  one  to 
have  reminded  them  of  it. 

The  said  Baron  de  Spandau  (as  he  called  him- 
self in  Urazil)  did  not  let  them  wait  long  for  him, 
and  trotted  up  to  the  garden  gate  on  his  Mars- 
charduro,*  just  as  the  blue  coach  with  the  two 
ladies,  attended  by  a  colored  maid,  (who  had 
likewise  "  renounced  all  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,") 
had  stopped  there. 

Old  Achilles,  who  had  been  in  a  gloomy  me- 


»  Literally,  hard  runner.  A  race  of  Brazilian  horses, 
■mall,  but  ol"  excellent  quality — amblers.  The  race  of 
Minas  horses  is  larger  and  more  hardy. 


lancholy  mood  since  his  arrival  in  Bola  FogO 

and  was  dressed  in  his  Sunday's  state  livery, 
jumped  down  from  the  box ;  he  h.ad,  as  duplicate 
coachman  at  the  side  of  Mr.  Thomson's  "  horse- 
breaker,"  at  least  been  in  the  neighborhood  of 
his  mistress,  whom  he  w'ould,  in  no  case,  have 
suffered  to  go  alone,  even  to  an  English  church. 

Before  Achilles,  however,  had  laid  his  hand 
upon  the  coach  door,  Corinna,  who,  for  the  first 
time  in  years,  had  been  separated  from  her  mis- 
tress, had  already  opened  it. 

Corinna  had  been  weeping.  Why?  what  cause 
had  she  to  be  sad  .'  Had  she,  perhaps,  not  had 
her  regular  supper,  breakfast,  and  dinner,  at  Bota 
Fogo  ? 

On  the  contrary,  Mr.  Thomson's  house  was 
known  as  very  sumptuous,  since  Miss  Susan  no 
longer  kept  the  keys,  which  Mr.  Thomson  had 
given  over  to  a  black  housekeeper.  Corinna  had 
grown  up  with  Dolores  on  the  banks  of  the  La 
Plata,  so  to  say,  in  the  garden  of  a  quinta.  Well, 
then!  and  she  was  now  in  Bota  Fogo,  vvliich 
likewise  lay  on  the  water's  side.  Instead  of  the 
La  Plata,  here  was  a  bay,  and  the  quinta  was 
here  a  chacara,  and  the  garden  was  a  park. 
Where  was  the  great  difl'erence  .'  Her  mistress 
was  exiled,  and,  must  not  return  to  the  garden 
on  the  bank  of  the  La  Plata — was  that  a  reason  for 
weeping  on  a  fine  Sunday  morning  .'  Thousands 
of  both  sexes  leave  home,  and  garden,  and  father- 
land, and  seek,  in  foreign  countries,  money — 
money  !  and  if  they  make  money — a  little  more 
money — they  obtain  with  it  the  privilege  of  stu- 
pidity and  dullness. 

It  would,  indeed,  be  in  vain  to  institute  fur- 
ther inquiry  upon  the  question,  why  Corinna 
wept ;  besides,  she  was  only  a  negress. 

The  baron  had  harldy  time  to  spring  from  his 
saddle,  and  hurry  to  the  carriage,  before  Corinna 
so  suddenly  stood  by  its  steps.  He  succeeded, 
however,  in  appearing  at  the  proper  moment  to 
take  his  lady's  hand,  and  ofl'er  her  his  arm, 
v\hereupon  Dr.  Thorfin,  who  stood  by  with 
Robert,  took  the  liberty  to  ofler  the  same  civility 
to  his  sister,  after  he  had  been  introduced  by  her 
brother  as  a  friend  of  Hinango. 

And  Miss  Fanny,  also,  had  been  weeping ! 
Strange  !  She  was  dressed  in  black  silk,  with 
her  hair  a  I'enfant.  Miss  Susan  was  in  green 
satin,  with  an  extremely  tasteful  coillure  a  la 
jeune  Anglaise,  in  which  an  unpretending 
white  rose  was  conspicuous.  She  entered  the 
garden  gate,  on  the  arm  of  her  friend,  and  re- 
mained standing,  with  all  due  politeness,  to  ofiier 
the  precedence  to  her  niece  from  the  La  Plata, 
whom  Dr.  Thorfin  waited  upon. 

Dolores  had  remarked  tliis  stranger  in  Hi- 
nango's  company  on  board  the  Nordstjernan,  and 
now  learned  who  he  was.  The  presence  of  this 
man  wrought  in  her  a  certain  composure,  for 
which  she  could  only  account  as  an  indirect 
communication  with  the  Scandinavian,  who  had, 
as  it  were,  appeared  to  her  at  the  scaflbld  of 
jVlphonso,  and  was  so  nearly  akin  to  her  in  tlie 
element  of  humanity. 

Dr.  Thorfin  conveyed  to  her  the  most  heart- 
felt greeting  from  Horatio,  and  cordial  compli- 
ments from  Hinango  and  Alvarez,  whereupon 
she  inquired  after  them  all,  with  unaflected  in- 
terest, and  desired  to  know,  especially,  whether 
Horatio  had  found  a  residence  iu  the  country,  iu 
the  neighborhood  of  the  city. 


DOLORES. 


191 


"  Horatio  and  Alvarez  will  to-morrow  oc- 
cupy apartments  in  the  country  house  in  wliich 
I  reside,"  replied  Dr.  Thorlin  ;  "  and  we  sliall 
certainly  lead  a  very  agreeable  life.  Unfortu- 
nately, however,  Hinango  will  not  lone;  remain 
with  us,  since  he  intends,  as  you  probably  are 
aware,  to  go  to  sea  again.  Perhaps  you  are  ac- 
quainted with  his  destination,"  said  he  in  a  low 
tone,  with  a  stolen  glance  at  the  baron,  who 
strode  before  him,  as  if  he  were  studying  the 
role  of  Mephistopheles  walking  in  the  garden 
with  Martha. 

"  1  know  his  intention,"  returned  Dolores  in 
as  low  a  tone,  "  and  feel  that  it  proceeds  from 
the  depths  of  his  heart,  that  points  out  to  liim 
his  future.  How  I  envy  him  in  his  position  as 
a  man  ;  even  although  I  am  not  quite  certain,  in 
myself,  whether  I  would  exchange  my  female 
soul  for  a  manly  spirit." 

Dr.  Thorfin  was  just  about  to  reply,  as  Mr, 
Thomson  approached  them,  having  for  a  long 
wdiile  observed  the  confidential  conversation 
and  heard  the  name  of  Hinango.  He  had  in 
tentionally  deferred  selecting  his  niece,  that  he 
might,  if  possible,  arrive  at  some  idea  of  her 
connexion  with  the  "  notorious  privateer,"  of 
whom  he  had  occasionally  heard  first  one  thing, 
and  then  another. 

He  now  thought,  however,  that  the  two  had 
talked  together  "  enough,"  and  almost  regretted 
having  invited  his  family  physician  to  dinner. 
But  who  could  have  suspected  that  he  was  to 
become  the  electro-magnetic  conductor  of  a 
spiritual  "rapport"  between  Dolores  and  the 
privateer .' 

The  old  widower  now  greeted  the  two,  as  if 
he  just  perceived  them,  welcomed  his  guest, 
and  took  the  opportunity  to  give  his  niece  an 
earnest  pressure  of  the  hand,  which,  from  pure 
heartiness,  was  almost  too  strong. 

"  I  must  introduce  the  Baron  de  Spandau  to 
you,"  cried  he,  as  a  thought  suddenly  struck 
him  ;  permit  me  to  present  him  to  you.  Hardly 
had  he  said  these  words,  when  he  had  already 
seized  the  baron's  arm,  to  the  especial  vexation 
of  Miss  Susan,  who  was  enjoying  his  agreeable 
presence,  so  perfectly  after  her  heart's  desire. 

Instead,  however,  of  leading  his  future  bro- 
ther-in-law directly  to  his  niece  and  Dr.  Thor- 
fin, Mr  Thomson  took  a  circuit  with  him 
through  an  alley  of  the  park,  as  he  had  some- 
thing to  say  to  him. 

"  My  niece  has  arrived,  as  you  know.  Baron," 
he  begin,  after  coughing,  and  panting  for  some 
time,  as  if  something  stood  in  the  way  of  the 
words  that  he  wished  to  utter. 

"Ah!  Your  amiable  niece  from  Buenos 
Ayres !  who  arrived  yesterday  in  the  Nord- 
stjernan,  as  I  heard  !"  replied  the  baron. 

"  And  will  remain  here  with  us  for  some- 
time, with  my  nephew,  Mr.  Robert  Walker." 

"  She  seems  a  very  interesting  person,  your 
amiable  niece,  Miss  Walker  r" 

"  Miss  Fanny  Walker,  at  your  service;  Miss 
Fanny  is  her  name.  Will  you  permit  me  to  make 
you  acquainted  with  her  ?" 

"  You  will  flatter  me  infinitely,  for  I  do  not 
recollect  to  have  seen  her  in  Buenos  Ayres ;  I 
was  not,  indeed,  introduced  at  your  brotlier-in- 
lavv's " 

At  these  words,  the  baron  turned  his  steps,  to 
meet  the  proposal  for  an  introduction,  when  Mr . 


Thomson  seized  him  by  the  button,  coughed 
again,  and  at  length  said,  in  a  peculiarly  low 
voice :  "  You  remember  a  brochure  of  poetry 
baron,  which  I  handed  to  you  as  a  novelty  some 
weeks  since  .^" 

"  Brochure  of  poetry  ?"  repeated  the  spy, 
staring  at  the  sky,  as  if  his  memory  contained 
no  brochure  at  all,  nor  a  single  thing  of  the  sort 

"  To  be  sure,  baron,  you  must  remember ;  you 
must  recollect  the  Elegies  .'  tlie  "  Elegias  dela 
Plata  ?"  as  the  little  book  was  called. 

"  Elegias  dcla  Plata  .'  no,  surely  not ;  I  must 
have  entirely  forgotten  it." 

"  That  is  strange  !"  whispered  the  old  wid- 
ower, "  Did  I  not  give  it  to  you  one  evening  in 
the  Hotel  Faroux,  when  we  were  supping  there 
with  the  guarda  mor .'  when  I  first  received  it  ?" 

"  No  !  you  are  mistaken  this  time  !"  replied 
the  baron  hastily,  and  with  peculiar  decision. 

"  Then  I  will  never  rely  on  my  memory 
again,"  said  Mr.  Thomson,  sunk  in  profound 
endeavors  to  read  the  singular  riddle. 

"  It  seems  to  me  as  if  you  once  told  me  of  a 
brochure,  as  if  you  had  the  goodness  to  say  to 
me,  that  you  would  give  it  me  to  read.  But  it 
is  obscure  to  me " 

"  I  said  nothing  to  you,  then,  of  the  authoress 
of  the  Elegies  !  nothing  at  all  of  the  sort?" 

"  Not  a  word  !  not  a  syllable  !" 

"  Hem  !  singular  that !  Then  I  must  have 
spoken  of  it  to  you  in  a  dream." 

"  It  is  very  easily  possible  !  even  very  proba- 
ble ;  but  you  have  not,  when  awake,  and  espe- 
cially in  the  Hotel  Faroux,  as  you  suppose,  said 
a  word  to  me  about  the  authoress ;  and  I  never 
saw  the  brochure." 

"  So  much  the  better,  then  !  Now,  baron,  I 
will  just  beg  you,  of  all  things  in  the  world,  not 
to  let  it  be  perceived  in  the  presence  of  my 
niece,  that  you  have  ever  heard  any  thing  of — of 
the  Elegies for — for  it  is  a  secret ;  the  rela- 
tions in  Buenos  Ayres,  as  you  know,  between  the 
Confederados  and  the  Unitarios,  are — are  very 
critical,  and  the  Argentine  ambassador  here  in 
Rio,  or  some  spy,  might  learn  something " 

"  A  spy  .'  some  spy  or  other  .'"  interrupted  the 
agent  of  the  secret  police.  "  Do  you  really  be- 
lieve that  there  are  foreign  spies  here  in  Rio  ? 
Can  that  really  be  the  case  ?" 

'^  They  say  so  !  people  suspect  it,  and  even 
maintain  it." 

"  Mr.  Thomson  !  whoever  says  that,  fabricates 
chimeras.  I  ask  you,  what  is  a  foreign  spy  to  ob- 
serve here  in  Rio  ?  Perhaps  he  is  to  count  the 
bags  of  coffee,  that  are  appraised  at  the  alfan- 
dega  ?  or  listen  to  the  babble  of  Peter  and  Paul, 
in  tlie  Cafe  de  Commerce  in  the  Rua  Direita  ?  or 
smell  at  what  we  eat  in  the  Hotel  Faroux  .'  I 
sliould  like  to  know  what  a  foreign  spy  could 
find  to  do  here  in  Rio  ?" 

"  It  certainly  appears  very  ridiculous  to  mo, 
also,"  replied  Mr.  Thomson  ;  "  the  more  I  reflect 
upon  what  a  spy  could  properly  spy  out  here, 
so  much  the  more  improbable  does  it  seem  to 
me,  that  there  should  be  foreign  spies  here — 
although,  on  the  other  hand,  I  have  learned  that 
they  have  found  out  where  the  broclmres  for 
Rio  Grande  were  printed — wlio  printed  them  I 
mean — for  example,  the  epistle  of  Mazzini, 
and  the  lilce." 

"  Have  the  like  pamphlets  or  tracts  been 
printed  here  in  Rio ;"   inquired   the  future  bro- 


192 


DOLORES. 


Ilipr-in-law  of  tlie  old  widower.     "  That  is  i 
tirely  new  to  me  !" 

'•  You  do  not  appenr  to  concern  yourself 
much  with  political  reading,  as  I  observe  !" 

"I!  with  political  reading!"  laughed  the 
other.  "  What  an  idea!  I  have  something  else  to 
do  here  !  You  have  long  been  aware  that  your 
brother-in-law,  has  formed  the  plan  of  foundins; 
a  British  viceroyalty  in  Para  ;  to  connect  the 
River  Amazon  with  the  Parana  by  a  canal;  and  in 
this  manner  to  bring  the  whole  of  South  America, 

by  degrees,  under  British  protection -" 

'*  Ah,  indaed  !"  interrupted  the  old  man  as- 
tonislied  in  the  highest  degi'ee ;  "  and  you  are 

perhaps  liere  to .'" 

"  To  play  into  the  hands  of  your  brother-in- 
law  ;  as  I  am  trying  to  carry  out  the  plan  of 
transferring  the  Signal  Mountain  over  tliere,  to 
British  ownership.  I  mean  to  promote  the  con- 
tract of  sale ;  to  have  the  government  sell  the 
Signal  Mountain  to  England." 

Mr.  Thomson  stopped  and  stared  at  the  baron, 
with  his  mouth  wide  open,  perfectly  astonislied 
that  he  had,  at  length,  quite  accidentally,  learned 
the  object  of  his  conTing  to  Rio. 

"  Is  that  possible  .'  you  are,  then,  so  to  say,  a 
secret  agent  in  the  English  service  .'" 

"  Mr.  Thomson  !"  whispered  the  spy,  "one 
confidence  is  worthy  of  another.  You  olfer  me, 
so  to  spealv,  unlimited  confidence  in  family  re- 
lations, and  the  like  ;  I,  also,  owe  you  mine. 
IVhat  I  have  just  revealed  to  you,  must  remain 
tile  strictest  secret  between  us;  do  you  under- 
stand .'  I  had  an  audience  yesterday,  with  the 
Minister  of  Finance — a  private  audience — and 
can  give  you  the  assurance  that  the  affair  is  go- 
ing forward.  Let  that  suffice  you  !  And  I  do  not 
concern  myself  with  political  reading — not  I ! 
But  intnxluce  me  to  your  amiable  niece." 

A  great  weight  had  fallen  from  the  heart  of 
good  old  Mr.  Thomson,  as  he  had  now  not  only 
convinced  himself  that  the  baron  did  not  con- 
cern himself  about  political  brochures,  but  that, 
also,  he  did  not  know  the  least  about  the  Ele- 
gies of  La  Plata,  and  of  course  could  not  entertain 
the  least  suspicion  in  relation  to  the  incognito  of 
the  young  lady  from  Buenos  Ayres. 

They  then  hastily  approached  the  family 
group,  and  the  formal  introduction  took  place. 
The  baron  did  not  seem  to  give  any  more  atten- 
tion to  the  niece  than  politeness  on  his  part 
required,  and  paid  all  the  more  to  Miss  Susan, 
who,  on  this  day,  appeared  ten,  if  not  fifteen 
years  younger.  She  availed  herself  of  many 
(ipportunities  to  laugh  at  the  baron's  jokes,  in 
order  to  display  her  beautiful  teeth,  which  the 
latter,  with  incoatestible  justice,  had  once  ad- 
mired. 

"  How  much  do  you  weigh,  doctor  .'"  cried  the 
old  widower  in  a  peculiarly  happy  mood,  the 
weight  having  been  removed  from  his  heart. 
"  Come  doctor !  we  will  see  how  heavy  you 
are,  and  you,  also,  Miss  Fanny .'  we  will  all  be 
weighe<l ;  we  have  stiil  time  before  dinner !" 
After  this  ijivitation,  he  started  away  from  the 
family  group,  ran  to  a  private  door,  which  led 
into  a  fruat  iiall,  and  into  the  green  parlor;  ar- 
ranged the  platform  scales,  and  waited  for  bis 
niece,  whom  he  would  not  exactly  name  first, 
but  to  whom,  of  course,  the  doctor  gave  the  pre- 
cedence. 
Dolores,  not  coming  within  a  thousand  miles 


distance  of  the  idea  which  lay  at  the  fotinda- 
tion  of  such  social  amusement,  stepped  upon  the 
eventful  scales  with  perfect  unconcern,  and  was 
just  as  far  from  remarking  the  expression  ol 
anxiety  and  expectation  on  the  good  humored 
countenance  of  her  protector,  who  solemnized 
this  moment  as  "  an  event  in  his  life." 

"  One  hundred  and  thirty-six  !"  he  exclaimed, 
with  inexpressible  satisfaction.  "  A  hundred 
and  thirty-six  pounds !  and  I'll  bet  that  she'll 
weigh  a  hundred  and  ninety-six  in  a  year  !  for 
you  have  a  tendency.  Miss  Fanny  !  a  tendency 
to  corpulency,  1  assure  you !" 

The  baron  laughed  out  loud,  and  looked  at 
Dr.  Thorfin,  as  if  lie  wished  to  remind  him  of 
their  "  table  talk"  in  the  Hotel  Faroux. 

"  A  youthful  glow  flushed  the  cheeks  of  the 
old  widower,  as  he  felt  that  he  had  nearly  be- 
trayed himself  to  his  two  table  companions. 

"  I  would  not  have  believed  that  you  were  so 
heavy !"  said  Rol^ert,  laughing,  aa  he  reached 
his  hand  to  his  "  sister,'  when  she  jumped  down 
from  the  scales 

"  I  feel  at  times  that  I  possess  strength,"  re- 
plied Dolores,  smiling  likewise,  "but  whether  I 
am  of  material  weight  ?  that  questiou  never  oc- 
curred to  me." 

Old  Achilles,  who  was  invested  with  the  ofEce 
of  valet,  just  then  announced  that  dinner  was 
ready.  The  bai-on  ofiered  his  arm,  with  all  due 
ceremony,  to  his  fair  future,  the  old  uncle  led  in 
his  niece,  and  Dr.  Thorfin  and  Robert  walked 
together  into  the  family  apartment,  in  which 
hung  the  four  portrait^  of  the  old  widower's 
sainted  wives,  who,  altogether,  in  their  bloom, 
weighed  eight  hundred  and  forty-three  and  three- 
fourth  pounds  avoirdupois. 


P.*N*^>-V**-- 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

THE  ALFANDEGA  AND  THE  CHEESE. 

The  three  travelling  companions,  from  the  La 
Plata  river,  sat  again  in  their  common  parlor, 
over  their  aromatic  coffee.  It  was  Monday 
morning.  They  were  expecting  Dr.  Thorfin, 
who  was  to  accompany  them  to  the  alfandega, 
where  they  had  agreed  to  meet  Robert  Walker, 
to  take  joint  possession  of  their  travelling  eti'ects. 

The  bustle  of  the  lively  business  street,  Rua 
Direita,  become  more  and  more  varied.  The  sin- 
gular monotonous  cry  of  the  coffee  laden  negroes, 
ascended  with  a  peculiar  sound,  into  the  open 
windows,  and  brought  the  strangers  to  the  bal- 
cony. 

They  saw  a  train  of  some  thirty  Ethiopians, 
in  national  costume — that  is  to  say,  naked,  all 
but  short  quasi  pantaloons,  which  enveloped 
the  hips,  without  covering  the  thighs.  Each 
carried  on  his  head  a  heavy  bag  of  coffee,  and 
trotted  along,  with  his  body  bent  forward,  one 
arm  raised  to  the  bag,  the  other  elbow  drawn  up 
with  the  fist  stretched  forward,  all  the  while 
staring  straight  before  him,  with  downcast  eyes, 
aiid  at  each  rapid  step,  ejaculating  sounds  nearly 
like  "  Doi-doy — Doi-doy  !  !"  forming,  in  thirty- 
fold  gradations,  from  the  deepest  bass  to  the 
highest  alto,  a  singularly  original,  but  sadly 
striking  chorus. 


DOLORES. 


193 


In  front  of  this  noisy  concert,  sprang  a  negro, 
in  the  same  garb,  who  represented  the  orches- 
tra; his  instrument  was  a  funnel  with  leather 
drawn  over  it,  in  which  rattled  a  handful  of 
coffee  grains,  as  a  suitable  accompaniment  to 
the  chorus,  or  rather  to  mark  tlie  time,  instead 
of  the  drumstick  of  the  tambour  major.  With 
this  monotonous  cry  of  Doi-doy,  the  poor  devils 
trotted  on,  pursuing  their  course  with  as  much 
diligence  as  if  the  fate  of  Brazil  depended  upon 
their  not  losing  a  moment. 

"  IVIournful  lot  of  colored  humanity  !"  sighed 
Hinango,  to  whom  this  spectacle,  although  no 
novelty,  was  always  painful.  "  And  have  these 
men  heads,  only  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  a 
coffee  bag,  of  some  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds 
weight,  on  a  trot,  from  the  warehouses  to  the 
alfandega,  and  from  the  alfandega  to  the  lighter 
that  conveys  the  freight  on  board .'  while  the 
majority  of  the  citizens  here  are  negroes  and 
mulattoes,  who  are  distinguished  for  their  hon- 
esty, diligence,  and  morality  !" 

"  I  cannot  even  conceive  the  economy  of  such 
transportation,"  remarked  Horatio,  looking  after 
the  train.  "  Could  not  these  thirty  sacks  of  cof- 
fee be  as  easily  carried  on  a  single  dray  with  some 
horses,  as  in  such  a  manner  by  thirty  men  ."' 

The  entrance  of  Dr.  Thorfin  interrupted  the 
conversation.  He  waited  until  the  friends  had 
prepared  to  go  out.  All  four  left  the  hotel,  al- 
though Alvarez  had  no  baggage  to  take  posses- 
sion of  They  walked  to  the  neighboring  build- 
ing of  the  alfandega,  where  the  captain  had  sent 
ail  the  travelling  effects  of  the  passengers. 

They  had  hardly  found  the  expected  objects, 
before  Robert  Walker,  according  to  agreement, 
entered  likewise,  to  open  his  own  trunks,  as  well 
as  the  trunks  and  boxes  of  his  "  sister,"  which 
were  now  overhauled  and  examined. 

The  crowd  of  functionaries,  tradespeople,  and 
carrier  negroes,  in  the  spacious  halls  and  courts, 
and  passages  of  the  buildings,  which  served  as 
warehouses  of  the  alfandega,  moved  around  the 
strangers.  A  thousand  objects,  from  foreign 
countries,  here  and  there  attract  the  attention  of 
one  and  another. 

"  There  is  the  elegant  negro,  with  his  white 
servants,"  whispered  Horatio,  in  the  ear  of  his 
friend  Hinango,  "  the  same  that  lately  went  past 
our  hotel  with  the  young  lady " 

*'  An  interesting  coimtenance,"  returned  Hi- 
nango, "  draw  him  in  crayon,  without  reference 
to  color,  and  every  cultivated  European  would 
acknowledge  him  as  his  equal,  and  admire  his 
intellectual  expression." 

"  What  is  in  this  box  ?"  enquired  a  custom 
house  othcer  of  young  Walker,  touching  a  con- 
siderably large,  flat  box,  which  was  just  opened. 

"  An  old  family  picture,"  replied  Robert, 
"  the  portrait  of  one  of  my  aunts." 

"  It  must  pay  duty  ;  the  frame  also ;  the  pic- 
ture twenty-five  per  cent.,  the  frame  one  hun- 
dred per  cent,  on  the  value." 

"  Art  seems  to  be  treated  here  like  a  hated 
foreigner  ;"  whispered  Horatio." 

"  Even  if  such  a  system  should  foster  art  in 
Brazil,"  replied  Hinango,  **  it  is  at  least  difficult 
to  procure  for  young  artists,  good  originals  of  the 
old  masters  for  study." 

The  box  was  opened,  and  the  living  image  of 
Dolores,  in  an  old  fashioned  dress,  appeared.    It 
was  the  picture  of  her  deceased  mother,  painted 
3d 


in  Madrid,  shortly  before  her  marriage,  when 
she  accompanied  her  father,  who  went  to  Eu- 
rope as  ambassador  from  the  Spanish  colony. 

The  worth  of  the  picture  and  the  frame  was 
specified,  and  it  escaped  many,  that  the  distin- 
guished negro  joined  the  group,  and  observed 
the  picture  with  evidently  heightening  interest. 

Horatio  and  Hinango  were  the  first  to  remaric 
the  attention  of  the  Ethiopian,  who,  absorbed  in 
the  contemplation  of  the  picture,  did  not  observe 
them.  He  was  a  tall,  thin  man,  of  a  regular 
Ethiopian  figure,  with  the  above  specified  liu- 
mane  countenance.  He  was  dressed,  according 
to  Brazilian  custom,  in  white  linen,  with  a  fine 
white  beaver  hat  His  shirt  buttons,  watch 
chain,  rings,  etc.,  were  ornamented  with  valua- 
ble jewels.  At  a  distance  behind  him  stood  a 
white  servant,  apparently  Portuguese,  in  blue 
livery,  with  gold  buttons. 

A  custom  house  officer  threw  the  cover  over 
the  picture,  and  the  negro  gentleman  roused 
himself,  as  if  from  a  dream,  looked  hastily  around 
him  upon  the  bystanders,  as  if  he  would  ask  for- 
giveness for  having  taken  the  liberty  of  looking 
at  the  picture,  and  stepped  backward  some  paces 
without  a  word. 

"  Do  you  know  this  man?"  inquired  Hinan 
go,  in  a  low  tone,  of  the  custom  house  officer 
who  was  inspecting  his  effects. 

"  To  be  sure  1"  replied  he  ;  "  it  is  a  million 
aire  from  Goa,  in  tlie  East  Indies,  who,  on  his 
arrival  here,  paid  duty  on  a  thousand  contos  in 
gold  coin  *  as  travelling  money,  besides  the  cargo 
of  the  vessel,  which  belonged  to  him.  He  has 
two  daughters  with  white  governesses,  and  lives 
in  the  Rua  do  Valongo,  where  he  has  a  palace.  I 
am  not  surprised  that  he  looked  at  the  portrait ; 
he  appears  to  be  a  connoisseur  and  admirer  of 
paintings.  If  I  am  not  mistaken,  he  brought 
out  many  valuable  pictures  with  him.  He  very 
often  walks  around  here  in  the  alfandega,  and 
occasionally  has  something  to  send  off." 

The  information  was  certainly  sufficient,  as  it 
indicated  the  standing  of  the  negro  gentleman  ; 
but  how  the  portrait  ot  the  mother  of  Dolores 
could  so  highly  interest  him,  as  was  evidently 
the  case,  as  to  make  him  forgetful  of  the  wnole 
alfandega  around  him,  remained  a  riddle,  that  in  • 
voluntarily  occupied  the  travellers  from  La  Pla':a. 

The  interesting  millionaire  from  Goa  remainei 
standing  at  a  distance,  as  if  he  was  ooservmg 
other  objects  —  nut  belonging  to  the  passen- 
gers of  the  Niirdstjernan.  Horatio's  boxes  were 
opened,  and  the  various  apparatus  of  an  artist,  or 
diUetanti  in  oil  painting,  were  unpacked.  The 
negro  from  Goa  now  appeared  to  have  made  suf- 
ficient observations,  once  more  looked  at  the 
South  .American,  to  whom  the  painting  apparatus 
appeared  to  belong,  and  slowly  withdrew — first 
looking  at  one  thing,  and  then  at  another,  that 
caught  his  eye. 

The  resemblance  of  the  picture  to  the  daugh- 
ter of  the  lady  whose  portrait  it  was,  evidently 
endangered  the  incognito  of  the  poetess,  in  case 
the  Indian  negro  (which  still  remained  inexpli- 
cable) had  inspected  the  picture  as  a  portrait, 
and  not  merely  as  an  interesting  oil  painting, 
and,  (what  was  equally  inexplicable,)  perhaps, 
connected  with  it  peculiar  recollections. 


*  Gold  and  silver  coin  pay  two  per  cent,  duty  in  Bra- 
zil,  (inport  aid  export,)  as  tliese  metals  are  considered 
productions  of  the  country,  and  articles  of  commerce. 


194 


DOLORES, 


Alvarez  conversed  with  Horatio  about  the 
singularity  of  this  meeting,  and  reminded  him 
of  an  involuntary  exclamation  of  Dolores,  on 
Doard  the  Nordstjernan,  when  he  mentioned  to 
her  the  name  of  his  mother.  "  She  has  taken 
the  secret  with  her  to  the  grave  !"  she  said,  at 
that  time,  half  aloud,  to  herself. 

"  Granting,"  returned  Horatio,  "  that  the  in- 
terest of  this  Indian  negro  in  the  portrait  of  her 
mother  is,  in  some  way  or  other,  connected  with 
this  secret,  no  one  can  give  us  any  information 
respecting  it  but  just  this  Senhor  from  Goa,  and 
it  will  not  answer  for  us  to  approach  him  on 
this  subject,  inasmuch  as  Dolores  passes  here  for 
Miss  Fanny  Walker." 

'  A  true  portrait  has,  many  times  already, 
given  occasion  to  the  most  singular  discoveries," 
observed  Hinango;  "  and  it  appears  to  me  that 
this  gentleman  from  Goa  will  not  be  wanting  in 
discretion,  if  he  should  be  disposed  to  approach 
us  on  his  part.     We  must  wait  for  that." 

"  Inconceivable  !"  exclaimed  Alvarez,  sud- 
denly awaking  from  a  train  of  ideas.  "  Senora 
Dolores  said  those  words  when  I  mentioned  the 
name  of  my  uncle,  Garringos,  whose  traces  I 
sought  for  years  in  Madrid,  and  in  all  Spain. 
This  picture,  you  say,  was  painted  in  Madrid, 
prior  to  the  year  ISI'2,  when  my  uncle  disap- 
peared thence.  Can  this  expression  of  Senora 
Dolores,  in  relation  to  her  mother,  have  any 
connexion  with  the  name  of  my  uncle,  and,  of 
course,  with  his  fate  ?" 

"  '  She  has  carried  the  secret  with  her  to  the 
grave,' "  replied  Horatio,  "  is  all  that  we  have 
learned,  and  probably  Senora  Dolores,  also, 
knows  no  more  in  relation  to  the  secret." 

The  friends  had  comiileted  their  business  at 
the  alfandcga,  and  tlie  requisite  '  negres  de  gagne' 
were  loaded,  to  carry  away  their  effects.  Robert 
was  very  serious,  and  appeared  self-absorbed. 
The  lively  unconcern  with  which  he  had  greeted 
his  fellow  voyagers,  only  a  few  evenings  before, 
had  vanished.  The  friends  who  surrounded 
him,  expected  that  something  disagreeable  had 
occurred  at  his  uncle's  house,  in  consequence  of 
the  arrival  of  Dolores. 

"  I  will  send  my  trunks  for  the  present  with 
yours,  to  the  Hotel  du  Nord,"  said  he  to  Ormur. 
"  I  occupy  a  pavilion  in  the  neighborhood  of  the 
city,  but,  henceforth,  I  also  wish  to  live  incog- 
nito. I  have  given  up  my  room  at  my  uncle's 
country  house  to  my  '  sister  ;'  that  is  the  reason 
why  I  occupy  a  separate  dwelling.  I  will  tell 
you  the  rest  by  and  by." 

"  1  thank  you  again  for  your  friendship,"  re- 
turned Hinango,  "  and  hardly  know  how  1  have 
acquired  it." 

"  I  cannot  even  explain  to  myself,"  asserted 
the  youth,  "  wherefore  I  feel  so  drawn  towards 
you  !  It  seems  to  me,  however,  as  if  the  associa- 
tion with  you,  during  our  voyage,  had  given  a 
new  '  sounding-board '  to  my  inward  being  !  as  if 
all  the  tones  of  life,  which  come  in  contact  with 
me,  reverberate  with  deejier  harmony.  You  see 
I  am  obliged,  involuntarily,  to  express  myself 
poetically. 

"  If  my  individuality,"  replied  Ormur,  "  ope- 
rates upon  you  with  a  certain  attraction,  my 
dear  young  friend,  it  is  a  proof  to  me  that  your 
mind,  or  your  inner  life,  as  I  may  call  it,  is  un- 
folded in  youthful  purity,  and  feels  itself  drawn 
towards  me,  tlirough  affinity  with  me.    For  you 


must  know  that  there  are  men,  who,  notwith- 
standing their  advance  in  age,  preserve  in  them- 
selves all  purity  and  depth  of  mind,  in  spite 
of  all  their  bitter  experience,  in  spite  of  all 
tlie  storms  of  life  !  Tlie  world  declares  such  a 
state  of  mind,  to  be  '  infirmity,  over  excitement, 
nervous  weakness,'  and -" 

A  man  of  business  approached  the  gi'oup  from 
the  Nordstjernan,  interrupting  the  conversation. 
It  was  Mr.  Forro,  who  greeted  young  Walker, 
and  inquired  after  his  liealth.  He  had  just  come 
from  Mr.  Thomson's  office,  where  he  had  provi- 
sionally arranged  the  new  business. 

Hinango  and  his  friends  left  the  alfandega,  to 
despatch  their  eft'ects  to  the  chacara  in  which 
Dr.  Thorfin  had  prepared  rooms  for  tliem.  Ro- 
bert Walker  exchanged  some  words  with  the 
agent  of  the  naturalist,  and  then  mounted  his 
horse.  From  necessary  caution  in  relation  to  the 
incognito  of  tlie  lady,  he  deferred  the  transporta- 
tion of  liis  etfects  to  da  Gloria  until  late  in  the 
evening,  but  hurried  out  there  himself,  to  speak 
to  her,  if  only  to  ascertain  whether  the  villa 
was  ready  for  him. 

"  How  in  the  world  could  you  be  such  a  jack- 
ass, as  to  shut  yourself  up,  and  by  that  means  ruin 
the  whole  business  that  occasioned  your  coming 
to  Rio .'"  These  words  were  addressed  by  a 
man  to  his  younger  companion,  as  they  passed 
Robert  Walker  at  one  of  the  gates  of  the  Alfan- 
dega, just  as  he  had  given  his  horse  the  spur. 

This  was  Mr.  Franz  Rossbruck,  and  the 
"  jackass"  was  his  nephew,  our  "  gentleman." 

"  1  did  not  shut  myself  up  !"  replied  the  lat- 
ter ;  "  The  young  man,  the  Swiss,  locked  me  in ; 
he  admits  that  himself!" 

"  Mr.  Doubly  has  related  the  whole  affair  to 
me,  circumstantially,  and  I  can  only  praise  his 
conduct.  I  should,  in  his  place,  have  done  the 
same.  A  young  fellow  comes  in,  speaks  Eng- 
lish, and  gives  himself  out  for  a  connexion  ot 
the  house;  considers  himself  too  good  to  sit  at 
table  with  his  equals,  and  what  was  still  more 
odd,  to  exchange  a  word  with  them  ;  goes  out 
and  in,  and  all  the  time,  without  saying  a  word, 
and  shuts  himself  up  again  in  the  interior  of  the 
apai-tment,  allotted  to  him  as  a  connexion  of  the 
house  !  Mr.  Doubly  then  simply  said  to  me, 
'  When  this  '  would  be  gentleman  '  had  four 
times  declined  our  invitation  to  your  table,  1 
doubted  that  he  was  your  nephew.  I  thought 
him  an  impostor,  or  a  deranged  person,  and,  in 
either  case,  it  was  incumbent  on  me  to  take 
measures  to  prevent  his  injuring  us.  As  an  im- 
postor he  might  rob  us,  and  as  a  crazy  man,  he 
might  do,  God  knows  what !  I  therelbre  had 
bi-ead  and  water  placed  in  his  room,  and  locked 
the  door  with  my  own  hand,  to  await  your  re- 
turn." 

"  And  I  sat  there  from  Saturday  evening,  un- 
til this  morning,  two  nights  and  a  d,iy,  with 
bread  and  water,"  growled  the  "gentleman," 
with  a  visage  a  yard  long. 

"  You  deserve  to  be  locked  up  for  a  year,  on 
bread  and  water,  with  some  of  the  real  English 
dandies  whom  you  try  to  ape — without  posses- 
sing a  spark  of  English  business  skill.  You  may 
go  back  again  to  Europe  !  We  can  make  no  use 
here  of  such  a  gentleman  as  you  !" 

"  Good  morning  Sr.  Rossbriick !  how  are 
you  ?  it's  a  coolly  pleasant  morning  !"  sounded 


DOLORES. 


195 


RCMthe  dandy's  uncle,  who  beheld,  to  the  height- 
ening of  his  just  displeasure,  Senhor  Forro's  well 
known  confiscable  business  physiognomy. 

"Good  nioviiini;,  Senhor  Forro!  how  are 
j'ou  r"  grumbled  he,  ha!f  over  his  shoulder. 

"Your  nephew,  I  presume.'"  conlinued  (he 
other,  with  a  sort  of  mischievously  friendly 
smile,  looking  at  tliB  young  rnan,  who  pressed 
down  his  patent  gloves  between  the  fingers. 

"  I  have  just  left  your  ofiice,  .Senhor  Forro, 
and  hear,  to  my  great  dissatisfaction,  that  you 
deny  us  the  signature  to  the  contract." 

I  regret,  extremely,  that  you  did  not  sign  the 
contract  at  the  right  time.  We  waited  until  the 
last  moment  appoiiite.!  by  the  last  agreement. 
The  partner  ol  your  house,  whose  arrival  was 
announced  by  the  '  Jorna!  do  Commercio,'  might 
have  done  us  the  honor  only  to  send  a  negro  to 
us  with  the  information  that  he  was  here,  and 
the  business  would  still  have  remained  at  your 
disposal. 

The  uncle  of  the  gentleman  bit  his  lips,  in 
the  overflow  of  his  gall,  but  found  not  a  word 
of  reasonable  objection. 

"  You  know,  however,  that  Mr.  Closting  has 
received  a  considerable  advance  from  us,  as 
earnest  in  this  business — about  t^vo  contos  di 
reis  '."  he,  at  length  said,  with  a  peevish  air. 

"  Senhor  Closting  !  advance  ! — 1  know  no- 
thing about  that  Senhor  Francisco  !  that  is  a 
private  ailair — entirely  a  private  atfair.  You  have 
no  claim  on  our  firm  ;  it  does  not  concern  me  in 
the  least.  Ifs  a  fine  coolly  pleasant  morning. 
Good  morning,  Senhor  Francisco  !  may  1  offer 
you  a  pincli?"  in()uired  he,  with  the  utmost  po- 
liteness, as  he  was  about  to  depart,  and  took  out 
his  box. 

"  I  (hank  you  !"  grumbled  the  uncle  of  the 
Anglicised  nephew,  and  Mr.  Forro  took  a  pinch 
himself,  and,  mingling  with  the  crowd  of  the 
alfandega,  vanished  behind  the  loaded  negroes. 

The  "  gentleman  "  rnnde  a  face  as  if  he  was  en- 
deavoring to  invent  a  powder  which  "  should  put 
millions  in  circulation."  He  trembled  for  the 
moment  when  his  uncle  might  find  out  that  he 
had  given  a  hint  to  a  young  Englishman  on 
board  the  Nordstjernan,  in  regard  to  the  under- 
taking ;  an  imprudence,  on  his  part,  which  he 
perceived  himself,  although  he  had  done  it  with 
the  best  intention  in  the  woi-ld — to  make  known 
the  "  respectability"  of  his  house.  He  walked  on 
with  his  uncle,  like  a  school  boy  who  has  taken 
the  premium  for  stupidity,  and  at  length  looked 
for  his  English  baggage,  with  the  caligraphic 
inscription  :  "  William  Rossbriick,  Esq." 

While  these  scenes  took  place  in  the  halls  of 
the  alfandega.  Dr.  Merbold  sat  with  the  Baron 
de  Spandau,  in  the  private  parlor  of  the  latter, 
in  the  Hotel  Faroux,  at  a  breakfast,  at  which 
fresh  Minas  cheese,  the  favorite  dish  of  the  natu- 
ralist, was  conspicuous. 

"  So  you  have  remarked,  Herr  Baron,  that  I 
am  fond  of  new  cheese  !"  laughed  the  German 
savant,  as  he  cut  himself  a  thick  slice. 

"  I  confess  that  1  am  a  great  friend  of  cheese 
myself,  and  this  Minas  cheese  has  really  a  great 
resemblance  to  our  German  cream  cheese." 

"  More  than  the  Germans  to  the  Mineiros  !" 
returned  the  entomologist.  "  We  Germans  are 
peace-loving,  faithful  subjects  of  the  most  glori- 
ous confederate  princes,  and  do  not  trouble  our- 


selves with  politics  like  the  turbulent  Mineiros 
up  there,  in  the  mountains.  They  are  truly  a 
rebellious  set !  One  cannot  catch  a  beetle  there 
witlioiit  meeting  some  hotheaded  fellow.  They 
are  like  the  French,  and  the  Spaniards,  and  the 
It.dlans,  and  all  th«  Catholic  nations  of  Europe ! 
who  are  always  rebelling !  Our  Protestants  in 
Germany  deserve  praise  for  that!  they  do  not 
allow  themselves  to  be  so  easily  excited  !" 

"  That  is  true!"  interrupted  the  baron  ;  "  Pro- 
testantism is  a  good  fulminating  powder  against 
revolutionary  schemes  !  Since  Dr.  Luther  called 
ujjon  the  German  princes  to  shoot  down  the 
rebellious  peasants  in  Thuringia  and  Suabia, 
peace  and  order  have  pretty  generally  prevailed 
in  all  Protestant  countries  !  We  have  our  uni- 
versities to  thank  for  that!  especially  our  pro- 
fessors of  theology  !  and  also  the  '  pastors  !' 
Fathers  of  families  will  not  willingly  allow 
themselves  to  be  disturbed  in  their  official  dili- 
gence in  the  RU|)tia!  bed  !" 

"  You  are  right,  upon  my  soul !"  cried  Dr. 
Merbold,  astonished  by  this  observation,  "that 
is  true,  too !" 

"  The  Protestant  ecclesiastics  are  generally 
demagogues  as  students.  If,  however,  an  arch 
demagogue  takes  a  wife,  all  is  over  with  his  pa- 
triotism !  Among  a  thousand,  there  will  not  be 
three  exceptions  to  this  rule.  The  Protestant 
'  dogmatic  of  marriage,'  my  dear  doctor,  has  a 
very  peculiar,  mysterious  power." 

"  That  is  just  what  physiologists  assert .'" 
affirmed  Dr.  Merbold,  "  and  lonce  disputed,  for 
an  hour,  with  a  professor  in  Gottingen,  who 
wished  to  maintain  that  wedlock  was  more 
interesting  than  entomology— which  he  endea- 
vored to  prove,  on  the  ground  of  experience,  as 
he  was  both  married  and  a  good  entomologist ! 
As  relates  to  myself,  I  merely  took  the  position, 
that  entomology  had  always  so  confined  me, 
that  1  never  had  time  to  make  the  necessary  ac» 
quaintance  and  experience  which  ought  to  pre- 
cede marriage.  My  acquaintance  and  experi- 
ence are  confined,  as  you  know,  entirely  to  the 
beetle  world." 

"  Then  1  presume  you  know  this  married 
pair?"  inquired  the  baron,  handing  him,  with  a 
significant  look,  a  neat  paper  box,  ornamented 
with  Fanny  Elssler's  portrait  in  lithograph. 

"  Hey  !  the  devil !  a  pair  of  Spinoza  hoods  !" 
cried  Dr.  Merbold,  springing  up  from  his  chair, 
and  letting  a  great  piece  of  Minas  cheese  fall  on 
the  floor.  "  Hey  !  the  devil !  that  would  be 
something  for  the  entomological  museum  at 
Berlin  !" 

"  Will  you  accept  them,  as  a  present  from  me, 
doctor.'  you  can  send  them,  in  your  own  name, 
to  whatever  government  you  like  !" 

"  No,  baron  !  you  are  too  good !  too  gene- 
rous !  I  will  guarantee  you,  through  this  pair 
of  beetles,  the  title  of  a  '  Real  corresponding 
member '  of  some  royal  academy  of  science  or 
other ;  and  will  you  relinquish  such  an  advantage 
to  me  .'  Really,  are  you  in  earnest,  baron  .'  really 
in  earnest  ?" 

"  Why  not .'  as  I  tell  you,  the  pair  of  beetles 
is  designed  for  you,  and  no  one  else  !" 

"  Then  I  thank  you  a  million   times  !"  cried 

the  entomologist,  and  pressed  the  hand  of  the 

spy,  while  his  little  gray  eyes  sparkled  through 

tears. 

1     "  They  shall  go  to  Europe  with  my  '  Simplex 


198 


DOLORES. 


MerboWensis,'  with  all  the  treasnres  that  I 
brought  with  me  from  Buenos  Ayres  !  where  the 
abominable  revolutionary  war  with  the  Patago- 
nians,  or  cannibals,  or  Orientals,  as  they  call  the 
rebels,  unfortunately  hindered  my  researches. 
"What  canaille  the  people  are  here  in  South 
America,  Herr  Baron  !  Such  a  revolutionary 
rabble,  that  one  cannot  even  quietly  collect 
beetles,  without  being  tal<en  for  a  rebel !  and 
that,  even  on  board  of  a  Swedish  vessel." 

"  On  board  of  a  Swedish  vessel !"  exclaimed 
the  baron,  as  if  he  was  extremely  surprised. 
"  You  did  not  encounter  a  visitation  on  board  ou 
account  of  rebels .'" 

"  Visitation  •  Herr  Baron,  I  can  tell  you  some- 
thing about  that !  I  believe  I  came  here  with  a 
whole  cargo  of  rebels  !  at  least,  I  would  not  give 
a  patack  for  the  loyal  sentiments  of  all  the  cabin 
passengers,  with  the  exception  of  one,  who,  to 
the  honor  of  our  nation,  was  a  German  ;  a  IMr. 
Pferdebriick,  or  Rossbriick  as  he  is  called." 

'*  What  is  that  you  say .'  Yon  came  in  the 
Nordstjeman,  did  you  not?  with  a  young  Eng- 
lishman and  his  sister,  as  I  see  by  the  news- 
paper." 

"  With  a  young  Englishman,  certainly,  and 
there  was  a  young  lady  there,  also,  birt  whether 
she  was  the  sister  of  the  young  Englishman — 
the  police  knows  best.  The  clerk  of  the  Eng- 
lish house,  who  lodged  with  me  in  a  "  private 
cabin,"  did  not  have  much  to  say,  when  I  began 
about  the  young  lady.  It  seemed  to  me  a  sort 
of  political  abduction.  A  Russian  naval  officer, 
who  appeared  to  have  escaped  from  hunting  the 
sable  in  Siberia — Hinango  is  his  name — he 
seemed  to  me  to  be  very  intimate  with  the  young 
lady ;  and  they  two  jiollticised  and  philoso- 
phised in  Spanish,  by  moonshine  and  daylight, 
and  a  fugitive  came  on  l)oard,  like  Roller  in 
Schiller's  '  Robbers,' direct  from  the  gallows  ! — 
he  had  even  yet '  the  rope  around  his  neck,'  that 
bis  gviitar  hung  to." 

The  spy  allowed  the  entomologist  to  talk  on, 
undisturbed,  and  seizing  a  number  of  the  "  Jor- 
nal  do  Comniercio'  wliich  lay  on  his  writing 
table,  he  ran  over  the  list  of  passengers  on  Ihiard 
the  Nordstjernan,  and  inquired,  incidentally : 
**  Do  you  not  know  the  name  of  the  fugitive ' 

It  was  not  Horatio  de  P ,  who  is  here  among 

the  passengers  !" 


"  Oh,  no !  that  is  the  young  man  whose  onrfff 
was  shot  the  morning  when  we  sailed ;  he  is  a 
silent,  good-natured  young  man  ;  it  is  a  pity  be 
has  fallen  into  such  bad  company.  Oh,  no  !  he 
did  not  come  on  board  as  a  fugitive.  It  was  a 
fellow  called  Alvarez  von  der  Barea,  or  some- 
thing like  it.  The  captain  had  drawn  him  out 
of  tlie  water,  just  as  we  were  going  to  sea,  and  I 
nearly  had  a  quarrel  with  the  Russian  when  the 
vessel  came  after  us  and  would  have  taken  him 
off;  and  I  believe  they  had  also  some  designs 
upon  the  young  lady — for  that  she  is  the  sister 
of  the  yoimg  Englishman,  no  one  shall  make 
me  believe.  No  !  Ur.  Merbold  is  not  so  stupid  I 
And  they  were  all  good  friends  with  the  priva- 
teer, or  pirate,  when  he  came  on  board  !  all  went 
on  merrily  !  and  we  saluted  each  other  when  we 
went  to  sea  in  company." 

**  You  do  not  eat  any  cheese,  doctor.  You  en- 
tirely forget  your  cheese  and  ycor  cotfee !  and 
your  beefsteak  is  getting  cold !" 

"  It's  no  matter  for  that,  Herr  Baron,  thank 
yoo  !  I  tell  you  that  was  a  rebellious  passage  ! 
The  corsair  was  called  Barrigallows,  or  some- 
thing of  the  sort  :  He  seemed  to  me,  also,  to 
be  •  ripe  for  the  gallows  !'  And  then  there  was 
murder  on  the  fishing  boat,  or  some  such  thing 
that  would  have  taken  us !  The  crew  re- 
belled. They  threw  one  of  the  officers  over- 
board, and  gagged  the  other.  Mr.  Daily  saw 
the  whole  of  it,  and  then  told  me  all  about  it, 
and  explained  to  me  what  had  been  going  on 
around  us,  for  I,  myself,  Herr  Baron,  had  enough 
to  do  with  my  beetles,  and  could  not  give  much 
heed  to  the  rebels  !  but  Mr.  Daily  remarked,  i< 
he  were  captain  of  tlie  Nordstjernan,  he  would 
make  money  by  this  opportunity.  He  s;iid  there 
were  two  heads  on  board,  either  of  which  was 
worth  a  thousand  pounds  sterling.  I,  however, 
would  certainly  not  have  given  these  two  Spi- 
noza hoods  for  them.  I  believe  he  meant  the 
young  lady  and  myself,  for  he  attached  great 
value  to  my  entomology,  which  certainly  is  in 
my  head,  and  has  its  worth,  to  be  sure !" 

Dr  Merbold  ate  cheese,  and  drank  coftee, 
contemplated  his  Spinosa  hoods  from  lime  to 
time,  and  answered  all  the  queries  of  the  spy, 
in  regard  to  the  passengers  of  the  Nordstjernan, 
and  theiv  interesting  voyage  from  the  river  La 
Plrtta  to  Ki«7  d«  Janeiro. 


DOLORES. 


BOOK   V 


C  HAPTER   I. 


YANA    KIYRM. 


We  now  find  ourselves  amongst  the  Toldog,  of 
a  Patagonian  tribe  of  the  Inaken,  between  the 
Lago  Grande  and  Lago  do  Tehuel,  at  the  outlet 
of  the  Cusu  Leova,  in  the  Rio  Nei^ro,  in  about 
38"  south  latitude,  and  O'/'J  longitude  west  from 
Greenwich — nearly  400  hundred  miles  \V.  S.  W. 
from  Buenos  Ayres,  where  the  European  can 
only  determine  his  route  by  means  of  liie  com- 
pass. 

To  make  the  scenes  intelli-jible,  wiiich  nnfcld 
themselves  before  us,  it  will  be  necessary  that  we 
should,  with  all  brevity,  institute  a  geographical 
and  statistical  review  of  the  strange  locality  in 
which  this  race  of  ])eople  move  about. 

The  Patagonians— one  of  tlie  most  fabulous 
nations  on  earth,  insomuch  as  for  centuries  the 
most  singular  descriptions  have  been  dissemi- 
nated of  their  gigantic  size — inhabittlie  northern 
plains,  extending  from  the  Sts'aits  of  Magellan 
to  the  Rio  Negro,  and  Irom  the  eastern  declivi- 
ties of  the  Cordillera  de  !os  Andes  to  the  shores 
•if  the  South  Atlantic  Ocean. 

They  call  themselves,  in  their  sonorous  lan- 
guage, Tehueiehes,  (the  northern,)  and  Inaken, 
(the  southern,)  and  border,  towards  the  moun- 
tains of  the  Andes,  upon  the  Aucas,  or  Aron- 
eanas,  who  call  tliemselves  Huilichi,  likewise 
a  southern  race,  and  towares  the  coast  they  ad- 
join the  Puelchus,  little  distinguished  from  them 
in  manners  and  character. 

The  total  number  of  these  tribes  of  the  Pata- 
gonians, which  has  gradually  diminished 
through  their  struggles  and  wars  among  them- 
selves, about  the  right  of  hunting,  and  water, 
and  meadows,  and  tlirough  tlie  war  of  exter- 
mination on  the  part  of  humane  and  Cliristian 
Europeans,  hardly  amounts  to  10,000  fighting 
men,  who,  however,  have  as  yet  maintained  tlieir 
independence  against  tlie  Europeans 

The  fabulous  pliysica)  size  of  these  Patagoni- 
ans has  decreased,  as  if  in  proportion  to  tlieir 
former  numbers,  according  to  the  reports  of  tra- 
velling Europeans  who  have  observed  them 
with  reasonable  eyes,  to  a  certainly  considerable 
grenadier  height,  to  wliich  is  joined  a  well  pro- 
portioned muscular  frame,  and  a  certain  natural 


dignity.  The  complexion  of  these  tribes  is 
dark  olive  brown,  with  a  slight  reddish  tint,  their 
faces  rather  round  than  oval,  with  a  Hat  profile, 
an  arched  forehead,  and  small,  horizontally  cut, 
dark  sparkling  eyes  without  the  least  expres- 
sion of  falsehood ;  the  short  flat  nose  partly 
discloses  the  nostrils,  and  the  thick  lips  cover 
the  national  decoration  of  beautiful  pearly  teeth. 

More  striking  than  many  other  properties 
which  they  share  with  the  neighboring  tribes,  is 
the  luxuriant  richness  of  their  raven  black,  soft 
hair,  that  retains  its  color  and  thickness  to  ad- 
vanced age,  and  generally  quite  covers  the  back, 
and,  given  to  the  winds,  floats  about  in  the  ele- 
ment of  freedom. 

The  designation  of  Patagon  (big  foot,)  seems 
as  little  accordant  with  reality,  as  the  long  since 
refuted  rumor  of  their  superhuman  size.  On 
the  contrary,  the  Patagonians  are  distinguished 
for  their  small  hands  and  feet,  as  well  as  mani- 
festing, in  their  whole  being,  something  that 
pleases  and  inspires  confidence,  instead  of  either 
physical  or  moral  coarseness,  thereby  distinguish- 
ing tliemselves  from  the  ox — the  proper  "cosmo- 
polite''— who  grazes,  and  ruminates,  and  bellows 
in  all  countries,  and  everywhere  remains Ox. 

The  customs,  like  the  character  of  these  tribes, 
evidently  resemble  those  of  the  patriarchal  world 
of  bygone  centuries,  and  show  us  man  in  his 
natural  condition,  with  the  innate  principle  of 
humanity,  which  authenticates  itself  in  some 
form  or  other  of  human  society. 

Apart  from  the  fatal  hostilities  which  neces- 
sity engenders,  these  tribes  hold  together,  among 
themselves,  with  undeniable  nationality.  All 
stand  up  for  one,  or  one  for  all,  at  every  assault 
on  their  independence,  which  they  resist  with 
decided  energy  ;  on  the  contrary,  however,  they 
entertain  unconcealed  distrust  against  all  Euro- 
peans, excepting  Spaniards  and  Italians,  and 
|ierhaps  on  very  just  grounds.  Although,  under 
the  former  monarchial  government  of  the  neigh- 
boring Spanish  colonies,  they  were  not  unfre- 
quently  chased  with  hounds  like  wild  beasts, 
and  forced  back  to  their  pampas,  their  natural 
human  understanding  led  them  by  degress  to  the 
knowledge  whereby  they  distinguish  despotic 
ill  usage  on  the  part  of  bloodthirsty  conquerors, 
from  peaceful  intercourse  with  free  men,  who 
renounce  such  a  system  of  government.     They 


193 


DOLORES. 


consider  their  guest^i  from  the  south  of  Europe 
as  men  like  themselves,  who  at  times  innocently 
and  peaceably  erect  their  toldos  in  the  New 
World,  as  they  do,  and  barter  with  them  their 
oxen,  against  all  sorts  of  useful,  and  often  "  really 
curious"  implements. 

A  so  called  horde  of  the  Inaken,  consisting  of 
about  a  hundred  fighting  men,  with  numerous 
families,  some  thousands  of  oxen,  and  some  hun- 
dreds of  horses,  guanacoes,*  sheep,  and  goats,  had 
more  and  more  slowly  descended  i^rom  the 
southern  plains,  not  far  from  the  Andes,  to  the 
right  bank  of  the  Rio  N^ro,  to  cari-y  on  their 
barter  there. 

The  toldos  (tents  of  buffalo  hides)  formed, 
in  picturesque  disorder,  a  considerable  village 
en  the  declivity  of  a  hill,  vrhich  hardly  deserved 
the  name,  since  it  was  one  of  those  elevations,  of 
miles  in  width,  which,  interrupted  by  depres- 
sions of  equal  extent,  form  an  undulating  tract 
of  country,  unvarying  for  hundreds  of  miles, 
partly  overgrown  with  luxuriant  grass, "  a  wav- 
ing grass-sea,"  partly  interrupted  by  extensive- 
patches  of  sand,  and  ornamented  here  and  there 
with  scanty  woods  and  low  thickets.  From  the 
hills,  the  eye  perceived  a  uniform  desert  land- 
scape, whose  undulating,  green  foreground,  in- 
terrupted in  the  above  named  manner  by  patches, 
of  sand,  lost  itself  by  degrees  fn  the  less  green 
middle  gi'ound,  and  at  length  in  the  light  blue  of 
the  distant  horizon. 

Rhabukih,  called  by  his  European  and  pam- 
pas friends  El  Rojo,  (the  red,)  the  venerable  ca- 
cique of  his  free  tribe,  sat  in  an  oriental  posture 
upon  a  thick  buffalo  hide  in  front  of  his  toldo, 
with  his  left  elbow  supported  by  a  sort  of  saddle, 
that  also  served  him  for  a  pillow  at  night. 

His  countenance  was  purely  national,  such  as 
we  have  already  generally  described.  A  red 
and  white  handkerchief,  bound  about  his  head, 
covered  the  upper  pai-t  of  the  high  forehead, 
and  formed  behind  each  ear  a  long  end  of  ar- 
tistically arranged  points,  that  fluttered  behind 
over  his  long  dark  hair.  Three  stripes  of  dark 
red  paint  decorated  each  cheek,  from  the  cor- 
ners of  the  mouth  to  the  ear  and  the  temple. 
Excepting  the  upper  lip,  the  countenance  was 
beardless,  as  his  beloved,  accoi-ding  to  the  cus- 
tom of  the  country,  had  taken  the  pains  to  pluck 
out  the  beard  in  his  eai-ly  youth.  He  was  a  re- 
spectable figure,  of  advanceil  age,  of  conspicuous 
Patagonian  size,  and  of  coui'se  half  a  head  taller 
than  the  Emperor  Nicholas  of  Russia,  who,  like 
king  Saul  of  old,  "  is  liigher  than  all  the  peo- 
ple." His  dress  was  as  original  as  the  entire 
scene  around  him.  He  wore,  as  his  choicest  gar- 
ment, the  national  poncho,  whose  form  the  Bra- 
zilians have  bonx)wed  from  tliese  tribes,  as  we 
have  already  described  it  at  Villa  Tasso,  at  the 
time  of  Serafini's  arrest.  But  this  poncho  of  the 
Cacique  El  Rojo  \^'a3  not  of  European  stuff,  but 
a  home  made  article,  the  costly  product  of  the 
domestic  industry  of  his  daughters. 

Whoever  conceives  of  this  patriarchal  world 
of  South  .\merica,  as  an  anti-social  desert, 
remote  from  all  civilization,  err.s-,  like  so  many 
Europeans,  who  often  prize  far  too  highly  the 
hot  house  civilization  of  our  whitewashed  age, 
in  comparison  with  "  half  savage  nations." 


*  Guanaco,  a  sort  of  shfep-camel^  or  lama,  whose  wool 
iz  of  tixcelicat  quality 


The  condition  of  women  in  Patagonfa  has, 
certainty,  so  far,  a  similarity  with  the  slavery  of 
many  nations  on  the  European  continent,  inso- 
mrrch  as  woman  is  considered  the  first  and  most 
indispensable  of  "  domestic  animals,"  who  per- 
forms all  the  labor,  for  the  convenience  and  com- 
fort of  man,  fatigues  herself  through  the  day,  and 
hanlly  finds  rest  at  night. 

.^s  woman  evidently  niles  in  many  countries, 
and  (in  opposition  to  this  degrading  slavery)  is 
considered  as  a  doll,  to  be  fed  and  dressed,  and 
then  undressed  and  put  to  bed  again — so  we 
consider  woman  in  Patagonia,  not  a3  the  ruling, 
but  the  administrative,  power. 

Woman,  in  Patagonia,  ^hear?^  the  grjanacoe^ 
and  spins  the  wool,  seeks  the  coloring  matter 
and  dyes  the  yarn,  weaves  or  knits  the  cloth, 
embroiders  the  trimming  of  the  impoi-ted  linen 
or  white  calico,  takes  care  of  th&cooking,  cleans 
the  toldos,  &c.,  &c.,  and  fulfils,  besides,  all  the 
female  household  and  conjugal  duties,  as  soon  as 
she  has  arrived  at  the  appointed  age,  which 
event  is  distinguished  by  great  festivity.  The 
marriageable  girl  is  proclaimed  capable  to  love, 
by  the  cacique  and  a  sort  of  priestess,  and  is  tat- 
tooed on  (hfferent  ]}ait«  of  her  well  formed  bodv, 
like  leaving  the  "  finishing  school,"  and  being 
"  brought  out  into  the  worid  "  as  marriageable. 

The  poncho  of  the  cacique  was  a  long,  four- 
cornered  piece,  some  si.x  feet  wide,  and  eight  or 
nine  feet  long,  artfully  woven  from  sheep  and 
gtianaco  wool,  striped  lengthwise  with  various 
colors,  and  decorated  wltl>  ornaments.  The  pre- 
vailing tints  of  the  several  stripes  were  brown, 
red,  dark  green,  light  gi-een,  yellow,  and  white. 
The  decorations  in  the  stripes  themselves,  of 
various  gradations,  displayed  (to  the  surprise  of 
Europeans,  accustomed  to  the  artistic  forms 
of  antiquity)  evident  antique  arabesques  in  their 
complicated  squares,  which,  borrowed  from  the 
Grecian  decorations,  have  passed  over  to  our 
modem  borders  The  garment  which  (to  bor>- 
row  the  tone  of  virtuous  transatlantic  civiliza/- 
tion)  wound  its  folds  "  nearest  the  body  "  of  the 
cacique,  was  a  piece  of  British,  or  French,  or  Hel- 
vetian calico,  three  yards  long,doublcd  together, 
like  Scnhora  Bebida's  coflee  bag,  and  the  poncho, 
provided  with  a  hole  for  the  neck.  The  piece 
of  clothing  that  British  discretion  finds  "  inex- 
pressible," (as  if  it  would  thereby  directly  turn 
the  attention  to  the  precise  portion  of  the  person 
which  it  covers,)  was,  on  our  cacique,  indeed 
inexpressible,  and  could  the  less  be  called  (with- 
out hypocrisy)  pantaloons,  since  the  notion  of 
pantaloons  signifies  something  quite  different. 
It  was  a  valuable  shawl  of  guanaco  wool,  whnse 
quality  ranged  between  tile  finest  merino  and 
cashmere — likewise  manufactured  at  home,  by 
the"  princesses  of  the  house."  The  undyed  wool 
presented  a  natural  color,  in  so  called  broken 
tint,  between  light  gray  and  a  light  brownish 
yellow — the  stutl'  itself  was  delicate  and  soft  as 
cashmere.  How  this  shawl  was  wound  round  the 
hii>s  and  partly  covered  the  legs,  like  (lanta- 
loons  was  "■  inexpressible ;"  we  could,  at  the  ut- 
most, form  a  ciode!  with  our  own  hands  out  of  a 
large  lady's  shawl,  but  the  description  would  be 
too  long.'     From  below  these  "  inexpressibles," 

*  These  guanaco  shawls,  lilie  the  ponchos  of  the 
Patagonians,  were  occasionally  sent  to  tlurope  as  rari- 
ties. Aa  orJiuary  poncho,  even  tliouEjh  it  hud  been 
woja,  oust  always^  aowa^  tluropeulLS,  over  forty  Spaaiaij 


DOLORES, 


199 


El  pair  of  white  pantaloons  descended,  trimmed 
with  a  border  of  embroidery — a  sort  of  lace,  not 
sowed  on, but  wrought,  a  jour, by  means  of  threads 
sUilfully  drawn  out  of  the  calico.  A  pair  of  half 
boots,  or  rather  **  leather  stockings,"  cut  from 
the  two  liind  shanks  of  a  horse,  in  such  a  man- 
ner that  the  joint  covered  the  heel,  (of  course, 
witliout  se«in^,)  completed  the  picturesque  cos- 
tume <if  the  Cacique  El  Rojo.  A  small  leather 
bag,  with  fire  implements,  consisting  of  Hint, 
steel,  and  fungus,  (whicli  latter  was  carefully 
deposited  in  the  hornlike  hinder  part  of  a  small 
armadillo,  two  or  three  inches  long,  ornamented 
with  silver,)  bow  and  arrows,  some  knives,  like- 
wise with  silver  on  the  handles,  and  a  sling,  the 
favorite  national  weapon,  hung,  and  were  stuck 
about  and  near  him.  This  is  a  tolerably  exact 
portrait,  en  tableau  de  ge7ire,  of  our  Cacique 
Rhabukih  el  Rojo. 

It  was  about  sundown,  and  the  numerous 
family  of  the  stout,  venerable  old  man,  in  various 
toldos  near  him,  were  employed  in  their  domes- 
tic occupations,  while  he  lay  there  upon  the 
buiTalo  hide,  smoking  a  cigarette,  and  from  time  to 
time  looking  at  a  very  common  silver  watch,  for 
which  he  had  bartered  twenty  oxen  with  a  Euro- 
pean. Some  tame  ash  grey  ostriches,  serving  his 
grandsons  as  riding  horses,  wandered  about  near 
him, ruminating  philosophically.  Here  and  there, 
bel'ore  the  entrance  of  a  toldo,  boiled  the  "  ever 
full  Heshpot,"  the  single  but  nourishing  dish  of 
the  Patagonians,  which  is  every  hour  at  the  ser- 
vice of  every  guest.  To  reck-on  according  to 
the  national  fleshpot,  it  would,  of  course,  always 
bo  "  mid-day"  in  Patagonia,  in  so  far  as  the  hand 
of  the  noonday  hour  amongst  the  working  classes 
of  almost  all  nations  points  to  the  fleshpot, 
which  is  occasionally  empty. 

Some  "  princes  and  princesses  "  of  the  reign- 
ing house  of  Rhabukih  approached  their  papa, 
or  grandpapa,  and  at  the  same  time  the  fleshpot 
before  his  tent,  seated  themselves,  after  the  orien- 
tal fa^iiion,  for  an  intimate  interview  with  the  old 
man  and  the  fleshpot,  while  they  took  knife  and 
spoon  in  hand,  and  though  witliout  a  plate,  to  be 
sure,  began  to  eat  their  soup  tolerably  decently. 

A  sort  of  governess,  or  waiting  woman,  pre- 
pared the  tea,  which  is  called  Clia  de  Matte,* 
from  a  .South  American  plant  that  grows  princi- 
pally in  the  province  of  Paraguay,  always,  how- 
ever, an  article  of  luxury  in  Patagonia. 

The  tea  leaves  were  shaken  into  a  bullet 
formed  cup,  ((juja,)  and  boiling  water  poured 
on  them.  This  cup  is  for  the  most  part  a  cocoa- 
nut  shell,  the  stem  of  which  serves  like  the  lian- 
dle  of  a  pan.  These  gujas  are  often  ornamented 
v/ith  all  sorts  of  figures  and  hieroglyphics.  A 
silver  tube,  ten  inches  long,  with  a  perforated 
hollow  globe,  is  immersed  in  it,  and  the  drink,  as 
hot  as  the  gums  can  bear  it,  is  sucked  through  it, 
while  the  leaves  remain  in  the  cup. 

The  old  cacique  sucked  his  guja,  and  comfort- 
ably enjoyed  this  "  modern  drink,"  recommend- 
ed it  to  his  family  as  very  strengthening  to  the 
breast,  and  then  smoked  his  cigarette  again. 

Tile  females  were  dressed  in  the  above  described 


piastres.     There  are  guanaco  shawls  worth  moretlian  o 
hundred  piastres.     They  have  endeavored  to  imitate  this 
material  in  Europe,  but  could  not  succeed  as  they  have 
no  guanaco  wool,  and  the  fabric  is  quite  peculiar. 
♦  Or :  Matte,— Cha  is  the  Chinese  word  for  tea. 


national  garb,  only  with  the  difference,  that  the 
ladies  merely  wore  white  richly  adorned  calico 
"  inexpressibles "  and  carried  in  their  tinder 
bags,  the  implements  for  knitting  and  embroi- 
dery. The  young  members  of  the  family  were 
hardly  to  be  distinguished  from  each  other  by 
their  sex,  as  the  maidens  were  not  yet  tattooed, 
and  a  certain  national  family  lilceness  prevailed 
in  all  their  faces.  Men,  women,  and  children 
of  the  nation  moved  about  with  democratic  un-  ^ 
concern,  around  the  tent  of  the  caciijue,  all  * 
stamped  with  the  above  national  resemlilance  as 
members  and  descendants  of  a  single  family. 

Peaceful  guanacoes  were  straying  around  at 
pasture,  while  in  the  far  distance  the  numerous 
masses  of  horned  "  four-footed  cosmojiolites," 
likewise  etifamiHe,  bellowed  at  the  setting  sun 
in  manifold  gradations  of  tone,  to  the  interruption 
of  their  ruminating  lives.  Domesticated  horses, 
saddled  for  hourly  service,  appeared  through  the 
fetters  of  habit  to  desire  the  halter,  and  wander- 
ed with  slow  steps  around  the  tents,  in  expecta- 
tion of  the  riders,  who  mounted  them  every  few 
minutes,  and  then  left  them  again  to  themselves. 
Hunting  dogs,  of  distinguislied  breeds,  stood  in 
groups  near  the  young  family  of  the  cacique,  in 
close  companionship,  while  the  howl  of  savage 
bloodhounds  (introduced  by  the  Spaniards,  and 
degenerated  to  beasts  of  prey)  joined  in,  from  a 
distance,  with  the  lowing  of  oxen  and  the  neigh- 
ing of  the  horses.  The  dense  smoke  of  (i-esh 
kindled  turf  (which,  for  want  of  wood,  serves  as 
the  national  fuel)  rose,  here  and  there,  around  a 
colossal  fleshpot,  and  gave  a  dark  shading  to  the 
monotonous  but  highly  pleasing  picture,  in  con- 
trast with  the  cloudless  azure  blue  lieavens, 
through  which  countless  flocks  of  birds  were 
flying. 

In  opposition  to  the  "  nobility"  of  the  tribe  of 
Inaken,  (who,  as  to  that,  had  no  hereditary  privi- 
leges,) appeared  the  "  people,"  in  the  natural 
condition  of  nakedness,  clothed  with  a  single 
garment,  the  poncho,  wliich  the  men  wore  in 
the  manner  of  the  cacique,  with  the  hole  for  the 
neck. 

The  poncho  of  the  women,  suitably  to  its  ob- 
ject, was  considerably  longer  than  the  men's,  and 
was  wound  round  the  hips  and  shoulders  like  a 
sort  of  carbonaro  mantle,  or  antique  drapery, 
(similar  to  the  before  described  garment  of  the 
negresses,)  whereby  the  form  of  the  body 
was  more  or  less  displayed  in  its  natural  contour, 
and  a  portion  of  the  shoulder  remained  at  times 
uncovered. 

"  Yana  Kirym  has  prophesied,"  said  the  ca- 
cique to  himself,  "  that  he  would  come  again 
before  the  sun  had  disappeared  for  the  third  time 
behind  the  distant  plains,  and  the  longest  of  these 
little  pieces  of  metal  upon  this  circle  of  figures 
has  only  to  creep  round  it  twice  more,  and  then 
the  sun  shall  go  down,  having  shone  upon  our 
Oregham  hither  at  home." 

"There  comes  Yana  Kirym,  herself!"  ex- 
claimed a  princess  of  the  house,  "  and  Oregham 
will  come  too,  if  she  has  foretold  it." 

Yana  Kirym  was  the  sibyl  of  the  tribe  of  Inaken, 
a  sort  of  personified  "principle  of  the  mysteri- 
ous," which,  as  religion,  (or  as  faith  in  a  higher 
divine  power,)  appears  more  or  less  in  the  so 
called  state  of  nature,  in  all  nations. 

The   Patagonians   acknowledge   a  single  su- 


200 


DOLORES. 


preme  being,  whom  they  call  Ach-eKenat  Kanet, 
to  whom  they  ascribe  all  good  and  all  (appa- 
rently) evil  effects;  which  latter,  accordirif;  to 
their  convictions,  only  "seem"  evil, and  lead  tn 
some  unknown  good  object. 

Their  religion  is  simple  in  the  highest  degree 
They  acknowledge  no  evil  principle,  hut  believe 
in  continuance  alter  death,  and  in  eternal  hlcss 
edness.  In  accordance  with  this  belief,  deatlt 
appears  to  them  like  a  passage  into  a  better  Hie, 
•  and  they  lay  in  the  grave  of  'he  departed  his 
weapons  and  implements,  which  he  may  perhaps 
require  on  his  passage  to  another  world.  The 
sacrifice  of  death  of  all  the  oxen,  horses,  guan- 
acos,  and  sheep,  which  the  deceased  possessed 
in  life,  is  iieculiarly  singular;  they  are  all  killed 
upon  his  grave,  for  he  wants  nothing  more  on 
earth,  and  Ach-eKenat  Kanet  takes  care  of  his 
family,  who  do  not  yet  know  the  "  worth  of 
man"  by  property. 

Yana  Kirym  maintained  the  rank,  or,  as  it 
were,  the  ofTice  of  high  priestess.  The  gifts  of 
clairvoyance,  of  prophecy,  and  of  the  interpreta- 
tion of  dreams,  were  alike  bestowed  upon  her. 
She  prophesied  from  the  blood  of  a  young  cow 
in  the  decline  of  the  moon,  ordered  the  funerals, 
took  care  of  the  sick,  prepared  medicinal  herbs, 
and  led  the  migrations  of  the  tribe  by  the  stai-s, 
as  the  cacique  carried  no  compass. 

The  seeress  approached.  She  was  a  thin  figure, 
of  Patagonian  height,  whose  profile,  like  all  the 
others,  formed  nearly  a  perpendicular  line ;  she 
had  a  high,  deeply  furrowed  forehead,  and  a 
sharp,  penetrating  glance  in  her  brown  eyes.  A 
black  handkerchief,  fastened  in  the  manner 
before  mentioned,  covered  the  upper  part  of  her 
head,  the  long  hair  of  which,  parted  in  two 
masses,  hung  down  Ujion  her  breast,  fastened  in 
a  knot.  She  was  a  relative  of  the  cacique,  and 
of  course  wore  a  clean  calico  garment  next  to 
her  olive  brown  skin,  a  pair  of  riclily  embroi- 
dered pantaloons  and  half  boots,  of  the  form  above 
described,  (from  which  the  great  toe  peeped 
out,)  stuck  into  a  stirrup  strap  without  metal — 
for  Yana  Kirym  was  on  horseback,  like  every 
male  and  female  Patagonian  who  wished  to  move 
over  a  space  of  five  steps  or  farther.  She  carried 
a  single  long  arrow,  without  a  bow,  and  the  na- 
tional bag,  with  fire  implements  and  cigarettes, 
one  of  which  she  was  just  then  smoking. 

"  If  the  bloodtliirsty  chief  on  the  river  La 
Plata  has  slain  my  Oregham,  we  will  break  up 
and  cross  the  pampas  to  his  toldo,  and  he  shall 
find  out  whose  son  he  has  killed  !"  cried  the  old 
man  to  the  sibyl. 

"  They  come !"  said  she,  seriously,  and  in  a 
hollow,  guttural  tone.  "  They  come  !  thy  s.m, 
my  Oregham,  and  the  '  friend  of  man '  from  the 
seashore ;  and  yet  another  comes  with  them, 
whom  they  have  saved  from  death." 

The  cacique  and  his  children  listened  silently 
to  the  words  of  the  Inaken  sybil,  and  looked  at 
each  other.  Every  countenance  spoke  silent 
reverence,  and  the  features  of  the  old  man 
brightened  with  the  anticipation  of  meeting 
again  his  eldest  son,  who  had  travelled  to  Bue- 
nos Ayres,  with  Signore  Testa,  to  become  ac- 
quainted VN-ith  the  stone  toldos  of  the  gaucho 
cacique,  and  the  many  other  wonders  of  the 
world,  on  the  river  La  Plata. 

"  Dost  thou  see  them  come  .'"  inquired  the 
old  man,  as  he  raised  his  arm  from  the  saddle, 


and  sat  erect,  as  if  he  intended  to  leave  his  buf- 
falo hide. 

"  I  have  already  seen  them  long ;  not  by  day- 
light, but  at  night,  when  my  kingdom  opens 
itself,"  replied  Yana  Kirym,  slowly  and  ear- 
nestly. "  I  saw  them  fourteen  days  ago,  when 
tliey  rested  themselves,  after  riding  thirty 
leagues.  They  changed  horses  with  our  people. 
All  slept,  and  o»r  friend  from  the  seasliore, 
took  an  ii.sti-jijjnt  and  cut  ofl'  the  hair  entirely 
from  tlie  heal  of  the  friend  he  had  saved  ;  for  a 
round  spot  of  the  crown  was  made  bai'e  before, 
as  a  mark  in  case  he  wislied  to  escape,  and  the 
.Matoperros*  of  the  cacique  from  La  Plata  would 
have  known  him  by  that.  The  fugitive  wore 
Oregham's  second  dress,  which  he  took  with 
him,  to  appear  in  the  stone  toldos  of  the  gaucho 
chief  The  stranger  anointed  his  head  with 
ostrich  fat,  and  bound  the  cloth  on  it,  after  our 
manner,  that  the  hair  might  grow  again,  until 
he  comes  amongst  the  white  men  who  fight 
against  the  matoperros  of  the  prince  that  lives 
far  away  to  the  north. 

When  the  stranger  from  the  seashore  had 
shorn  the  head  of  his  friend,  they  both  lay  down 
to  sleep  for  some  hours,  and  the  youngest  daugh- 
ter of  the  cacicjue  drew  near  the  toldo  of  the 
man  with  the  shorn  head,  and  heard  him  pray 
aloud,  and  she  knelt  down  before  the  toldo,  and 
prayed  to  Ach-eKenat  Kanet  that  he  would 
protect  him  from  the  matoperros  of  the  blood- 
thirsty cacique  of  the  gauchos,  who  hunts  our 
people  with  hounds,  and  murders  the  white 
people  that  will  not  acknowledge  him  as  their 
Ach-eKenat  Kanet  here  below.  The  stranger 
slept  peaceably,  and  before  the  sun  arose  again, 
they  all  laid  their  saddles  upon  fresh  horses, 
and  came  galloping  in  a  straight  line  to  the 
southwest,  towards  us,  with  arrow  speed,  without 
resting,  nearly  forty  leagues  every  day,  and 
changed  their  horses  when  they  arrived  at  tol- 
dos, and  left  the  tired  ones  behind,  and  many 
horses  sank  exhausted  under  them,  before  they 
could  unbuckle  the  saddle. 

"  So  saw  I  them  in  my  dream-world,  and 
nothing  evil  has  happened  to  them  since  then, 
or  I  should  have  known  it.  They  rode  and 
galloped  on  in  their  flight,  and  changed  horses, 
and  then  rode  and  galloped  on  again,  coming 
nearer  and  nearer  to  us  here,  swift  as  arrows, 
without  rest  and  repose ;  and  the  hair  of  the 
man  who  seeks  our  protection  grows  again  as 
fast  as  they  ride,  and  the  trace  of  the  mai'k  on 
his  crown,  has  already  vanished;  and  they  will 
soon  be  here." 

"  Uost  thou  know  the  man  that  seeks  shelter 
with  us  .'  dost  thou  know  the  man  among  his 
|)eople  ?" 

"  1  know  who  he  was,  and  what  he  is.  I  saw 
his  heart  in  a  dream,  and  read  the  inscription 
of  his  soul.  He  is  a  spirit  acjuainted  with 
Ach-eKenat  Kanet  as  I  am  ;  but  he  sees  not 
things  to  come  like  me,  only  in  his  manner 
judging  the  future  by  the  past.  Ach-eKenat 
Kanet  gave  to  our  Oregham  the  thuught  to  travel 
to  the  far,  far  distance,  because  this  man,  with 
the  '  mark  of  slavery,'  required  our  aid,  and 
without  him  he  would  have  been  lost  there,  for 


*  Literall.v  "  dogkillers ''—anickname  of  the  military, 
who  Ibrinerly  took  tbe  fielil  against  the  wild  hounds 
above  mentioned 


DOLORES. 


201 


the  blood-thirsty  cacique  of  the  gauchos  had 
sworn  his  deatli." 

"  Didst  thou  know  all  this  at  that  time,"  said 
a  dau^rhter  of  the  cacique,  "  when  Oregham  in- 
sisti-d  that  he  would  travel  far,  far  away  with  the 
white  friend ;  didst  thou  know  then  with  what 
object  it  was  done  ?" 

"  No  !"  answered  Yana  Kirym  with  all  can- 
dor, "  I  knew  it  not:  but  I  suspected  that  his 
journey  must  have  some  particular  object  un- 
known to  himself,  because  he  could  give  no 
other  reason,  wlierefore  he  wished  to  accompan)' 
the  white  friend,  than  to  see  the  stone  toldos  on 
the  Plata  river,  and  the  great  boats  wherein  a 
hundred  men  or  more  can  journey  over  the  great 
waters  that  never  end." 

Yana  Kirym  answered  some  more  questions 
of  the  cacique  and  his  children,  who  listened 
with  reverential  attention  to  her  words,  and 
then  suddenly  gave  her  horse  a  thrust  with  the 
shaft  of  the  arrow,  and  galloped  in  flying  haste 
towards  the  shores  of  the  Rio  Negro. 


—  v^^^y#^^^ 


i#-^^*^^*«- 


CHAPTER    II. 

ASYLUM    IN    PATAGONIA. 

Nearly  an  hour  had  elapsed  since  Yana  Ki- 
rym had  silently  departed,  and  El  Rojo  still  lay, 
with  his  watch  in  hand,  on  the  bullalo  hide  be- 
fore his  toldo.  A  little  maiden  near  him  was 
trying  to  embroider  a  new  pattern  of  her  own 
design,  a  jour,  upon  a  piece  of  calico,  as  she 
drew  out  the  threads  here  and  there  with  admi- 
rable dexterity,  and  brought  out  leaves  and 
flowers,  without  in  the  least  detracting  from  tlie 
tenacity  and  firmness  of  the  material.  A  little 
grandson  of  the  old  chief,  some  seven  years  old, 
had  mounted  an  ostrich,  to  take  his  after  supper 
ride  for  his  better  digestion,  and  turned  in  the 
direction  in  which  Yana  Kirym  had  disappeared. 

"Wliy  dost  thou  work  so  late  to-day.'"  inquired 
the  cacique  of  the  diUigent  little  maiden  near 
him.  "  Thou  hast  embroidered  enough  for  to- 
day ;  long  sitting  is  not  good  ;  thou  wilt  become 
corpulent,  and  that  is  not  pretty." 

"  No,  my  father !  that  is  not  jjretty — to  be- 
come corpulent ;  but  tall  and  slender,  and  broad 
across  the  breast,  and  well  fleshed  here  and 
there  ;  that  is  pretty  !  And  I  do  not  wish  to  be 
less  handsome  tlian  Vala  Limi.  She  is  pretty,  my 
father,  is  she  not .'  Hut  1  am  working  this  border 
for  tlie  guest  who  is  coming  here  tills  evening. 
When  Yana  Kirym  told  me,  the  day  before  yes- 
terday, that  Oregham  would  come  to-day,  I  de- 
termined to  work  these  pantaloons  for  him,  but 
now  the  stranger-guest  shall  have  them,  and 
thou,  my  father,  wilt  give  him  abeautiful  poncho, 
of  tlie  best  we  have.  But  it  was  very  bad  for 
friend  Testa  to  cut  ofl"  his  hair!  Think,  my 
f^ither,  of  an  Inake  without  long  hair !  with  a 
b;ild  head  !  that  must  look  like  a  meadow  with- 
out grass  !  The  poor,  bareheaded  guest  !  I 
would  give  him  the  half  of  my  hair,  if  it  could 
be,  tliat  tlie  poor  man  miglit  not  look  so  ugly." 

"  Thou  mayest  marry  him,  if  he  stays  here," 
said  the  old  chief.  "  His  hair  will  soon  grow 
again." 

28 


"  I  must  see  him  first '."  rejilied  his  grand- 
daughter. "  If  he  is  young  and  good — if  I  suit 
him — if  he  will  be  good  to  me,  so  right  good, 
my  father,  so  good,  and  so  pleased,  witli  me  that 
lie  can  hardly  go  to  hunt  without  me — as  good  as 
our  Oregham  is  to  Vala  Limi — then  1  would  be 
good  to  him,  and " 

"And  journey  with  him  far  away  ?"  inter- 
rupted the  patriarch. 

"  No  !  my  father.  Journey  with  him  .'  leave 
you  all  ?  how  can  y<tu  tliink  so  ?  tliat  would  not 
please  me.  I  would  nowhere  be  so  happy  as 
with  you,  and  no  one  would  love  me  so  well  !" 

Thus  the  little  one  prattled  on,  and  the  old 
man  smilingly  listened  to  her,  smoking  his 
cigarette. 

The  little  boy  on  his  ostrich  had  galloped  past 
the  more  distant  toldos,  accompanied  by  Ore- 
gham's  favorite  dog,  which  had,  for  the  first 
time  since  her  lover's  departure,  left  the  tent  of 
Vala  Limi.  He  was  a  beautiful,  glossy  black 
hunting  dog,  with  erect  ears,  (broad  and  hollow,) 
shaped  like  a  spoon,  (and  therefore  sooner  per- 
ceiving the  slightest,  most  distant  sound,)  with 
white  feet,  and  other  white  s|)ots.  Dogs  of  this 
breed  serve  their  masters  without  arms  in  the 
chase,  as  they  catch,  with  indescribable  dexte- 
rity, the  wild  fowl,  which  nestle,  in  countless 
numbers,  in  the  undulating  "grass  waves"  of 
Patagonia.  A  single  one  of  these  dogs,  led  to 
the  chase  by  a  boy,  is  able  to  supply  the  fleshpot 
of  a  whole  family  with  the  most  exquisite  birds, 
and  is,  of  course,  a  most  valuable  gift  of  nature. 

The  boy  trotted  about  on  his  ostrich  in  child- 
like unconcern,  looked  from  time  to  time  at 
"  Rosas,"  (so  was  Oregham's  favorite  named,)  and 
suddenly  saw  him  no  more.  Let  him  call  as 
loudly  and  as  often  as  he  might,  with  his  tender 
voice,  Rosas  was  off.  The  poor  boy  steered  his 
ostrich  in  circles  and  crosswise,  hither  and 
thither — Rosas  was  nowhere  to  he  found.  The 
thought  that  Oregham  was  coming  home,  and 
would  not  find  his  Rosas,  came  upon  the  poor 
child  with  deadly  anxiety;  he  wept  bitterly, 
and  embracing  the  neck  of  his  ostrich,  allowed 
it  to  carry  him  wherever  it  would.  Rosas  ap- 
peared to  be  lost  in  tlie  boundless  desert  waste  of 
the  waving  "  sea  of  grass,"  perhaps  suddenly 
strangled  by  a  crafty,  lurking  bloodhound,  or  at 
least  exposed  to  the  danger  of  being  strangled  and 
devoured.  The  disconsolate  boy  rode  about,  with 
tearful  eyes,  and  dared  not  go  home  without 
Rosas.  The  sun  had  already  sunk  behind  the 
horizon  and  similar  dangers  to  those  which  beset 
the  favorite,  threatened  him.  Suddenly,  swifler 
tlian  the  flight  of  thought,  Rosas  reappeared, 
and  sprang  upon  the  ostrich,  as  it  w^ere  giving  a 
sign  that  it  must  follow  him,  and  then  flew,  with 
lightning  speed,  in  leaps  some  fathoms  long, 
over  the  grass-sea  in  the  direction  of  the  village. 
The  boy  tried  his  two  legged  courser, and  followed 
him.  As  soon  as  Rosas  had  reached  the  first  toldo, 
llie  population  was  also  set  in  motion  ;  "  Rosas  ! 
Rosas  !"  cried  old  and  young ;  "  Oregham  is  com- 
ing !"  Rosas  hastened  to  Vala  Limi  ;  and  the 
names  "  Rosas  !"  "Oregham  !"  and  "  Val.i  Limi  I" 
resounded  with  hundred-fold  intonations  in  the 
evening  stillness  of  the  Inaken  village  on  the 
shores  of  the  Rio  Negro. 

Rosas  hurried  past  the  toldo  of  the  cacique,  to 
Vala  Limi's  tent,  where  she  still  sat  at  lier  por- 
table loom,  working  ujion  a  splendid  poncho,  to 


202 


DOLORES. 


be  a  weddins  dress  for  her  beloved.  Although  | 
possessed  of  considerable  Patagonian  stvcngth, 
and  "  here  and  there  cushioned  over"  with  noble 
niujcul  ir  roundness,  (according  to  the  naive  ex- 
pression of  the  old  cacique's  gi-anddau-^hter,) 
Vala  Limi  was,  nevertheless,  almost  thrown 
prostrate  on  her  buffalo  hide,  wben  Rosas  brought 
her  the  inteUi,ence  that  Oregham  was  in  the 
neighborhood. 

The  "friend"  of  her  beloved  thereupon  took  the 
"  canine  liberty"  of  covering  her  handsome  face 
with  Ivisses,  or  at  least  of  licking  it  wherever  his 
light  red  tongue  would  reach,  whining  and  howl- 
ing round  her,  and  then  springing  on  her  again. 
After  a  moment  lie  left  the  tent  and  disappeared, 
flying  back  by  the  way  he  had  come. 

Vala  Limi  sought,  with  all  haste,  to  arrange  her 
splendid  locks  in  the  best  manner  possible, 
plaited  them  in  two  masses,  slung  them  under  her 
arms,  and  fastened  them  in  a  knot  on  her  heart. 
Rosas  had  literally  torn  the  poncho  from  her 
body.  With  teclmical  adroitness  she  held  one 
end' on  the  left  hip,  passed  the  right  end  through 
from  beneath,  and  threw  the  rest  over  the  right 
shoulder,  .\fter  such  a  provisionary  toilet,  by 
which  the  proud  form  of  her  Juno-like  figure 
stood  out  for  the  most  part  in  natural  full- 
ness, she  stepped  forth  from  her  tent,  that  was 
set  in  an  open  place  where  the  toldos  of  the 
cacique  formed  a  semicircle. 

"  The  nubility  and  the  people"  had  already 
assembled  in  a  numerous  crowd,  all  on  horse- 
back— as  a  matter  of  course.  The  little  boy, 
with  his  eyes  still  wet,  considered  himself  a 
chief  personage  in  the  assembly,  and  laughed 
through  his  big  tears,  beside  himself  vrith  joy 
that  Rosas  was  not  lost,  and  besides,  certainly 
very  much  pleased  with  Oregham's  return  ;  but 
"  Rosas  "  was  naturally  the  principal  thing  with 
him. 

Many  turned  about  back  and  forth  in  evident 
impatience,  and  would  gladly  have  left  the 
square,  to  ride  towards  the  travellers ;  but  the 
cacique  remained  before  his  tent,  and  respect 
required  them  to  remain  in  his  neighborhood, 
until  the  son  of  the  house  arrived. 

Oregham  at  length  appeared,  sitting  proudly 
on  his  horse,  and  near  him  Signore  Testa,  and 
Celeste-Lorenzo.  Before  tliem  rode  Yana  Kirym, 
and  behind  them  five  Patagonians,  as  travelling 
companions,  and  a  crowd  of  people  of  all  ages, 
and  of  both  sexes,  who  closed  around  them  as 
they  sprang  through  the  toldo  village. 

A  shout  of  joy  and  rejoicing,  in  well  articula- 
ted Inaken  tones,  greeted  the  "  prince  of  the 
house,"  who  had  returned  from  his  first  great 
journey  to  the  far,  far  distance,  and  soon  Ore- 
gham, Vala  Limi,  and  old  Rhabukih  formed,  as 
It  were,  a  single  mass  of  embraces. 

Celeste  dismounted  from  his  horse,  and  stood, 
with  Testa,  opposite  to  the  sibyl  of  the  Inaken 
tribe.  "  Welcome  !  man  of  death  !"  cried  Yana 
Kirym,  with  a  subdued  voice,  in  the  Spanish  lan- 
guage, observing  Celeste  with  a  keen  glance. 
She  then  pressed  his  hand,  and  laid  her  left  upon 
his  right  shoulder ;  "  Welcome  !  man  of  death  ! 
■  escaped  from  death  to  seek  thy  grave  I  I  know 
thee  and  thy  path  !  the  cacique  will  relate  to 
thee  that  I  saw  thee,  and  where  and  when  1  saw 
thee.     Ach-eKenat   Kanet  hath  protected  thee 

until  now ;  and  he  will  protect  thee  further 

to  thy  grave  I 


"  Welcome  to  our  protection — rest  and  tarry 
here ;  I  would  say,  remain  with  us,  and  take 
thee  a  wife,  and  live  with  us  in  rest  and  peace, 
and  repose  in  the  lap  of  a  family  ;  but  that  is 
not  thy  calling ;  that  is  pleasant  and  not  hard  ; 
that  is  charming  and  alluring,  for  our  maidens 
are  beautiful,  and  our  men  are  happy  ;  but  that 
is  not  thy  path.  Three  days  shalt  thou  abide 
here,  in  all  quiet  and  recover  thyself  alter  thy 
long,  long  journey  ;  and  when  I  have,  during 
three  nights,  traversed  my  realm  to  obtain  infor- 
mation concerning  thy  future  lot,  then  will  I  tell 
thee  when  thou  shalt  depart  and  whither  thou 
shalt  ride.  Let  thv  pack  be  unbuckled  from  the 
led  horse  there,  and  take  thence  the  sacred  cup 
that  thou  carriest  with  thee,  and  I  will  prepare 
cha  de  matte  for  thee,  that  thou  mayest  drink 
from  thy  cup  this  evening ;  for  it  is  a  sacred  hour, 
the  hour  of  thine  arriv.al  among  the  tents  of 
Rhabukih,  the  cacique  of  the  Inaken  :" 

She  departed  hastily,  and  went  to  her  fire- 
place. 

Celeste  looked  with  evident  amazement  at  his 
friend  Testa,  when  Yana  Kirym  mentioned  the 
cup,  of  the  existence  of  which  it  was  impossible 
she  should  have  been  informed  by  any  ordinary 
method.  Testa,  who  had  held  intercourse  for 
years  with  this  race  of  people,  appeared  as  little 
surprised  by  the  whole  deportment  and  tone  of 
the  seeress,"as  by  the  hint  in  respect  to  the  cup. 


We  left  Celeste  on  that  eventful  night  in  the 
prison  edifice  at  Buenos  Ayres,  and  indirectly 
learned,  through  Seiior  Domingo  and  Padre 
Fernando,  that  he  was  still  in  the  chapel,  when 
the  latter  so  urgentlv  inquired  about  him. 

The  last  hours  of  Alphonso  wrought  with  a 
decided  revulsion  upon  the  mind  of  the  man 
w^ho  had  "  renounced  the  world  to  live  to  the 
Lord,"  which  might,  very  naturally,  be  a  sud- 
denly approaching  crisis  in  his  inward  life. 

Celeste  had  seen  a  martyr  to  the  idea  of  freedom 
take  leave  of  the  world  with  his  eyes  unbound, 
as  his  associates  have  been  executed  in  our 
epoch,  in  almost  all  countries  wliere  humanity 
strives  and  struggles  to  release  itself  from  the 
chains  and  bonds  of  absolutism — of  the  church, 
as  well  as  the  throne. 

Lorenzo  had  once  renounced  the  world  at  the 
grave  of  his  betrothed,  the  sister  of  Dolores,, 
after  his  heart  had  been  incurably  wounded  by 
the  breaking,  at  her  death,  of  the  earthly  bond 
of  love  which  enchained  liim. 

It  may  certainly  appear  ridiculous,  or  at 
least  overstrained,"  in  our  civilized  age,  when 
all  the  more  profound  sentiments  are  despised, 
that  a  youth,  or  a  man,  can  be  so  deeply  pene- 
trated by  a  sentiment  of  pure  love,  that,  over- 
powered by  the  prostration  of  grief,  he  forms  a 
resolution,' at  the  grave  of  liis  betrothed,  to  bury 
himself  alive  in  the  cells  of  a  mon;istery. 

We  have  advanced  so  far  in  "  civilization,"  that 
faith  and  love,  in  whatever  form  we  find  them 
un  earth,  are  generally  taken  for  weakness,  for 
nervous  disease,  enthusi;isin,  and  the  like,  and 
nothing  is  so  peculiarly  ridiculous  as  sentiment. 
Celibacy,  as  the  renunciation  of  all  domestic 
relations,  and  especially  of  the  conditions  of 
nature,  could  only  have  become,  through  a  sin- 
gular misconception,  an  ordinance  of  the  church, 
alter  the  spirit  had  disappeared  which  inspired 
the  apostles  for  their  mission,  and  led  to  such 


DOLORES. 


203 


renunciation  from  conviction.  Men,  whose  lives 
are  pervaded  by  an  idea  that  is  more  exalted 
than  their  time,  and  who  expose  themselves  to 
persecution  unto  death  by  the  advocacy  of  this 
idea,  can  have  no  claims  to  domestic  relations — 
to  domestic  happiness. 

When  Paul  declares,  "  He  that  marries  does 
well,  but  he  that  marries  not,  does  better,"'  he 
speaks  in  his  office  as  apostle,  loosed  from  the 
fetters  of  human  society,  which  despised  the 
idea  for  which  he  had  sacrificed  his  claims  on 
life.  The  apostle  of  Christendom  recognised 
the  unconditional  necessity  to  keep  himself  at  a 
distance  from  the  fettering  bonds  of  domestic 
relations,  that  he  might  work  more  powerfully, 
and  not  burden  himself  with  the  reproach  of 
uniting  a  noble  being  to  his  fate,  or  exposing  a 
woman  to  the  persecutions  that  beset  him.  Not- 
withstanding this,  however,  there  are,  in  the 
early  statutes  of  Christendom,  no  traces  of  a  ce- 
libacy such  as  the  church,  in  later  times,  has 
held  up. 

It  would  carry  us  back  too  far,  to  insert  here 
our  observations  on  the  foundation  of  monastic 
life,  which  originated  in  the  inward  desire  of 
individual  men,  for  external  repose  and  seclu- 
sion from  the  world,  that  they  might  resign 
themseves,  undisturbed,  to  spiritual  contempla- 
tion, and  intellectual  research.  Such  an  indi- 
vidual direction,  however,  with  the  renunciation 
of  love  in  its  earthly  form,  pre-supposes  an  un- 
shakeable  strength  of  mind,  that  borders  on  the 
superliuman,  as  it  despises  the  requirements  of 
nature  and  the  fundamental  stipulations  of  hu- 
man society.  Only  the  inspiration  of  an  exalted 
idea,  the  dissolving  of  human  individuality  in 
this  idea  itself,  whether  it  takes  the  form  of 
faith,  of  love,  or  of  freedom,  is  able  to  arouse 
such  a  moral  force  in  man,  which,  when  it  is 
awakened,  is  declared  by  the  profane  world  to 
be  enthusiasm  and  over-excitement,  whether  in 
or  out  of  the  cloister.  There  is  a  love  in  earthly 
form,  that  is  able  to  enchain  the  heart  of  a  noble 
man  to  that  degree,  that  the  unlimited  renun- 
ciation of  terrestrial  happiness,  on  separation 
from  the  beloved  object,  or  at  her  grave,  be- 
comes, to  the  honour  of  the  human  heart,  very 
natural. 

There  is  a  love  in  earthly  form,  so  pure  and 
so  exalted,  that  the  heart  which  experiences  it 
parts,  by  a  separation  from  the  beloved  being, 
equally  from  every  hope  of  terrestrial  felicity. 

Lorenzo  renounced  the  world,  and  became  a 
monk,  because  he  had  received  the  Cliristian  re- 
ligion, as  "  religion,"  according  to  the  fundamen- 
tal principle  from  which  it  sjjrung.  He  occu- 
pied himself  in  the  solitude  of  the  cloister  with 
the  study  of  church  history,  and  sought  for  tlie 
spirit  of  religion  in  the  forms  of  the  church, 
and  looked  for  Christians  in  the  monks  around 
him.  He  found  in  neither  the  one,  nor  the 
other,  wliat  he  had  sought.  He  saw  the  colossal 
edifice  of  tile  third  century  extended  in  earthly 
splendor  and  magnificence — a  temple  of  luxury, 
in  which  stupidity  and  sensuality  had  erected 
their  altars.  He  saw  the  idea  and  the  spirit  of 
the  Christian  religion  here  and  there  glimmer 
ing  forth  in  former  centuries,  through  this  night 
of  obduracy  and  darkness,  when  it  was  yet  able 
to  manifest  itself  as  idea  and  spirit,  before  abso 
lutism  had  thorouglily  taken  possession  of  the 
church,  and  fused  itself  with   her — making  of 


every  priest  an  executioner,  to  murder  the  soul 
of  man  before  it  wakes  in  faith  and  love. 

The  everyday  event  of  our  time,  that  a  ser- 
vant of  the  Lord  in  any  state  should  be  called 
upon  to  attend,  in  his  official  capacity,  a  sinner 
to  the  scaffold,  who,  doubting  the  legitimacy  of 
monarchy,  "  for  justice's  sake"  had  been  con- 
demned to  death  as  a  traitor,  had  ended  the  long 
struggle  through  which  Celeste  had  striven  for 
years  in  his  cell. 

With  the  salvo  of  musketry,  that  termina- 
ted the  life  of  his  friend,  terminated  also  his 
union  with  the  forms  of  a  church  that  tolerated, 
approved,  and  in  a  manner  accomplished,  such 
a  murder.  He  left  the  corpse  of  his  friend, 
when  it  had  been  thrust  into  tlie  pit,  and  re- 
turned to  the  chapel,  to  collect  himself  for  the 
fulfilment  of  the  purpose  that  he  had  matured 
within  him. 

After  he  had  approached  the  Lord  in  prayer, 
to  whose  glory  one  martyr  after  another  has  shed 
his  blood,  he  departed  with  hasty  steps,  and 
went,  by  a  private  way,  through  lanes  and  gar- 
dens to  IVIr.  Walker's,  whom  he  found  still  in 
bed. 

With  all  the  calmness  and  presence  of  mind 
that  belonged  to  his  character,  and  the  calling 
he  sustained,  he  revealed  his  "  secret "  to  the  old 
Briton,  who  was,  very  naturally,  prepared  im- 
mediately to  consider  it  as  his  own,  and  assist 
him  in  his  flight. 

An  embarkation  on  board  the  Nordstjernan 
was,  however,  impossible,  or  at  least  too  critical 
and  dangerous,  and  iVIr.  Walker  had  instantly 
another  plan  in  readiness.  A  box  was  sent  to 
the  cell  of  Celeste,  that  contained  a  few  books, 
but  princi|)aUy  clothing,  and  Signore  Testa  was 
induced  to  leave  Buenos  Ayres,  some  days  ear- 
lier than  he  had  intended. 

IVIr.  Walker  had  already  sent  a  person  to  Sr. 
Testa's  hotel,  to  request  him  to  come  to  him, 
when  the  two  encountered  each  other  at  the 
shallop  of  Captain  Finngreen.  Some  words  in 
the  letter,  which  Testa  had  given  to  young  Wal- 
ker tor  Hinango,  intimated  that  he  had  himself 
simultaneously  conceived  the  idea  of  taking  with 
him  to  Patagonia,  Lorenzo,  whose  life  was  in 
undoubted  danger. 

All  the  preparations  for  flight,  were  made 
with  the  rapidity  of  lightning.  Sr.  Testa,  upon 
Mr.  Walkers  hint,  hurried  to  the  chapel  of  the 
monastery,  where  Celeste  awaited  him,  and 
then  to  his  hotel,  where  he  confided  all  that 
was  necessary  to  young  Oregham,  whose  co-op- 
eration he  required  throughout.  Without  Ore- 
gham's  attendance,  the  jflurney  through  I  he  pam- 
pas would  have  been  imijossiliie,  while  his 
presence  facilitated  it,  as  they  only  required  to 
reach  the  first  Indian  settlement,  to  receive  fresh 
horses,  and,  in  case  of  need,  the  conduct  of  a 
guard.  They  got  happily  past  the  outposts  of 
the  "  matopeiTos,"  and  reached  the  first  settle- 
men  tof  the  Patagonians,  about  thirty  leagues 
from  Buenos  Ayres,  where  the  seeress  of  the 
Inaken  saw  thern  in  her  dream. 

Yana  Kirym  stirred  her  fire,  and  placed  a 
small  copper  teakettle  on  a  Delphic  tripod,  to 
prepare  for  the  guest  the  cha  de  matte,  of  which 
she  carried  a  supply  with  her. 

Tlie  old  and  young  world  of  the  Inaken  vil- 
lage, pressed  as  near  as  possible  to  "  Prince 
Oregham "  and  his  two  wliite  friends,  always, 


204 


DOLORES. 


however,  maintaining  a  due  distance,  which  was 
a  natural  etTect  of  the  innate  discretion  of  this 
amiable  tribe. 

All  three  excited,  in  the  highest  degree,  the 
interest  of  the  nation.  Ovet;ham,  because  he 
had  been  far — far  away  on  the  La  Plata  river, 
and  seen  the  stone  toldos  of  the  bloodthirsty 
caciijue  of  the  gauchos.  Youna:  and  old  ob- 
served him,  from  his  turban  to  his  big  toe,  that 
peeped  forth  from  the  boot,  to  discover  if  any 
thing  about  liim  were  altered,  but  nothing  was 
found  that  was  worth  the  trouble  of  looking  at 
him  so  hmg.  At  the  utmost,  he  had  become 
six  or  seven  .weel<s  older,  which  was  hardly  to 
be  observed  on  his  youthful  countenance.  Per- 
haps Vala  Limi  found  some  sprouts  of  hair  ger- 
minating on  his  well  formed  chin — very  pos- 
sibly, but  the  repose  and  leisure  for  a  confiden- 
tial" hour  of  Patagonian  love,  in  which  the 
sproutings  of  the  youth's  beard  would  disa])pear, 
was  not  to  be  thought  of  for  some  time.  These 
caressings  may,  perhaps,  not  be  so  painful  as  they 
appear,  since  they  say,  that  every  little  hair 
from  the  beard  is  paid  fur  with  a  kiss.  Whether 
the  bride  kisses  the  youth,  or  the  youth  the 
bride,  we  have  not,  hitherto,  been  able  to  learn. 
The  information  diffused  through  the  revela- 
tions of  the  sybil,  that  Celeste  was  a  fugitive, 
whom  the  bloodthirsty  chief  of  the  gauchos  j  ropean 
had  condemned  to  death,  particularly  excited 
the  universal  sympathy  of  the  good  people  for 
him.  No  name  filled  with  such  horrors  the 
traditions  of  the  Indians,  as  the  murderous 
deeds  of  Rosa-s,  who,  under  the  pretence  of  a 
"war  against  the  savages,"  had  shown  his  so 
called  bravery,  and  risen  from  gaucho,  or  clerk, 
to  "  general."  The  history  of  these  Indian 
tribes  affords,  like  so  many  others,  facts  as  in- 
teresting  as  horrible,  in  relation  to  a  war  of  ex- 
termination, by  which  "  pure  and  civilized  Chris- 
tians" have  oppressed  the  nationality  and  the 
primitive  relisjion  of  so  called  savage  nations. 
Only  the  hypocrisy  of  a  characterless  age,  like 
our  own,  could  throw  a  veil  over  the  disgrace 
of  such  a  Christianity,  which,  however,  not- 
withstanding this,  is  everywhere  apparent  in 
its  shameless  selfishness. 

Celeste's  personal  a(ipearance  had  something 
imposing,  and  commanding  reverence,  that 
involuntarily  fixed  upon  him  the  eyes  of  the 
toldo  population.  Tlie  dignity  and  elevated 
stature  of  his  noble  form,  the  pallid  counte- 
nance, stamped  with  suffering,  and  embrowned 
by  the  wind  of  the  pampas,  which  had  blown 
around  him  in  his  flight  of  weeks  on  horseback, 
harmonized  with  his  dark,  monastic  beard, 
which  a  broad  cravat  had  concealed  until  he 
arrived  at  the  Indian  settlements,  and  which  was 
there,  as  here,  a  recommendation  to  him. 

The  old,  dignified  cacique  hastened  to  meet 
him,  with  a  formal  greeting,  offering  him  his 
tribe  as  his  nation,  and  all  Patagonia  as  a  free 
fatherland,  in  case  he,  as  an  adopted  son,  should 
wish  to  make  use  of  them.  So  called  uncivil- 
ized nations,  more  or  less  in  a  state  of  nature, 
not  unfrequently  surprise  us  by  their  keen  and 
just  judgement  of  the  men  with  whom  they  come 
in  contact.  The  undeniable  principle  of  attrac- 
tion and  repulsion,  often  indicates  itself  in  tlie 
minds  of  men  in  a  state  of  nature,  by  agrceabU 
tokens.  Only  the  unfortunate  misunderstandingf 
which  have  induced  foreigners  to  resort  to  arms 


where  they  had  been  met  with  hospitality,  de- 
stroy the  bond  of  humanity,  which  is  held  more 
sacred  in  the  heart  of  many  uncivilzed  nations, 
than  in  our  civilized  world. 

The  Inaken  cacique,  Rhabukih,  distinguished 
two  species  of  me»:  men  with  mustaclies,  and 
men  without.  The  history  of  the  Indian  races 
had  given  him  an  idea  of  European  civilization, 
that  encourages  shaving.  He  had,  once  for  all, 
denied  himself  all  communication  with  any 
European  whatever  of  the  "  razor  civilization," 
and  evinced,  like  the  negroes  in  Brazil,  an  ad- 
mirable tact  in  distinguishing  the  nationality  of 
the  Europeans. 

This  tact  of  the  so  called  half  savages,  may 
be  partly  grounded  on  the  fact,  that  they  always 
find  opportunity  to  judge  of  the  various  national 
physiognomies  of  their  own  and  other  tribes, 
and  pursue  the  same  course  towards  Europeans. 
No  Briton  would  easily  have  deceived  the  old 
cacique,  in  case  he  should  have  given  himself 
out,  with  a  natural  beard,  to  be  a  Spaniard,  a 
Frenchman,  or  an  Italian.  "  Any  one  can  let 
his  mustaches  grow?"  said  Rhabukih,  in  very  dis- 
torted Spanish,  as  he  conversed  with  Celeste 
about  the  bearded  and  the  beardless,  "  but  every 
face  does  not  agree  with  them.  I  can  paint  my 
face  white,  but  1  should  not  therefore  be  a  Eu- 
1  can  fasten  a  horse's  mane  upon  an  ox, 
but  he  would  not  then  be  a  horse." 

Yana  Kirym  had  prepared  the  refreshment  for 
Celeste,  who,  at  her  intimation,  looked  for  this 
cup,  which  he  had  brought  with  him  as  a  sacred 
memorial  of  the  farewell  from  his  friend,  and 
from  Dolores.  He  placed  himself  under  the 
medical  care  of  the  mysterious  old  woman,  with- 
out having  attained  a  clear  knowledge  of  her- 
self and  her  prophetic  gift.  It  had  certainly 
been  long  known  to  him  that  similar  prophet- 
esses were  found  among  the  tribes  of  Patagoniaas ; 
but  he  was  as  far  from  all  superstition  in  respect 
to  them,  as  he  was  on  the  other  hand  inclined  to 
satisfy  hin-.sclf  of  a  peculiarity,  which,  as  a  so 
called"  sixth  sense,"  or  "  second  sight,"  is  evin- 
ced in  many  races  of  people  by  undeniable  facts. 

The  old  cacique  led  the  strangers  to  the  nearest 
steaming  fleshpot,  and  by  degrees  began  to  in- 
quire of  his  son  concerning  the  wonder-world 


of  stone  toldos  on  La  Plata  river ;  and  the  mur- 
derous acts  of  the  Cacique  Rosas,  and  his  friend- 
ship with  the  razor  nation. 


CHAPTER    III. 

PHILOSOPHY    AND   RELIGION. 

Oregh.^m  had  relinquished  his  tent  to  the 
two  guests,  and  furnished  it  with  all  the  conve- 
niences that  the  customs  and  mode  of  life  of  his 
tribe  permitted.  The  habitation  itself  was  set 
in  the  ground  about  the  depth  of  two  feet,  and  tht 
earth  thus  thrown  out  formed  a  low  wall,  with 
the  stems  of  trees  set  in  it,  after  the  manner  of  a 
Gothic  roof,  supporting  the  buifalo  hides,  which 
presented  an  opening  above,  likewise  covered  at 
night  with  hides.  The  topmost  layer  of  the  hule 
roof  resembled  the  cover  upon  a  saddle,  and 
afforded  the  necessary  passage  to  the  rain. 


DOLORES. 


205 


On  both  sides,  in  the  interior  of  the  toldo,  ele- 
vations of  earth  were  left,  wliich,  covered  with 
buffalo  hides,  formed  a  sort  of  divan. 

The  saddle  of  the  Pata^onians,  a  piece  of  wood 
with  a  heap  of  thongs  which  meet  togetlier  in 
two  rings,  serves  (as  before  mentioned)  for  a  pil- 
low, and  the  poncho  for  a  covering.  In  relation 
to  the  breakfast  of  the  guests,  it  may  be  remarked 
as  a  peculiarity,  that  the  Patagonians,  surround- 
ed by  thousands  and  thousands  of  cows,  use  no 
milk  ;*  they  of  course  prepare  neither  cheese  nor 
butter.  Their  drink  is  fresh  water  and  cha  de 
matt^,  which  they,  like  the  Brazilians,  receive 
from  the  before  mentioned  provinces  in  leather 
bags,  and  obtain  by  barter. 

Flesh  or  fowl,  cooked  with  a  celery  plant,  a 
sort  of  bulb,  and  its  broth,  which  forms  a  well 
relished  "  bouillon,"  is  their  principal  food.  The 
mode  of  life  of  these  hordes  is  peaceful  and  sim- 
ple. Strife  and  dissension  are  very  rare  in  the 
society  of  a  tribe  ;  of  course  lawyers  find  no  op 
portunity  of  "  making  money  "  among  them.  If, 
nevertheless,  a  disagreement  occurs,  the  cacique 
decides  it,  according  to  his  views  and  experience^ 
and  generally  with  undeniable  sagacity. 

Although  each  possesses  his  own  property, 
stealing  and  cheating  are  not  only  unknown,  but 
a  stranger's  handkerchief  cannot  be  lost,  without 
arriving  again  into  possession  of  the  owner.  On 
the  other  hand,  dishonesty  and  intentional  pil- 
fering is  all  the  more  the  order  of  the  day,  on 
the  inhabited  coasts  of  the  country,  and  in  the 
European  settlements.  It  will  there  serve  as  a 
rule  for  every  stranger,  not  to  allow  the  least 
thing  of  any  value  whatever  to  be  seen,  since  it 
would  undoubtedly  disappear,  even  in  as  myste- 
rious a  manner  as  at  times  precious  stones  are 

turned  to  pebbles. • 

It  would  certainly  lead  to  mournful  reflections, 
if  we  should  throw  light  on  the  position  of  the 
European  settlers,  who  there,  as  in  almost  every 
transatlantic  colony,  seek  in  every  way  to  "  make 
money,"  under  pretence  that  they  have  left  their 
fatherland  on  account  of  the  restriction  of  their 
"  industrious  activity,"  or  have  sought  the  New 

World  "  from  love  to  freedom." 

Where  the  notion  of  liberty  includes  the  per- 
mission to  steal  in  a  cunning  manner,  and  to 
pilfer  their  property  from  natives  and  strangers, 
the  civilization  is  not  particularly  advanced, 
■with  which  the  Europeans  would  bless  the  so 
called  "  savage  nations." 

No  circumstance  shows  us  this  civilization  of 
the  Europeans  in  a  stronger  light  than  their  po- 
sition in  the  New  World,  in  regard  to  the  natives, 
with  v/hom  we  must  not  find  fault,  if  they,  like 
ihe  Patagonians,  look  upon  every  white  man,  by 
anticipation,  as  a  selfish  cheat,  who  comes 
among  them  to  transact  business  after  his  own 
manner. 

The  toldo  village  of  the  Cacique  El  Rojo  lay 
about  eighty  English  miles  from  the  outlet  of 
the  Rio  Negro  into  St.  Matthias  Bay,  where  the 
harbour  of  St.  Antonio  admitted  of  commerce 
with  the  northern  provinces  of  South  America, 
by  an  exportation  of  the  productions  of  the 
country,  amongst  which  salt,  obtained  by  the 
evaporation  of  sea  water,  predominated. 

The  navigation,  however,  is  dangerous,  from 


♦Wildness  of  the  herda  ia  given  as  the  cause  of  this 
lingular  privation,  but  single  cows  could  be  tamed  easily 
enough. 


sandbanks  and  pamperos,  and  only  enterprism" 
seamen  are  induced  to  take  freight  from  Buenos 
Ayres,  St.  Catherina,  Rio  de  Janeiro,  Rio 
Grande,  &c.,  there  and  back.  The  Danisli  flag, 
one  of  the  most  numerous  in  Rio  de  Janeiro,* 
is  also  the  best  known  on  the  coast  of  Patagonia. 
Signore  Testa  had,  for  years,  freighted  many 
vessels  for  St.  Matthias  Bay,  under  the  above 
mentioned  circumstances,  and  had  once  more 
undertaken  tliis  journey  towards  Buenos  Ayres, 
for  such  an  object. 

He  had  there  again  engaged  a  Danish  vessel, 
to  sail  for  St.  Matthias  Bay,  which  was  to  return 
to  Buenos  Ayres,  and  the  contract  was  already 
concluded,  when  he  was  made  acquainted  with 
the  circumstances  of  the  persecuted  individuals 
whom  we  designate  by  the  general  name  of 
"  Humanitarios." 

According  to  all  regulations  for  the  freighting 
of  vessels,  and  under  the  circumstances  of  this 
unpretending  contract,  it  remained  a  critical 
affair  to  make  the  proposal  to  the  Danish  cap- 
tain, to  steer  towards  Rio  de  Janeiro,  instead  of 
St.  Antonio,  or,  even  by  a  circuitous  passage, 
and  with  loss  of  time,  to  set  a  passenger  on 
shore  at  Monte  Video,  while,  at  the  same  time, 
a  visit  from  the  Argentine  vessels  of  war,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  La  Plata,  was  to  be  feared. 

Lorenzo's  resolution  to  go,  if  possible,  to  Rio 
Grande,  there,  sword  in  hand,  to  preach  the  gos- 
pel of  the  future,  (and,  in  case  Providence  had 
so  determined,  to  seal  his  testimony  with  his 
blood,)  was  already  matured  at  the  grave  of 
Alphonso. 

During  the  three  days  which  Yana  Kiiym  had 
set  apart  as  a  period  of  mysterious  inquiry,  she 
kept  herself  in  the  strictest  seclusion  from  all 
the  toldo  world. 

Lorenzo  lelt,  for  the  first  time,  the  conse- 
quences of  such  unusual  exertion,  and  all  the 
discomforts  of  a  ride  a  la  Mazcppa,  when  he 
came  to  repose  himself  For  the  first  day,  he 
remained  on  his  bufialo  hide  divan,  under  the 
careful  attendance  of  Vala  Limi,  and  the  little 
ostrich  rider,  who  hardly  moved  from  his  side. 

Testa  availed  himself  of  the  absence  of  the 
priestess,  to  occupy  himself  with  very  prosaic 
matters,  sorting  ostrich  feathers  and  ox  horns, 
which  he  had  received  in  exchange  for  Swiss 
calico  and  head-handkerchiefs,  for  transporta- 
tion to  the  bay  of  St.  Matthias. 

Of  course  all  went  on  in  the  usual  manner, 
and  the  doings  amongst  the  toldos  were  carried 
on  upon  the  customary  footing,  as  at  the  similar 
arrival  of  any  Spaniard  or  Italian  amongst  an 
Indian  tribe  on  the  borders  of  the  Rio  Negro. 

Two  nights  had  passed,  and  Signore  Testa  lay, 
on  the  third  evening,  on  his  divan  of  buffalo 
hides,  opposite  to  his  friend,  and  smoked  his 
cigarette,  and  drank,  with  him,  the  aromatic 
cha  de  matt£.  Their  conversation  turned  upon 
the  spiritual  contest  of  our  age,  which  is  here 
and  there  already  carried  on  with  weajions,  and 
which,  according  to  Lorenzo's  view,  will  pass 
into  a  universal  religious  war,  or  contest  of 
faith. 
The  Italian  had,  until  now,  from  consideration 


*  According  to  the  Annual  Harbour  Reports,  the  ma. 
jority  of  vessels  there  are  under  Scandinavian  flags.  Ia 
the  year  1S43,  there  were  atone  time,  owing  to  the  very 
low  freight, -23  Danish  and  32  Swedish  and  Norwegian 
vessels  in  the  bay  of  Kio. 


206 


DOLORES. 


fir  Celeste's  state  of  mind,  intentionally  avoided 
IfcLiIing  him  to  detailed  communication  of  his 
politico-religious  convictions,  but  appeared  not 
the  less  inclined  to  receive  his  confession  of 
faith  in  this  respect  so  soon  as  the  other  found 
himself  fit  for  the  exertion. 

"  Since  my  childhood,"  be;j;an  Tjorenzo,  "  the 
spiritual  life  has  stirred  within  nie,  which  un- 
folds itself  in  us  more  and  more,  as  an  eternally 
movinj:,  searching  power,  striving  upward  more 
and  still  more  to  the  li<rht  of  truth,  the  more 
we  are  penetrated  by  the  mysterious  ray  of  a 
higher  existence.  Thouoht,  which  seems  to 
harmonize  this  earthly  existence  with  a  higher 
world,  endeavoring  to  conceive  of  it  established 
as  an  clement  of  being,  and  eternally  leading 
back  upon  the  unrevealed  mystery  of  the  idea 
of  Divinity,  was  manifested  in  me  as  a  powerful 
force,  and  carried  me  forward  in  inquiry  and 
contemplation,  with  burning  soul-thirst  after 
knowledge. 

"  My  education  was  entrusted  to  a  European,  a 
Spaniard,  who  had  been  persecuted  by  the  church 
in  Europe,  because  he  followed  the  spiritual 
direction  pointed  out  by  the  philosophy  of  the 
former  century.  I  ivas  more  or  less  acrjuainted 
with  the  various  philosophical  systems,  which, 
in  rigid  contradiction  to  each  other,  indicate 
the  unfettered  strivings  of  the  spirit,  that  seeks 
to  enclose  in  "  forms,"  what  no  human  intellect 
has,  up  to  the  present  time,  been  able  to  appre- 
hend under  any  fixed  form. 

"  At  length  I  recognised  all  philosophy  as  the 
highest  vital  element  of  reason  in  the  urgency 
of  self-contemplation.  But  I  recognised,  at  the 
same  lime,  all  philosophical  systems,  as  the  de 
signs  and  plans  of  various  architects  to  carry  up 
an  edifice,  in  which  was  a  point  of  view,  where 
man  expected  the  voice  o{  truth,  but  heard  only 
his  own  Voice,  as  the  organ  of  the  spirit  that 
spoke  out  of  himself 

"  I  placed  myself  upon  this  point  of  the  basis 
of  the  various  systems,  leaned  my  ear  to  the  in- 
dicated places  in  the  acomfic  rotunda  of  the 
earthly  and  spheral  universe,  and  the  echo  of 
all  knowledge,  led  me  back  to  myself,  to  the 
consciousness  within  me,  that  a  higher  spirit,  in 
myself,  spoke  to  me.  I  recognised  "  reason  "  as 
the  highest  evidence  upon  earth,  and  reason 
itself  forced  into  the  acoustic  edifice  of  this  or 
that  philosophical  system.  Thought  appeared 
to  me  like  a  prisoner  crippled  in  a  dungeon. 

"  And  upon  no  basis,  upon  no  point  of  view 
of  philosophical  perception,  did  I  find  more 
clearness  than  I  was  able  to  develop  in  myself. 

"  I  distinguished  three  sequent  acoustic  edi- 
fices of  philosophic  doctrine. 

"  I  entered  one,  whose  arch  was  closed  at  the 
top  by  the  architectural  key-stone  that  held  the 
edifice  together,  but  admitted  of  no  prospect  into 
the  interminable  spheral  world  of  higher  regions  ; 
the  gloomy  darkness  of  the  grave  surrounded  me. 
It  was  the  edifice  of  Atheism,  based  on  the 
"system  of  denial,"  without  foundation,  inas- 
much as  the  ccmtradictions  of  atheism  have  no 
support  in  themselves,  for  it  denies  Spirit  as  the 
source  of  all  being,  and  of  course  denies  also  the 
foundation  of  its  own  edifice. 

"  I  entered  another  philosophical  acoustic  edi- 
fice, likewise  closed  m  its  arch,  but  with  high 
wiudows  on  all  sides,  looking  out  upon  the 


animated  earthly  erection,  the  edifice  of  cold 
Pantheism,  whose  basis,  brought  together  from 
all  the  realms  of  nature,  showed  to  me,  as  ft 
man  the  position  in  which  I  saw  myself,  as  a 
man  on  earth,  separted  from  the  higher  idea 
of  being,  existing  as  an  isolated  creature,  as  an 
/—as  a  Myself,  in  the  dreary  desert  of  Indiviud- 
alism. 

"  In  the  edifice  of  atheism  I  was  conducted 
by  the  leading-strings  of  contradiction  to  the 
abyss  of  insanity,  for  I  was  to  deny  a  primitive 
power,  w^hose  effects  in  my  own  S[)lritual  ex- 
istence I  was  not  able  to  deny. 

"  In  the  edifice  of  pantheism  I  was  chilled  by 
the  arrogance  of  egotism,  the  notion  of  a  son 
that  denied  tlie  father,  and  the  notion  of  spirit 
contracted  within  itself,  denied  the  source  from 
whence  it  streamed  through  me. 

"  I  wandered  around  in  the  desire  for  light,  I 
sought  and  struggled  on  in  the  thirst  after  truth, 
and  I  entered  the  third  edifice  of  philosophy.  It 
was  a  higher,  more  exalted,  more  splendid  tem- 
ple, with  similar  bow  windows  around,  with 
delightful  prospects  of  animated  nature,  but  in 
the  cupola,  a  far,  wide  view  up  into  the  zenith 
of  the  universe,  and  my  spirit  felt  itself  drawn 
upward  to  the  mysterious  source  of  the  light, 
whose  glimmering  rays  shone  about  me,  and 
awakened  my  soul  to  the  joyful  consciousness  of 
a  relation  with  the  inscrutable  zenith-idea: 
Deity.  It  was  the  edifice  of  Spiritualism,  founded 
upon  the  granite  of  the  existence  of  a  higher 
power,  proceeding  from  the  idea  :  God,  the  source 
of  all  being,  uniting  the  Son,  (humanity)  with 
himself,  through  the  Spirit  of  life. 

"  Thus  I  involuntarily  recognised  the  triad  of 
the  existence  of  our  incarnation,  in  spirit,  soul, 
and  body,  represented  by  the  three  different 
combined  systems  of  the  philosophy  of  all  ages. 
Spiritualism,  Pantheism,  and  Atheism. 

"  I  recognised  the  body  as  a  form,  as  the  mate- 
rial instrument  of  the  soul ;  spirit,  as  the  con- 
sciousness of  the  divine  power  in  man,  which 
unites  the  soul  and  body  with  each  other.  I  had 
become  as  clear  in  myself,  as  the  human  spirit  in 
a  shell  of  clay  can  attain  to  clearness,  and  my 
perception  led  me  to  Faith. 

"  I  believed,  and  I  loved  !  You  know,  superfi- 
cially," continued  he,  after  a  pause,  "  the  history 
of  my  past  life.  I  found  a  being  whose  love 
strengthened  me,  in  the  long  struggle  with 
doubt,  which  1  passed  through,  until  f  attained 
the  perception  that  I  have  endeavored  to  ex- 
plain to  you.  But  even  although  penetrated  by 
the  ray  of  spiritualism,  I  nevertheless  felt  myself 
entangled  in  the  flowery  garlands  of  pantheism, 
which  pointed  out  to  me,  (as  an  egotist  under  the 
demands  of  individualism,)  life  as  an  incontesti- 
ble  possession,  and  the  enjoyment  of  life  as  the 
highest  aim.  I  experienced  the  reciprocal  love 
of  a  being  who  understood  me,  and  in  this 
blending  of  our  two  beings  through  attraction, 
upon  an  equal  scale  of  spiritual  life,  I  recog- 
nised Love. 

"  Theresa  died — and  it  was  with  me,  as  if  a 
part  of  my  existence  had  been  torn  away  from 
me  in  her  person.  If  you  have  ever  loved — if 
you  have  ever  been  loved — in  the  highest,  holi- 
est sense  of  the  word,  you  will  understand  me, 
and  can  explain  to  yourself  the  crisis  which 
decided  my  future  upon  her  bier.  I  chose  the 
tonsure  and  the  monastic  cell  from  conviction. 


DOLORES. 


207 


Penetrated  by  Faith,  I  goucrlit  in  religion,  as  the 
centre  of  spiritualism,  consolation  and  support 
for  my  inward  life,  and  an  asvlum  in  the  lap  of 
the  church,  under  the  foolish"  illusion;  that  the 
church  was  founded  on  religion,  which  she 
should  represent. 

"  I  received  consecration,  with  a  hoI_v  inspira- 
tion for  my  future  crilling— I  husied  mvself  in 
the  uninterrupted  study  of  church  history,  and 
recognised  the  unity  of"  all  religion,  as  I  had  re- 
cognised the  unity  of  the  conception:  God.  I 
traced  the  Christian  religion,and  arrived,  through 
Mosaism,  at  the  mystery  of  the  f:gvptian  idea  of 
Unity,  (which  was  concealed  from  the  people 
througli  the  high  priest  of  Isis)— and  was  led 
hackward  to  Buddhism,  in  which  I  again  recog- 
nised file  Christian  myth  of  Trinity. 

"  I  now  sought  religion  in  the  church,  and,  very 
naturally,  firsi  in  Catholicism,  and  I  beheld  the 
idea  of  Christianity  in  the  blood  of  the  martyrs  of 
those  first  ages,  when  Christianitv  arose  out  of 
the  ruins  of  IMosaism,  like  a  phenix  from  the 
ashes  of  a  destroyed  temple.  I  beheld  the  Chris- 
tian religion,  thronghout  centuries, as  the  element 
of  movement,  of  progress,  of  the  ennoblement 
of  mankind  ;  until  the  church  (as  the  instrument 
of  absolutism)  issued  the  false  coin  of  dogmatic 
statutes,  which  prescribed  forms  to  men,  to  choke 
the  Spirit,  that  threatened  danger  to  all  absolu- 
tism. 

"  I  saw  the  spirit  of  the  Nazarene  enchained 
and  bound  down  by  the  canons  of  the  church ; 
and  the  church,  by  degrees,  became  a  prison  for 
the  spirit,  with  subterranean  dungeons,  with 
racks  and  torture,  for  the  extirpation  of  the  idea 
for  which  the  Son  of  Man  had  laid  down  his 
life. 

"  I  recognised  in  Jesus  the  man,  who,  when 
suffering  under  the  pangs  of  death,  breathed  forth 
the  sigh  :  '  IMy  God  !  my  God !  why  hast  thou 
forsaken  me  >'  a  sigh  that  soars  upward  from 
the  whole  of  supplicating  humanity.  Honoring 
in  Jesus  the  man  who  offered  his  life  for  the  de- 
liverance of  mankind,  since  he  sealed  with  his 
blood  the  doctrines  of  equality,  of  love  to  man, 
and  of  justice,  I  looked  for  Christianity  in  our 
age,  on  earth— and  for  disciples  of  Jesus,  in  the 
lap  of  the  church.  And  I  found  no  trace  of 
Christianity. 

"  The  church  has  become  an  Augean  stable, 
filled  with  the  rubbish  of  intolerance  and  unbe- 
lief, heaped  up  in  the  dark  night  of  stupidity, 
kept  humid  with  the  blood  of  freedom's  martyrs 
in  all  nations,  and  with  the  wine  spilled  at 
priestly  orgies  and  bacchanals  to  the  '  remission 
of  sill,'  through  the  well  paid  '  absolution  '  of  a 
shamefully  betrayed  Christendom. 

"  I  beheld,  however,  apostles  of  the  doctrine 
of  Jesus  coming  forward,  from  century  to  cen- 
tury, in  the  consciousness  of  their  sacred  mission, 
to  point  to  the  Augean  stable  of  the  church,  that 
mankind  might  cleanse  it.  And  I  beheld  these 
apostles  outlawed  and  burnt— Jacques  Molay, 
and  John  Huss,  and  1  recognised  De  Lamenai's' 
as  their  follower.  I  beheld  in  De  Lamenais,  the 
union  of  spiritualism  as  philosophy,  with  Catho- 
licism as  religion,  in  rigid  opposition  to  thejiiste 
milieu  of  Protestantism  and  the  absolutism  of 
popery.  The  notions  of  Catholicism  and  popery 
appeared  to  me  as  rigidly  separated  from  each 
other  as  the  notions  of  "  religion "  and  of 
"  church  " 


"  I  beheld  in  the  struggle  of  the  Templars  and 
the  Hussites,  the  idea  'religion'  contending 
against  the  absolutism  which  the  popedom  (a3 
church  and  state)  combines  in  itself,  and  I  recog- 
nised in  De  Lamenais,  a  phenomenon  which  will 
perhaps  bring  on  a  yet  longer,  and  even  as  bloody 
a  struggle,  in  all  nations  upon  earth,  as  the 
struggles  of  the  Tem|)lai-s  and  the  Hussites. 

"  1  behold  the  central  evil  indicated  by  De 
Lamenais,  which  burdens  mankind  with  iWon- 
archy  and  Priesthood  ;  but  at  the  same  time,  also, 
the  misery  of  subjugated  humanity  in  conse- 
quence of  both  evils,  "which  can  only  be  resisted 
and  conquered  by  a  subversion  of  "the  existino- 
social  prejudices  ;"  by  Social  Reform,  which  pre'^ 
supposes  political  and  religious  reform. 

"  I  recognise,  and  would  die  for  the  truth,  that 
all  the  endeavors  and  struggles  of  noble  men, 
who  seek  to  alleviate  the  miseries  of  mankind  by 
social  reform,  will  remain  fruitless,  without  po- 
litical and  religious  reform,  without  an  over- 
throw of  all  social  evil  existing  until  now.  I 
merely  avail  myself  of  the  word  Reform  instead 
of  Revolution. 

"  I  recognise  the  basis  of  Society  of  our  age  as 
false,  as  vile,  and,  moreover,  as  defiled,  and  the 
prevailing  maxims  and  prejudices,  as  evidently 
in  contradiction  to  nature  and  reason.  I  recog- 
nise every  crime  as  privileged  under  the  firm  of 
virtue,  in  so  far  as  church  and  state  give  men 
free  leave  to  sin,  so  that  they  do  not  disturb  the 
defiled  basis  of  their  hypocritical  existence. 

"  I  behold  the  virtue  of  all  virtue  :  '  the  love 
of  man  to  mankind,'  pointed  out  as  vices  and 
crimes ;  materialism  and  egotism,  as  the  ruling 
principles,  the  chigote  and  the  yard  measure 
swinging  for  the  subjugation  of.  the  people  and 
the  spirit,  in  republics  as  well  as  in  monarchies  ! 
"  I  see  the  abyss  to  which  mankind  is  hasten- 
ing with  forced  steam  power,  by  water  and  by 
land,  while  they  acknowledge  no  higher  element 
of  life  than  that  of  sensuality,  loveless  beastiality, 
under  the  pretence  of  propagating  such  an  unin- 
tellectual  human  race.  The  worth  of  man  is  es- 
timated by  money,  and  in  all  history  of  mankind, 
until  our  epoch,  man  never  availed  himself  of 
this  dishonorable  measure  towards  men — never  ! 
"  But  Mankind  will  not  decline,  for  it  is  only 
the  animated  form  of  a  higher  idea  of  deity, 
revealed  to  us  in  its  eflfects. 

"  Humanity  will  awaken,  and  the  Augean  sta- 
ble of  the  church  will  be  swept  out,  "and  the 
hundred  moleheaps  of  money-making  sects,  who 
desecrate  the  word  '  religion'  as  the  firm  of  their 
extended  Business,  will  be  trodden  down  like 
moleheaps,  when  the  angel  with  the  drawn  sword 
shall  come  ! 

"The  salvation  of  human  nature  shall  come 
again,  not  as  a  person,  but  as  an  event  in  the 
world  !  It  will  drive  out  the  usurers  and  shop- 
keepers, the  traders  of  men  and  buyers  of  souls, 

from  the  temple  of  humanity ! 

"  When  can  we  travel  to  Rio  Grande  .'"  said 
Celeste,  interrupting  himself,  as  he  sprang  from 
his  divan  of  buffalo  hides. 

Testa  was  just  about  to  answer,  as  Vana 
Kirym  called  his  name  on  the  outside  of  the 
tent;  he  went  to  meet  her,  and  begged  her  to 
come  into  the  tent,  and  take  a  seat  by  him. 


208 


DOLORES. 


CHAPTER    IV. 


SECOND  SIGHT. 


Instead  of  accepting  the  invitation  to  spat 
liei'self  on  the  earthen  step  withiTi  the  tuldo, 
Yan.i  Klnin  beckoned  to  her  old  acijoaintance  to 
come  out  to  hsr,  and  with  a  second  wave  of  her 
hand,  she  signified  that  Lozenzo  also  might 
appear. 

Both  now  stood  near  the  old  woman,  who  di- 
rected their  attention  to  a  crowd  of  people,  that 
6urroundod  a  group  of  riders.  It  was  a  white 
man,  in  P.itagonian  costume,  heavily  armed,  and 
accompanied  by  some  Inakcn  and  Puelches, 
whose  horses  steamed  and  snorted  under  them. 

Loud  murmuring  and  talking  were  heard  in 
the  crowd,  wlio  moved  nea.'er  so  soon  as  tlie  tra- 
veller perceived  the  Italian  Testa  in  front  of  the 
Toldo. 

The  tired  horse  galloped  the  last  fifty  paces 
to  where  the  Italian  stood,  and  then  feeling  him- 
self disburthened  of  his  rider,  dropped  his  head 
from  exiiaustion. 

Oregham,  who  had  received  the  rider,  and  was 
likewise  on  horseback,  beckoned  to  some  of  his 
people  to  unsaddle  the  poor  animal,  and  throw  a 
ouflalo  skin  over  him,  for  the  evening  was  cool, 
and  the  lulr.^e  steamed,  and  had  been  overridden. 

"  Thank  God  that  I  meet  you,  Signore  Testa .'"  ■ 
be^an  the  traveller ;  "  and  this  gentleman  is  pro- 
bably the  one  expected,"  added  he,  with  a  glance  ' 
to  Lorenzo.  j 

The  person  who  spoke  thus,  vvas  a  slender,  I 
lean  man,  of  middle  age,  and  with  a  serious 
countenance ;  Mr.  Farren,  a  North  American, 
who  had  formerly  carried  on  the  whaling  busi- 
ness at  the  Falkland  Islands,  and  had  lived  lor 
some  years  in  Port  St.  Antonio,  on  the  Bay  of 
St.  Matthias,  in  intimacy  with  the  Italian,  as 
his  neighbour. 

Signore  Testa  could  hardly  reply  for  astonish- 
ment, to  the  address  of  his  friend,  who  put  his 
hand  into  his  Patagonian  sack,  and  gave  him  a 
letter.  Then  turning  to  Prince  Oregham,  he  beg- 
ged for  a  drink  of  water,  for  he  was  very  thirsty, 
and  the  folds  of  his  head- handkerchief,  as  well 
as  his  eyebrows  and  whiskers,  were  powdered 
with  sand. 

"  From  a  friend  who  is  not  personally  known 
to  you — Captain  Barigaldi,  of  the  schooner  Maz- 
zini,  lying  in  our  harbour  since  the  day  before 
yesterday,"  added  he,  while  Testa  broke  the  seal, 
whose  device,  "  Ora  e  sempre,"  expressed  be- 
forehand the  character  of  the  sender. 

Some  boys  had,  at  Oregham's  bidding,  brought 
ajar  of  fresli  water,  and  a  silver  cup  with  chi 
de  matt^.  Mr.  Farren  drank,  and  Signore  Testa 
read  as  follows : 

"  Port  St.  Antonio,  Oct.,  — ,  1838. 

On  board  the  schooner  *  Jlfazziiii.' 

"  God  with  us  ! 

"  I  met  a  Swedish  brig,  the  Nordstjernan,  four- 
teen days  ago,  on  the  English  bank,  at  the  mouth 
of  La  Plata  river.  With  lugilives  on  board,  from 
Buenos  Ayres  for  Rio  de  .laneiro,  under  the  escort 
of  one  of  our  friends,  Hinango,  a  Scandinavian. 

"  I  learned  from  him,  that  you  had  the  noble- 
minded  intention  to  take  with  you,  on  your  de- 
parture from  Buenos  Ayres,  if  possible,  an  asso- 
ciate who  was  in  danger  there,  over  the  pampas, 


to  this  coast.  I  accompanied  the  Nordstjernan  to 
the  latitude  of  Rio  Grande,  and  Hinango  gave  me 
your  address  for  Port  St.  Antonio. 

"  I  considered  it  my  duty  to  direct  my  course 
hither,  for  the  possible  case  that  you  may  have 
accomplislied  the  deliverance  of  our  comrade. 

"  Our  flag  brought  the  bearer  of  this  on  board 
to  me,  when  I  had  cast  anchor  here,  and  I  satis- 
fied myself  that  he  is  your  friend,  and  is  ready, 
as  a  man,  to  serve  the  cause  which  we  repre- 
sent. I  learned  from  hitn,  that  you  would  pro- 
bably not  return  direct  to  St.  Antonio,  but  by 
way  of  the  toldos  of  an  Inaken  tribe  on  the  other 
side  of  the  Lago  de  Tehuel.  He  ofl'ered  himself 
to  carry  you  the  intelligence  that  1  was  here,  or 
to  leave  with  tiie  cacique  of  the  triiie  the  infor- 
mation and  this  letter,  in  case  you  have  not  yet 
ari'ived  there. 

"  In  case  ycm  are  still  on  the  way,  and  should 
receive  this  letter  within  three  days  after  the 
arrival  of  the  bearer  at  the  settlement  of  F.l  Uojo, 
then  know  that  I  shall  await  you  here  until 
then,  and  reckon  thirty  hours  more  for  your 
journey  from  Lago  de  Tehuel  to  Port  St.  Antonio. 
Unhappily,  the  position  of  affairs  in  Rio  Grande, 
and  my  individual  duty,  will  not  permit  me  to 
remain  here  longer.  God  grant  that  1  may  not 
be  here  in  vain,  and  that  you  have  succeeded  in 
delivering  our  brother,  whose  standing  and  vi'orfh 

j  are  known  to  me. 

"  The  bearer  will  communicate  to  you  many 

'  particulars  of  the  voyage  of  the  Nordstjernan, 

and  of  a  rencontre  with  an  Argentine  cutter,  as 

far  as  1  have  been  able,  in  all   haste,  to  impart 

them  to  him. 

"  In  the  hope  of  soon  embracing  our  associate, 

Senhor   Lorenzo    de   V ,    perhaps   in   your 

company.  Your  Brother, 

Barigaldi." 

Hardly  had  Signore  Testa  read  the  first  line  of 
this  letter,  than  he  shared  it  with  the  brother 
whose  deliverance  it  concerned,  and  both  read 
it  together,  while  the  evening  twilight  by  de- 
grees veiled  the  handwriting.  Lorenzo  looked 
silently  towards  heaven,  without  being  able  to 
find  words  to  speak  his  thanks  for  such  care  and 
sympathy  on  the  part  of  the  "  young  European" 
for  him,  and  for  the  cause  of  South  America  to 
which  he  had  devoted  himself. 

"  1  am  ready  to  depart  with  you  instantly," 
said  he,  pressing  a  hand  of  each.  Every  form 
of  thanks  appeared  feeble  and  insufficient  to 
express  his  feelings. 

"  Ye  shall  stay  here  to-night,"  said  Yana  Ki- 
rym,  who  had,  until  now,  earnestly  observed 
eveiy  motion  and  every  look  of  the  three  white 
men. 

"  Tiiou  must  repose  here  this  night,''  said  she, 
turning  particularly  to  Mr.  Farren,  "  for  thou  art 
weary  and  worn  out  with  thy  ride,  and  1  have 
yet  a  word  to  say,  in  all  quiet,  with  this  friend  of 
Ach-eKenat  Kanet,"  pointing  to  Lorenzo. 

*'  The  son  of  the  ocean  who  has  sent  thee,  will 
not  exj>ect  thee  so  soon  as  ye  shall  reach  him. 
Sit  down  then  by  the  Hesh  pot  and  eat,  and  srnoke 
a  cigarette  with  thy  friend  from  tlie  seashore, 
while  I  reveal  to  the  friend  of  Ach-eKenat  Ka- 
net what  He  hath  revealed  to  me,  for  him,  and 
for  you  all." 

With  these  words  she  beckoned  the  Span- 
iard to  follow  her,  and  walked  with  him  through 


DOLORES. 


209 


ttie  foldog,  to  a  hill  clothed  with  a  group  of  frees, 
where  she  seated  herself,  and  Lorenzo  did  the 
name.  Behind  them  lay  the  Inaken  village,  with 
its  glimmering  fireplaces  and  dark  clouds  of  turf 
smoke  rising  in  the  still  night,  by  degrees  em- 
bracing its  sister  twilight  in  the  peaceful  bonds 
of  repose.  Before  them  spread  the  waving,  illi- 
mitable plains,  of  similar  mile-wide  hills,  with 
groups  of  trees  and  thickets,  scarce  perceptibly 
interrupted  by  sandy  bottoms.  The  direct  line 
of  the  far,  far  distance  was  separated,  like  the 
horizon  on  tlje  o|)en  sea,  from  the  transparently 
clear  evening  sky,  which  here  and  tliere  re- 
flected its  gradually  fading  splendor  in  the  wide 
stream. 

Countless  swarms  of  fowl  of  various  species 
whirred  through  the  mild  summer  air,  and  sank 
to  their  re|)0se  in  the  waving  sea  of  grass.  The 
lowing  of  the  herd.?  subsided  by  degrees,  and  the 
neighing  of  the  horses  became  less  frequent. 
Louder  and  louder  sounded  the  bowlings  of  the 
wild  dogs,  and  the  watchers  of  the  Inaken 
horde  rode  shiwly  aboiit,  with  loaded  slings, 
prepared  to  encounter  this  "barbarized  Euro- 
pean race"  with  their  maiming  contents. 

hon'i  did  Vana  Kirym  sit  beside  the  friend  of 
Ach-eKcnat  K:)net  without  a  word.  She  seemed 
to  allow  him  the  time,  to  receive  within  him- 
self tlie  impression  of  a  grand  and  strangely 
foreign  nature,  and  then  lifted  up  her  voice  and 
epoke  in  broken  Sjianish  : 

"  I  have  asked  of  Ach-^Kenat  Kanet  who  thou 
art  ?  and  be  has  told  it  to  me  in  dreams.  I  know 
tliee,  and  thy  mission  to  thy  people ;  thou  comest 
from  a  grave,  and  goest  where  graves  will  be 
filled.  Thy  future  is  cleir  to  me,  but  it  mast 
remain  dark  to  thee  according  to  tlie  will  of  Acb- 
^Kenat  Kanet.  But  that  1  know  thy  future  I 
will  show  thee,  because  I  will  tell  thee  some 
things  about  the  lot  of  others  who  are  dear  to 
thee,  but  not  all  that  I  know. 

"  I  saw  about  thee  and  the  friend  from  whose 
grave  thou  comest,  a  woman  and  a  youth.  Both 
go  from  danger  into  danger ,especially  the  woman, 
for  she  is  a  woman,  and  the  world  of  the  white 
people  in  which  she  lives  is  corrupt  in  its  morals 
and  regulations,  and  does  not  acknowledge  the 
dignity  of  woman  ;  and  those  who  desire  to  pro- 
tect thy  friend  are  preparing  for  her  downfall. 

*'  When  the  moon  that  now  rises  there,  has 
turned  its  full  face  four  times  upon  us,  and  when 
she  has  then  vanished  entirely  for  the  fourth 
time,  then  will  evil  days  come  for  many — f(tr  all 
that  Ach-eKenat  Kanet  hath  bound  by  his  spirit 
to  thee  and  to  each  other — those  whom  thou  dost 
not  yet  know." 

She  paused,  and  then  continued  in  a  gentle,  sad 
tone :  "  The  little  that  Ach-eKenat  Kanet  has 
revelled  to  me  in  a  dream  concerning  thy  futiu'e, 
and  tlie  fate  of  those  who  are  united  with  thee,  I 
may  not  reveal  to  thee ;  I  can  only  warn  thee ; 
but  in  this  case  warning  is  of  little  avail. 

"  All  might  have  ended  otherwise,  if  your  man- 
ners and  laws  had  been  different,"  she  continued, 
with  a  deep  sigh  "  Butyour  wretchedness  lies  in 
the  slave  trade  of  women,  in  the  willingness  and 
haste  of  the  slaves  to  sell  themselves,  and  in  the 
'JifficuUy  which  the  slaves,  who  feel  themselves 
free,  find  in  protecting  themselves  before  sale. 
There  lies  the  misery,  and  there  lie  the  bodies  of 
the  slain ;  and  ye  call  that  civilization  in  your 
tongue,  and  would  introduce  such  civilization 
27 


amongst   us,  through   your   missionaries  witk 
beards  and  without  beards. 

"  The  bearded  call  themselves  Christians,  and 
show  us  a  piece  of  wood  or  metal,  and  say,  it  i^ 
your  God  ;  the  image  of  a  man  nailed  to  a  cross  ; 
and  tell  us  of  the  virgin  that  bore  him,  and  call 
this  virgin  the  mother  of  God,  whose  lover  was 
a  Holy  Spirit,  and  that  that  spirit  was  even  God 
himself,  and  that  the  virgin  then  bore  him — God 
himself. 

"  The  white  people  may  comprehend  all  that, 
but  we  Inaken  understand  that  Ach-eKenat 
Kanet  is  almighty,  and  that  we  shall  live  after 
death,  and  will  have  to  give  an  account  in  an- 
other world  to  Ach-^Kenat  Kanet.  The  story 
of  the  holy  virgin  we  do  not  comprehend. 

"  Then  come  the  missionaries  without  beards, 
who  also  call  themselves  Christians,  and  carry  a 
thick  book  that  they  call  the  Word  of  God,  and 
affirm  that  the  mother  of  God  is  not  their  Ueity, 
and  that  the  doctrine  of  the  missionaries  with 
beards  is  false,  and  they  will  not  have  any  thingto 
do  with  the  mother  of  God,  but  preach  only  of  the 
Son,  and  say  his  blood  redeemed  the  worlil  two 
thousand  years  ago.  And  these  same  whites, 
who  call  themselves  Christians,  with  beards  and 
without  beards,  come  here  over  the  sea,  and 
trade  in  men,  and  show  us  the  image  of  their 
God  and  the  thick  book,  and  fall  upon  us  in  our 
foldos,  and  help  the  cacique  from  La  Plata  river 
to  kill  us,  and  have  brought  bloodhounds  here 
and  firearms  and  seek  to  exterminate  us  and 
steal  our  cattle,  and  kneel  down  before  their 
wooden  God,  or  their  metal  God,  and  swear  br 
the  thick  book,  and  kiss  the  leather  on  the  thick 
book,  and  entice  our  virgins  into  their  toldos,  and 
call  that  Christianity ! 

"  If  1  had  not  my  duty  to  fulfil  here  in  my 
nation,  I  would  journey  into  the  country  of  the 
whites,  over  the  sea,  and  teach  and  preach  of 
Ach-eKenat  Kanet,  the  only  God,  of  whom  no 
image  can  he  seen,  because  no  one  has  ever  seen 
him,  but  who  reveals  himself  to  us  in  the  flowers 
of  every  grassy  mound,  and  in  the  stars  that  glit- 
ter there  above ! 

"  Our  virgins  have  no  intercourse  with  holy 
or  unholy  spirits,  but  with  youths  and  men,  and 
choose  their  lovers,  and  the  youth  or  man 
chooses  his  wife,  and  often  both  choices  meet; 
and  the  children  of  our  people  are  healthy  and 
strong,  and  thou  seest  no  men  amongst  us  that 
are  born  cripples,  no  wretched  beings  who  owa 
their  existence  to  intoxication,  for  we  are  not  ac- 
quainted with  the  stimulants  of  civilization. 

"  None  of  our  virgins  would  prefer  one  man  to 
another  because  he  has  more  oxen,  but  becausa 
he  loves  her  more  than  another.  And  then 
come  the  wliites,  and  call  themselves  Christians, 
and  want  to  give  us  burning  water  poison  for  our 
oxen,  and  to  poison  our  men  and  our  women 
with  poison  water,  and  feed  our  virgins  with 
pepper  and  vanilla,  and  call  that  civilization. 

"  Tell  the  white  women  slaves,  where  thoa 
findest  them  :  '  I  greet  you  from  Yana  Kirym, 
the  friend  of  Ach-eKenat  Kanet,  of  the  tribe  ot 
the  Inaken,  and  say  to  you  :  If  you  cannot  livs 
without  burning  water,  and  pepper,  and  can- 
tharides,  and  vanilla,  remain  single  and  be 
ashamed  in  your  white  skins.  And  if  you  give 
yourself  to  a  man,  because  he  has  many  oxen  and 
horses,  then  will  your  children  not  he  men ! 
And  if  you  give  yourselves  to  a  man  who  cheat* 


m 


DOLORES. 


his  broflier  and  breaks  his  word,  and  ye  know  it, 
then  will  your  children  be  cheats  and  word- 
breakers,  by  your  example  !  and  your  people 
will  point  at  them  with  the  finger,  for ;  As  the 
bull  so  is  the  calf! 

"  '  And  if  ye  hasten  to  attach  yourselves  to  a 
man,  for  fear  that  ye  shall  remain  single,  then 
know  that  Ach-eKenat  Kanet  has  ways  and 
means  to  convey  the  seed-dust  of  the  flower  from 
chalice  to  chalice,  although  the  flower  may  re- 
main fastened  to  its  stem,  and  the  stem  to  its 
root  J 

"  'As  Ach-eKenat  Kanet,  fills  the  cup  of  a 
flower  with  pollen  by  a  gentle  breeze,  and,  in  the 
case  of  need,  through  butterflies  and  bees,  that 
carry  it  from  the  male  to  the  female  flower, 
so  will  he  also  find  ways  and  means  to  convey 
your  feelings  from  your  hearts  to  those  of  the 
men,  and  awaken  love  for  you,  if  your  hearts  are 
aroused  to  love ! 

"  '  Therefore,  be  not  over  hasty,  and  do  not  sell 
yourselves  for  daily  bread,  or  earthly  goods,  for 
what  you  as  virgins  give  to  your  husbands  is 
your  highest  and  holiest,  and  you  can  only  give 
it  once  I  no  power  on  earth  can  replace  it,  when 
once  ye  have  yielded  it !' 

"  Tell  all  this  to  your  white  women  slaves, 
and  lay  it  to  their  hearts,  that  they  may  believe 
in  Ach-eKenat  Kanet,  and  in  the  evening  breeze, 
and  in  the  butterflies  and  bees  that  lly  from 
flower  to  flower  and  bring  their  love  together  ! 

"  And  tell  your  youths  and  men  to  take  ex- 
ample from  our  people,  in  the  consciousness  of 
their  dignity — to  know  and  feel  to  what  tribe 
they  belong,  and  that  all  kindred  tribes  form  one 
people,  united  by  manners  and  language  !  Tell 
them  to  love  each  other,  as  the  sons  of  one  peo- 
ple, and  exercise  hospitality  towards  every  son 
of  another  people,  when  he  approaches  them  in 
peace  in  Ach-eKenat  Kanet.  Let  all  recognise 
each  other  as  brethren,  and  unite  themselves  as 
a  nation,  to  fight  against  the  bloodthirsty  ca- 
ciques, who  conquer  countries  and  slay  nations, 
and  treat  the  subjugated  tribes  like  animals  1 

'*  Tell  the  youths  and  men  to  stand  up  as  the 
sons  of  their  nation,  all  for  one,  and  one  for  all, 
like  my  people  in  Patagonia,  in  the  struggle 
against  the  cacique  of  the  gauchos  from  the 
Plata  river,  and  against  the  whites  with  beards 
and  without  beards,  who  call  themselves  Chris- 
tians, and  traflic  in  men,  in  mockery  of  Ach- 
^Kenat  Kanet,  who  directs  the  stars  above,  and 
calls  us  at  death  to  himself  in  a  better  world  " 

She  sighed  deeply,  and  continued  :  "  As  con- 
cerns the  fate  of  tliy  friend,  and  those  who  are 
involved  in  it,  Ach-eKenat  Kanet  has  placed 
guards  hero  and  there,  and  what  is  to  be  saved 
will  be  saved — if  it  be  not  in  life,  then  in  death. 
For  where  men  will  neitlior  hear  nor  see,  and 
eital)lish  and  maintain  laws  in  contradiction  to 
nature,  and  to  the  spirit  of  Ach-£Kcnat  Kanet — 
there  the  fruit  develops  itself  from  tlie  flower  ; 
and  where  thorns  are  sowed  as  the  germ,  Ach- 
eKenat  Kanet  will  not  bring  forth  roses  !" 

"  If  I  may  save  a  life  that  is  in  danger,  then 
give  me  a  hint  when  and  where  I  must  step 
forth,"  said  Lorenzo,  when  the  priestess  ceased 
to  speak. 

"  Thou  shalt  stand  forth  in  thy  nation,  as  a 
wayfarer  on  the  bloodstained  field  of  the  pre- 
t>pnt.  Thou  must  testify  of  Ach-eKenat  Kanet, 
the   only   God,  and  convey  to  thy  people   the 


legacy  of  the  friend  from  who=ie  grave  thou 
comest !  As  to  the  danger  of  those  whom  1 
have  pointed  out,  thou  knowest  thyself  that 
their  lives,  like  them,  belong  to  your  nation, 
and  what  Ach-eKenat  Kanet  has  determined  for 
the  deliverance  of  thy  friends,  will  he  done 
through  a  being  from  whom  you  do  not  expect 
it.  The  forms  of  my  dream  float  around  me — 
I  may  not  disclose  it  to  thee — but  I  see  a  ship,  as 
it  were,  sailing  over  the  ocean,  and  1  see  the 
danger  upon  the  ship — and  two  small  vessels  are 
near  the  large  one  for  safety  and  protection. 
Whatever  may  take  place — and  whatever  shall 
happen  to  thee — know  and  feel,  in  thy  last  hour, 
that  thou  shalt  live  after  death  where  the  spirit 
of  Ach-eKenat  Kanet  will  shine  around  thee! 
Rely  on  him,  and  live  here  on  earth  for  thy 
nation  !" 

Lorenzo  heard  this  effusion  of  the  singular 
being  with  more  tranquillity  and  patience  than 
perhaps  many  friendly  or  unfriendly  readers  will 
receive  it  with,  who,  as  Catholic  or  Protestant, 
will  declare  many  assertions  to  be  "  evident  blas- 
phemy," which  we,  however,  can  overlook  in  a 
half  savage  Patagonian,  from  whom,  indeed, 
little  else  was  to  be  expected. 

As  concerns  the  dark  intimations  from  the 
realms  of  second  sight,  we  shall  see  their  im- 
port in  the  progress  of  the  story,  and  can  oiily, 
in  this  place,  give  the  assurance,  that  we  have 
met  with  facts  of  this  kind  in  our  personal  ex- 
perience, which  are  far  more  decided  than  these, 
and  whose  accomplishment  could  he  confirmed 
by  many  witnesses. 

The  last  glimmering  of  the  evening  red  had 
long  since  vanished  below  the  horizon,  and  the 
cloudless  sky  was  by  degrees  sown  with  stars. 

Like  a  glowing  ball,  whose  circle  was  a  little 
indistinct  on  one  side,  the  moon  ascended  above 
the  dusky  line  of  the  horizon,  rising  higher  and 
higher,  and  looked  sadly  down  in  the  same  night 

upon  Yana  Kirym  and  Lorenzo upon  the 

ruins  of  the  grinipeiro  village  in  the  interior  of 

Brazil upon  the  villa  of  the  young  lady  on 

da  Gloria,  who  fired  the  pistol aiul  upon  tlie 

Swedish  brig  Nordstjernan,  as  Hahakljuk  Daily 
left  her  in  the  character  of  an  English  oliicer. 

Single  fires  of  the  domestic  "  vestals"  of  Pat- 
agonia, (which  they  maintained  through  the 
night  for  the  prosaic  purpose  of  having  them 
ready  to  prepare  the  breakfast  in  the  morning 
without  tlie  trouble  of  rekindling,)  smoked  and 
blazed  here  and  there,  for  there  was  no  thunder 
cloud  in  the  sky,  and  no  pampero  was  to  be 
feared,  that  would  drive  the  destructive  element 
amongst  the  dry  hides  of  the  toldos.  Loren/.o 
sit,  self-absorbed,  beside  tiie  strange  being,  who 
had  not  spoken  a  word  after  the  above  close  of 
her  singular  discourse. 

The  friend  of  Alphonso  at  length  arose,  and 
pressed  the  hand  of  the  old  woman.  She  pointed 
in  the  direction  ef  the  toldos  where  his  compan- 
ions had  remained,  and  then  directing  her  gaze 
upwiu'd  at  the  stars,  continued  seated  under  the 
trees,  while  Lorenzo  followed  her  intimation, 
and  slowly  withdrew. 

He  found  his  companions,  with  the  cacique 
and  his  son  Oregham,  reclining,  in  a  semicircle, 
upon  buflalo  skins  before  his  toldo,  smoking 
cigarettes,  and  near  them  the  aromatic  cha 
de  matte,  to  which  they  gave  him   a  friendly 


DOLORES. 


invitation,  without  alluding  to  the  cause  of  hia 
absence. 

Nnt  far  from  the  group  sat  an  old  Inake,  dili- 
gently employed  m  finishins  a  pair  of  national 
boots,  or  leather  stockings,  for  the  white  guest 
whom  the  fncnd  from  the  seashore  had  brought 
to  them;  they  were  Ihe  shank  skins  of  a  hnr'se 
stnppeaoffin  the  aforesaid  manner,  macerated 
with  salt  and  wood  ashes,  scraped  bare  on  a 
board,  and  tiien  dried ;  and  the  old  man  was  just 
men  busied  in  rubbing  them  supijle  with  dry 
ashes  and  sand.  •' 

The  little  maiden,  whom  we  saw  beside  the 
cacique,  at  work  embroidering  the  border  of  the 
inexpressibles"  which   she   designed   for   the 
-ilrangor,   had  completed   her  masterpiece,  and 
liad  likewise  secretly  placed  it  in  his  toldo 

The  projected  journey  of  the  three  guests  was 
comfortably  talked  over,  and  the  old  El  Rojn 
and  his  son,  prince  Orcgham,  begged  Lorenzo  to 
consider  the  nationai  costume  which  bad  served 
Ji.m  on  Ins  ll.;f;ht,  as  an  iusi-vnificatif  present  on 
their  part,  without  denying  him  the  satisfaction 
yvhich  be  requested,  ot  leaving  behind  some  ob- 
ject or  other,  as  a  memorial  of  his  arrival  under 
ttieir  hospitable  protection. 

After  Signore  Testa  had  related  much  to  his 
old  friend,  concerning  the  chief  of  the  gauchos, 
Vr  ,  T-^i  °^   extermination  against    Monte 

V  ideo,  ana  of  the  excitement  in  all  South  Ameri- 
ca tor  the  establishment  of  a  rational  central 
government  they  all  wished  each  other  good 
night,  and  betook  themselves  to  their  toldos 

Early  on  the  next  morning  the  whole  Inaken 
tribe  was  in  motion,  to  give  aYarewell  greeting  to 
the  three  white  men.  Old  and  young;  and  great 
and  small,  endeavored  to  make  them  understand 
their  hearty  wishes  for  a  prosperous  journey 

Vala  Liini  appeared,  to  repeat  in  person  her 
thanks  to  the  stranger  from  the  seashore,  that 
he  had  taken  such  good  care  of  her  beloved 
Oregham  when  far  away,  and  brought  him  back 
salely  to  their  toldos  again. 

The  three  white  men  mounted  their  horses 
accompanied  by  Oregham  and  some  hundred 
Inaken  of  both  sexes,  forming  a  picturesque  ca- 
valcade, as  an  escort  halfway  to  the  next  settle- 
ment, of  a  tribe  of  Puelches. 

There  the  travellers  changed  their  horses, 
leaving  their  own  behind,  without  debatins  long 
over  the  diiference  in  value,  which  would  not 
have  amounted  to  a  dollar  in  money  at  the  ut- 
most—a  convenient  mode  of  travelling  in  PataL'o- 
nia,which  will  hardly  subsist  long  after  European 
civilization"  shall  have  been  introduced  there 
towards  the  evening  of  the  second  day,  Lo- 
renzo found  himself  on  board  the  JVIazzini,  in 
Barigaldis  brotherly  society,  who  immediatly 
made  preparations  to  get  under  sail,  and  directed 
his  course  towards  the  coast  of  Rio  Grande 


£11 


CHAPTER    V. 

rORTUNATE    BUSINESS. 

Until  now,  we  have  moved  in  a  unitv  of 
time,  from  the  first  appearance  of  Lorenzo,  "as  a 
Benedictine    monk,   in    the    prison   ediace   at 


Buenos  Ayres,  until  his  embarkation  in  Palaeo- 
nian  costume  on  board  the  Mazzini,  in  the  Bay 
of  .S  .  Matthias.  All  that  has  occurred  within 
the  limits  ol  our  relation,  is  included  in  the 
same  time. 

The  sybi!  of  the  Inaken  intimated  a  crisis  ia  / 
the  VATE  of  many  of  the  principal  persons 
whose  position  in  human  society  we  have  Irora 
the  fii-st  sought  to  investigate.  We  hasten  to 
concentrate,  in  a  short  retrospect,  what  occurred 
;n  the  widely  extended  circle  of  our  characters, 
and  more  or  less,  brought  on  the  crisis,  which 
(without  any  prophecy  of  Yana  Kyrim)  must 
proceea.  sooner  or  later,  from  the  various  ele- 
ments of  the  social  world  in  which  they  move 
According  to  the  Bible,  in  which  we  are  told 
that  ■'  the  last  shall  be  first,"  and  with  a  recog- 
nition of  the  insuperable  distance  which  sepa- 
rates men  from  each  other  in  their  social  po- 
sition, we  would  gladly  begin  our  retrospect 
with  Pat  Gentleboy,  Achilles,  or  Corinna,  if 
their  relations  were  not  in  just  as  natural  a  so- 
cial sequence,  dependant  on  the  fate  of  others, 
whom  we  must  necessarily  first  touch  upon 

Notwithstanding  this,  we  .shall  still  begin  "  be- 
low, and  first  observe  our  Mr.  Daily,  who  now 
called  himself  Mr.  James  John  .Stone.  Dressed 
like  a  gentleman,  he  announced  himself  on  the 
day  of  Ins  arrival  in  Rio  at  the  counting-room  of 
his  "  house,"  which  had,  of  course,  an  entrance  in 
Rio,  another  in  Buenos  Ayres,  and  here  and 
there,  in  the  world,  concealed  private  entrances, 
which  were  not  all  knov/n  even  to  himself.  He 
conversed  freely  with  Mr.  Thomson  on  business 
matters,  and  alluded  to  the  permission  of  Mr 
Walker,  of  Buenos  Ayres,  that  he  should  be 
allowed  to  make  a  journey  into  the  interior  of 
the  country,  "  on  private  business,"  as  soon  as 
the  cargo  of  the  Nordtsjernan  was  discharged, 
which  required  his  |)resencc  as  supercargo. 

Mr.  Thiunson   found  "no   objection"  to  the 
agreement  of  the  clerk  with  his  brother-in-law, 
and  novv  learned,  that  Mr.  Daily's  father  and 
grandfather  lived  somewhere  in  Brazil ;  at  least 
Mr.  Haoakkuk  had  received  no  intelligence  of 
their  death.     The  contemplated  journey  had,  of 
course,  for  its  object,  to  inform  himself  person- 
ally ol  the  welfare  of  his  relatives,  and  besides, 
to  try  if  be  could  not  obtain  an  advance  on  his 
supposed  inheritance,  to  establish  himself  some- 
where.    The  object  of  such  a  journey  was  recog- 
nised on  both  sides  as  "  very  reasonable,  and  very 
practical,"  and  Mr.  Daily  took   a  most  cordial 
leave  of  the  partner  of  a  house  to  which  he  had 
or  some  years  rendered  much  important  service, 
though  it  had  been  oftentimes  "  quite  in  private  " 
VVe  lind  Mr.  -Stone,  alter  some  days,  in  a  small 
private  house,  in  an  unpretending  street,  occu- 
pied in  packing,  systematically,  a  valuable  col- 
lection of  superior  Chili  stones.     A  quantity  of 
neat  little  boxes,  filled   with   cotton,  lay  around 
him,  and  he  put  in  order,  and  fastened  up,  the 
rubies,  emeralds,  sapphires,  topazes,  etc.,  which 
lay  in  deplorable  confusion  under  the  concealed 
alse  bottoms  of  his   two  colossal   trunks,  as  he 
had,  until  now,  had  no  time  to  arrange  thetn 
there  systematically.     There  was  a  knock  at  the 
door ;  Mr.    Daily   left   the  small  apartment   in 
which  he  was  busied,  slipped  into  the  alcove,     ■' 
kicked  the  door  behind   him,  and  appeared    in 
the  corridor  of   the  narrow  house,  where  two 
persons  were  seeking  admittance. 


212 


DOLORES. 


"Is  that  you,  Mr. ?  what's  your  came?" 

inquired  he  of  one  of  the  men. 

"  Dick  Vail,  as  you  will  recollect ;  and  here 
is  the  man  whose  acquaintance  you  wished  to 
make,  the  commission  merchant,  who  does  a 
greater  business  here  in  Rio,  than  Dick  Vail 
will  ever  do  in  his  life  !" 

The  spokesman  was,  then,  Dick — Dink  Vail, 
the  oKl  acquaintance  of  Pat  Gentleboy  in  the 
English  navy,  whom  we  remarked  on  board  the 
Nordstjernan,  on  the  night  Mr.  Daily  stepped 
into  the  sumacca  to  go  on  shore. 

Mr.  Daily  was  endowed  with  that  mysterious 
instinct  which  so  often  puts  practical  men  of 
business  on  the  right  track,  when  they  are 
"  looking  for  somebody  o?  other"  to  employ  in 
this  or  that  business. 

The  unfortunate  intelligence  that  Mr.  Closting 
was  absent,  had,  as  is  known,  put  him  in  a  littte 
perple.^ity.  Mr.  Dick  Vail  had  become,  from  the 
moment  of  his  entering  the  strmacca  to  the  arri- 
val in  Rio,  his  travelling  companion  and  con- 
ductor. He  nad  learned  to  know  him  as  a  for- 
mer boatswain  in  the  British  navy,  who  had 
"  followed  his  business"  on  the  coast  of  Brazil, 
end  he  did  not  require  the  intercourse  of  two 
rights  and  a  day,  to  discover  in  bins  the  man 
whom  he  just  then  required. 

Mr.  Dick  Vail,  "  first  mate"  of  a  smuggling 
gumacca  had  sufficient  acquaintance  in  the 
'*  mercantile  world  "  of  Rio,  and  especially  in  its 
subordinate  classes,  to  be  able  to  render  a  service 
to  his  countryman,  from  whose  seaman's  uni- 
form the  smuggler  peeped  forth  as  soon  as  he 
felt  himself  comfortable,  among  his  equals,  on 
board  the  sumacca  The  necessity  of  thestran 
ger,  as  a  "  foreign  merchant"  from  Chili,  to  find 
in  Rio  a  creditable  commission  mei'chani,  was 
in  itself  so  simple  and  naturnl,  that  Mr  Dick 
Vail  found  **  no  objection  "  to  bring  such  a  per- 
flton  to  his  countryman. 

"  Come  in  !"  returned  Mr.  Stone  to  the  above 
greeting,  and  led  the  two  friends  into  a  back 
room  of  his  house,  that,  like  thousands  of  others 
in  Brazil,  appeared  built  after  the  selfsame  model 
of  the  garden-house  of  Senhoi'a  Portuna,  whose 
acquaintance  we  have  yet  to  make. 

"  This  man  here,  who  has  known  me  for 
years,"  began  the  third  person,  as  they  seated 
themselves  in  the  armchairs  in  the  back  room, 
"  this  man  has  told  me  about  your  business,  and 
I  am  ready  to  serve  yt)U  as  a  commission  mer- 
chant. You  can  inquire  about  me  all  over  the 
eity.  I  am  well  known  as  a  business  man  of 
honor,  and  honesty,  and  credit." 

"The  credit  is  the  principal  thing!"  inter- 
rupted Mr.  Stone,  with  a  smile  on  his  lips. 
•  What  is  your  name  .'     Where  do  you  live  ?" 

"  My  name  is  Isaac  Schvvpinfurter,  and  1  live 
in  the  Rua  do  San  Pedro,  No.  2^7,  just  below  the 
Campo  de  Santa  Anna,  if  you  know  where  that 
fe  I  Here  is  my  address."  Mr.  Stone  received 
the  cai'd  of  the  man  of  business,  and  appointed 
him  to  come  to  him  again  on  the  following  morn- 
fug,  and  the  two  men  now  took  their  leave. 

Mr.  Stone  then  went  out,  and  arriving  at  the 
Hotel  Karoux,  he  gave  to  one  of  the  butlers  a 
card  with  the  name  of  the  commission  merchant 
in  a  disguised  hand,  and  requested  him  to  obtain 
information,  if  pos:,ible,  "  where  this  man  lived." 
He  soon  learned  what  he  knew  already,  and  be- 
sides, that  Mr.  Schweinfurter  was  a  well  known 


broker  in  stones  and  jewels,  who  had  pf  effy  gsot 
credit.  Mr.  Stone  required  to  know  no  more. 
Mr  Schweinfurter  appeared  at.  the  hour  agreed 
upon,  and  the  "merchant  of  Chili"  handed 
over  to  him  a  considerable  business  in  costly 
stones. 

Mr.  SchvTeinfurter  found  the  quality  of  the 
wares  superior,  and  the  quantity  considerable. 
He  required  five  per  cent,  commission  on  the 
stipulated  price,  which  he  considered  reasonable 
as  did  Mr.  Stone  also,  for  they  were  both  expe- 
rienced men  of  business. 

Mr.  Schweinfm-ter  took  with  him  some  sam. 
pies  of  the  various  species,  and  on  the  third  day 
received  all  the  boxes  of  precious  stones  in  re- 
turn for  1643  pounds  sterling  ready  money,  and 
the  business  was  completed. 

One  day,  when  Mr.  .Stone  was  in  the  packing 
room  of  the  Messrs  Walker  &  Co.,  as  usual,  Mr. 
Thomson  came  and  whispered  in  his  ear '. 
'*  Come,  by  and  by,  to  my  room  at  the  count* 
ing-house,  and  take  a  glass  of  sherry  with  me  ; 
I  have  something  to  show  you.  You  are  a  con- 
noisseur in  stones.  I  made  a  Ijargain  yesterday, 
I  can  tell  you !  A  collection  of  Chili  stones 
such  as  you  hardly  ever  saw.  I  paid  I'MS 
pounds  sterling,  and  I'll  wager  that  we  make  fifty 
per  cent,  on  it.  Mr.  Robert  assures  me  that  we 
have  just  as  fine  a  collection  in  Buenos  Ayres,  or 
on  the  way  to  St.  Petersburg,  that  are  nearly,  if 
not  quite,  as  brilliant  as  these !  but  I  doubt 
whether  we  ever  made  a  bargain  erf  this  sort." 

"  I  doubt  it,  beforehand,"  »aid  Mr.  Daily, 
smiling.  "  I  will  make  free  to  try  a  glass  of  sher- 
ry, thank  you  kindly,  Mr.  Thompson.  I  will 
give  my  opinion  of  the  value  of  tlifc  stones.  I 
am  rejoiced  that  you've  made  such  a  good  bar- 
gain !  Thank  you  kindly,  Mr.  Thomson,  tor 
your  reliance  upon  my  opinion." 

Mr.  Daily  took  a  glass  of  sherry  in  Mr.  Thom- 
son's oiBce,  admired  the  supei'ior  preciousstmies, 
and  the  peculiarly  fortunate  bargain  of  the  house 
of  Walker  &  Co.,  prepared  himself  for  a  jour- 
ney in  the  interior  of  the  country,  and  joined  a 
tropa,  destined  for  the  province  which  his  father 
had  inhabited  for  years. 

To  what  category  a  ship  captain  belongs  whea 

on  shore,  is  a  peculiar  question,  since,  at  the 
utmost,  the  merchant  invites  him  to  dinner,  if  he 
lias  made  a  successful  voyage  for  him,  and  wished 
him  at  sea  again  as  soon  as  possible,  when  he 
has  his  freight  aboard. 

We  take  it  upon  our  conscience  to  consider  the 
gallant  Captain  Finngreen  next  to  the  clerk  or 
supercargo,  as  we  must  take  our  leave  of  him. 

With  the  elevated  consciousness  which  every 
noble  action  leaves  behind  it  in  the  human  heart. 
Captain  Finngreen  looked  down  from  the  lati- 
tude of  his  fortunate  arrival  in  Rio,  upon  the  va- 
rious degrees  of  danger  which  he  had  escaped 
with  his  cabin  passengers. 

Indifferent  as  many  passengers  remain  to  thr 
captain,  whom  they  annoy  with  the  wearisome 
inquiry,  '*  When  will  tlie  Vessel  arrive  in  port?" 
and  with  their  criticisms  of  the  provision  chest, 
etc.,  Captain  Fingreen  had  become  very  much 
attached  to  his  passengers  from  the  river  La 
Plata,  of  whom  some  of  them  evidently  had  to 
thank  him  for  their  deliverance. 

The  Nordstjernan  had  for  years  plied  between 


DOLORES. 


213 


Norfhern  Europe  and  Buenos  Ajres,  or  Rio  de 
Janeiro,  and  was  now  freighted  for  the  return 
voyage  up  the  English  Channel. 

Captain  Finngreeii  did  not  omit  to  invite  hia 
friends  to  a  fiuewell  dinner  on  board,  and  with 
Hinango,  Alvarez,  Horatio,  and  Robert  Walker, 
ajipeared  Dr.  Thorfin  and  tlie  ever  good  humored 
air  pump  controller  of  the  imperial  princesses. 

All  sorts  of  "healths"  were  drank,  and  first 
**  Miss  Fanny's"  whose  incognito  remained  care- 
fully preserved ;  and  next,  to  the  toast :  "  To  tlje 
freedom  of  South  .America,"  resounded  as  loud  a 
viva  :  "  To  the  unity  of  Scandinavia  as  a  republic, 
for  the  employment  of  a  naval  power  which  she 
possesses  from  nature." 

**  May  our  divided  races,"  cried  Captain  Finn- 
gi'een,  with  glass  in  hand,"  recognise  their  dig- 
nity and  their  vocation  to  do  their  part  as  a  united 
nation,  with  a  powerful  tleet,  towards  the  deliv- 
erance of  Europe  and  speak  with  the  cannon's 
mouth  when  it  shall  once  break  out  there — when 
Russia  and  England,  united,  desire  to  sustaiii  the 
cause  of  despotism. 

"  Scandinavia  !  Scandinavia  !  '  .Star  of  the 
North,  break  brightly  forth  :"  added  he,  with 
animation,  and  all  the  Scandinavians  joined  in, 
and  emptied  their  glasses  with  their  companions. 

**  England  and  Russia  united  !"  said  Robert, 
interrupting  the  ensuing  silence,  and  looking 
around  him  with  an  expression  of  amazement. 
"  That  would  be  a  singular  alliance  !  the  freest 
nation  united  with  despotism  personified  !" 

"  And  nevertheless,  the  most  natural  alliance 
in  the  world  !"  asserte<l  Hinango  *'  as  you  will 
yoursell  perceive,  friend  Robert,  when  you  weigh 
the  positifm  of  England  and  Russia.  Both  states 
are  only  strong  and  great  at  the  expense  of  free- 
dom, through  the  slavery  and  subjugation  of 
other  nations  and  their  own  people." 

"  What .'"  interrupted  the  young  Briton,  "do 
you  then  assert  thai  the  freest  nation  in  Europe 
we  English,  are  subjugated  ?" 

"  Your  pardon,  my  good  friend  Robert,  I  do 
most  distinctly  assert  it.  Your  people  are  not 
only  under  the  escutcheons  and  yard  sticks  of 
your  aristocrats  and  tradesmen  or  manufacturers, 
but  lie  in  deeper  wretchedness  than  the  Rus- 
sians. The  Russian  serf  is  at  least  clothed  and 
fed.  In  England,  the  poor  are,  from  childhood, 
systematically  crippled  in  manufactories,  or 
starve  iii  the  streets  or  almshouses,  notwithstand- 
ing all  the  '  philanthrophy  '  and  all  the  '  piety  ' 
of  your  highef  classes." 

Robert  appeared  at  a  loss  to  refute  this,  and 
observed  that  a  great  proportion  of  his  country- 
men were  aware  of  these  facts,  and  were  striving 
for  a  change. 

"  I  am  far  from  denying  that,"  replied  the 
Scandinavian  ;  "  I  never  confound  the  misfor- 
tunes of  a  nation  with  the  pi-inciples  of  the  gov- 
ermnent  that  represents  the  people,  but  these 
governing  princijjies  of  Great  Britain  are  closely 
united  with  the  absolutism  of  Russia  ;  and  when 
the  people  of  Europe  shall  one  day  arise  to  strug- 
gle for  their  freedom  and  independence,  these 
two  powers  will  stand  opposed,  for  life  or  death, 
against  the  cause  of  mankind  !" 

"  As  cabinets-:-it  may  he  !  1  will  grant  that," 
rejoined  Robert,  with  a  certain  decision  of  man- 
ner peculiar  to  him,  "  but  not  tlie  British  na- 
tion !  There  is  in  our  people  too  much  straight- 
fcrvvaxd  perceptjoa  of  right  and  wrong,  for  them 


to  be  blinded  at  such  a  crisis ;  they  have  been 
hitherto  led  by  the  nose,  perhaps.  I  must  admit 
that  we  have,  until  now,  falsely  understood  and 
falsely  recognised  the  principle  of  freedom,  but 
I  will  not  relinquish  the  belief  in  my  nation  !" 

"  Bravo  I"  cried  Dr.  Thorfin ;  "  in  you  speaks 
the  noble  Briton  of  a  rising  generation  !  Here's 
to  the  future  of  the  British  nation  !"  added  he, 
and  raised  his  glass:  "The  young  Britannia  of 
Ihe  future,  in  the  S|>irit  of  humanity  '." 

All  shared  Ihe  faith  of  the  young  Briton,  and 
the  hope  of  the  Scandinavian,  and  emptied  their 
glasses,  while  Hinango  heartily  pressed  the  hand 
of  the  gallant  youth. 

Robert  began,  with  a  voice  of  youthful  strength, 
the  wondefully  impressive  melody  of  his  na- 
tive hymn  : 

"  Rule  Britannia'.  Britannia  rule  the  waves  I" 

and  those  who  knew  the  words  joined  in  festively 
with  him. 

The  Scandinavians  then  sang  their  national 
hymn,  whose  first  lines  Captain  Finngreen  hail 
recited;  and  the  powerful  baritone  of  .Mvarex 
accompanied  the  soft  tenor  of  Horatio  in  their 
South  American  hymn  of  curse : 

"  Ttie  waves  of  La  Plata  arc  beating 

On  tlie  shore — and  with  horrors  they're  gone — "  etc 

The  therittometer  of  the  astronomer's  gaiety 
rose  with  every  every  glass,  until  it  reached  the 
temperature  of  extravagance,  and  as  a  comical 
interlude  to  the  serious  vocal  entertainment,  he 
sang,  with  true  devotion,  his  well  known  favorite 
song : 

"  Ng  general  has  such  powerful  might — "  etc.,  etc 

At  last  a  "  prosperous  voyage"  was  drank  to 
Captain  Finngreen,  who  was  preparing  to  go  to 
sea  again  in  a  few  days  after  this  heai'ty  leave- 
taking  from  his  friends. 


- -r^^-nf^^t-f  i 


a.#.*rf^^ww— 


CHAPTER    VI. 

THE    POWER    OF    -ATTORNEY    FROM    GOA. 

Senok  Alvarez  ought  properly  to  have  stood 
below  Mr.  Daily,  and  according  to  the  above 
designated  system  of  classification  from  below 
upward,  ought  to  be  named  next  to  Achilles,  fol 
he  was  only  a  t\pe  setter  and  besides  a  music. 
teacher,  a  twofold  very  subordinate  quality  in 
the  scale  of  the  social  world  of  British  civiliza- 
tion. Properly  Alvarez,  as  type  setter  and  music 
teacher,  did  not  belong  at  all  to  "  the  social 
world,"  according  to  British  notions. 

Every  talent,  let  it  show  itself  in  whatever 
province  of  art  it  may,  belonj^.'i  very  naturally  in 
the  subordinate  class  of  all  other  "  serviceable 
agencies,"  and  compromises  the  man  who  has  the 
misfortune  to  be  endowed  with  it,  if  he  has  not, 
at  the  same  time,  a  considerable  property  at  his 
command,  through  which  he  obtains  admittance 
into  the  social  world  and  masks  his  talent. 

Senor  Alvarez  had  announced  the  resolution, 
to  seek  immediately  lor  a  place  as  type  setter, 
wheieupon  Dr.  Thorfin  met  him  with  the  pro- 
position, to  procure  him  some  pupiis  for  tb« 


314 


DOLORES. 


guitar,  which  would  not  be  difficult  in  Rio  de 

Janeiro.  •     .  ,  .  i     » 

Apart  from  the  national  or  provincial  talent 
for  music,  as  for  example  in  the  province  of  St. 
Vaolo,  the  predilection  for  musica!  entertain- 
ment (especially  on  stnai;ed  ins'rumentrf)  is 
unmistakable  in  tlie  treat  cities  of  Krizil. 

In-struction  in  music  is  there  a  part  of  the  sys- 
tem of  education,  which,  like  the  whole  of  social 
life  generallv  in  South  .America,  wavers  (like 
Hercules  at  tlie  cross-roads)  between  British  fasii- 
ion  and  French  intellect,  more,  however,  inclin- 
ini?  to  the  latter,  where  peculiar  cases  of  absolute 
paucity  of  intellect  do  not  recosnise  for  them- 
selves the  cultivation  of  a  finishing  school  of  Bri- 
tish dullness  as  more  suitable  and  comfortable. 

Alvarez  gave  lessons  on  the  guitar  in  ditferent 
families  of  difl'erent  nations,  and  was,  amon? 
Brazilians  and  strangers  from  the  European  con- 
tinent, considered  with  peculiar  respect  and 
sympathv,  as  a  "  political  refugee,"  who  endea- 
vored to  lighten  l>is  existence  in  exile  by  his  dis- 
tinguished talent.  On  the  other  hand,  amongst 
the  Britons,  with  whom  he  became  acquainted 
through  Mr.  Thomson's  "patronage,"  he  was 
treated  as  a  "  teacher,"  who  gave  instructions  for 
a  stipulated  price,  as  the  footman  cleaned  the 
boots  for  stipulated  monthly  wages. 

In  the  transatlantic  world  of  British  civiliza- 
tion, the  teacher,  in  any  department  whatever 
of  science  or  learning,  appears  to  belong,  not 
even  to  the  category  of  footmen,  but  to  that  of 
negro  slaves,  as  Senor  Alvarez  learned,  in  the 
most  characteristic  manner,  at  an  English  aca- 
demy in  Rio.  He  presented  himself  there,  one 
day,"in  the  garb  of  a  gentleman,  and  handed  to 
the  principal  of  the  establishment  (formerly  a 
ship  carpenter)  a  letter  of  recommendation 
from  Mr.  Thomson.  Hardly  had  he  read  the 
contents  of  the  letter,  than  he  declared,  with 
businesslike  despatch  :  ,.      ,  . 

"  I  am  very  thankful  to  Mr.  Thomson  for  this 
recommendation,  but  I  cannot  use  it.  I  am  just 
about  selling  my  academy,  with  the  entire  in- 
ventory, tables,  and  chairs,  and  benches,  instru- 
ments and  books,  and  teachers  of  all  sorts— my 
guitar  teacher  amongst  the  rest.  I  am  sorry- 
very   sorry ;   pardon   me — I  am  just  now  very 

busy " 

Notwithstanding  this  summary  dismissal,  as 
the  saleable  slave  of  a  ship  carpenter,  who  had 
established  a  finishing  school  for  young  ladies, 
the  good  Alvarez  by  no  means  wanted  for  con- 
genial employment,  while  he  occupied  his  room 
in  the  chacara  of  Dr.  Thorfin,  and  passed  Ins 
leisure  hours  there  with  the  latter  and  Horatio. 

Horatio,  likewise  in  the  estimation  of  the 
British  civilized  world  "only  an  artust,"  and 
of  course  below  zero  in  the  scale  of  British  re- 
siiectability,  visited  the  Academy  of  Arts,*  where 
the  cuUccfion  was  certainly   not   of  particular 


*  Thi'  institution  was  foumled  in  Rio  by  a  resolution 
of  the  Brazilian  Chnmber  of  Drtputies.  Thu  rpquisile 
professors  in  tlic  various  dcpanmcnts  wore  writli-n  lor 
to  Paris  ant\  estal.lisho.l  as  State  functionaries.  The 
edifice  of  the  acaderoy,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the 
Lar^o  do  Francesco  de  I'aolo,  was  erected  for  tins  espe- 
ciafotyect.  It  contains  the  necessary  collection  of 
Blaster  casts  from  the  best  known  antique  statues  and 
busts,  and  a  picture  gallery  of  ancient  and  modern 
Blasters  whicli  will  he  increased  according  to  ability. 
Tho  worthy  director  of  the  academy  at  that  time  was 
Mr  Taunay,  brother  of  the  French  Consul  t,eneral  m 
K.U 


value.  But  in  itself  the  academy  repre^entea 
an  intellectual  authority,  which,  accnrdim;  to 
the  notions  of  British  civilization,  is  not  exactly 

directiv  "  useful." 

The'  nephew  of  Alphonsn  lived  in  ihe  se- 
cluded intellectual  world  which  all  true  t.ile-it 
forms  around  itself,  and  out  of  which,  also,  it 
contemplates  life  from  a  hiirher  point  of  view. 

Serious  and  melancholy  hy  nature,  the  events 
which  he  had  of  late  encountered  were  by  no 
means  calculated  to  increase  his  snirits.  The 
peculiar  circumstance,  however,  that  he  was 
entirely  cut  off  from  all  intercourse  with  the 
friend  of  his  uncle,  whom  he  had  accompanied 
in  exile,  added  little  alleviation  to  the  sufreringa 
which  he  experienced  at  the  remembrance  of 
his  home. 

As  related  to  these  sufferings,  a  well  meant, 
friendlv  counsel  was  imparted  to  him  on  his  first 
arrival' in  Rio,  "  to  drive  them  out  of  his  head, 
and  this  counsel  came  from  the  jovial  month  of 
Mr.  George  Thomson,  his  banker. 

"  You  have  saved  a  pretty  property,"  observed 
Mr.  Thomson,  as  Horatio  sat  with   him  in  his 
office,    receiving    the  amount   of  a  bill    of  ex- 
change, "  be   reasonable,   and  drive  fmm  your 
head"the  fantasies  of  freedom,  and  fatherland ; 
and  the  like ;  and,  if  1  may  advise  you,  throw 
your  painting  stufT  aside  !     A  young  man,  like 
you,  with  such  a  capital,  should   give  up   the 
"pencil.     I  cannot  conceive  what  sort  of  civiliza- 
tion exists  in    Buenos   Avres,  when  your   rela- 
tions could  allow  you  to  employ  yourself  in  such 
a  manner.     You  must  perceive,  Senhor  P-— » 
that  I  mean  well  to  vou.  You  are  commended  to 
my  care  by  Mr.  Walker,  and  1  am,  so  to  say,  res- 
ponsible for  vou  here— for  your  career  and  your 
prosperity.    "l   beg  you   to   consider  \yhat   sort 
of  career  lies  before"  you— for  prosperity  is  out 
of   the    question!     If,  instead  of  painting,  you 
would  take  up  statuarv,  a  business  might  always 
be  established,  with  marble,  and  sandstone,  and 
the  like  !     Applv  vourself  to  sculpture.     Set  up 
a  statuarv  estal.iis"hment   fiir  gravestones,  door- 
sills,  and"  the  like  saleable  articles !   Huy  a  dozen 
negroes,  and  I  will  send  out  to  England   lor  a 
machine  to  saw  marble,  and  apply  yonrsclt  to 
the  practical  part  of  sculpture.^    Deliver  solid 
wares,  even   if  required  fnim  Carrara  marble. 
Let  all  the  sawins  l«  done  hy  neuToes,  and  keep 
up  your  respectabilitv.     Do  not   pot  your  hand 
to  a'nv  thing  except  iii  your  olhce.    Keep  an  able 
foreman,  who  understands  the  pi-actical  business, 
that  is  requisite  for  such  an  e.stablishment,  until 
you  acquire  the   necess-iry  knowledge  to  distin- 
"guish  Carrara  marble  from  Brazilian  griniti-.     1 
can  tell  you,  that  with  your  capital,  ynu  would 
be  a  made  man  here  !     l"  advise  you  as  a  friend. 
What  the  devil  will  you  do  with  the  pencil' 
In  the  first  place,  you  must  do  all    the   painting 
vourself,  for  vou  cannot  have  portraits  and  the 
like  made  by"  negroes,  at  least,  not  so  easily  as 
squares  of  m:irble  for  floors  ;  and  you  know  that 
such  handwork  as  painting  injures  your  respect- 
abilitv, and   will   entirely    undermine  it.     You 
are,  and  will  always  remain, '  only  an  artist,"  and 
if  your  pictures  should  even  be  adinitte<i  into  a 
salon,  people  will  not  admit  you  there,  as  you 
must  know  '."  .      t>    t 

The  youth  would  have  replied  to  tho  tinton, 
that  in  "Buenos  .'^yres,  as  in  Rio,  another  standant 
1  prevailed  in  relation  to  talent  and  human  vfOjtJk 


i 


DOLORES. 


215 


thnn  pCTliapg  in  England  ;  bvit  he  had  hardly  ut- 
tered a  word,  when  Mr.  Thomson  interrupted 
him. 

"  What  is  your  fashionable  world  in  South 
Ainorica,  my  good  Renhor  Horatio  ?  How  can  you 
compare  that  with  our  English  respectability.' 
Pardon  me,    but    I    mean  well  by  you  !     Even 

if even   if,    in   this   semi-barbarism,   among 

Spaniards,  and  Portuguese,  and  Frenchmen,  and 
the  like — even  if  a  painter,  or  musician,  or  a 
te.icher  of  languages,  or  even  a  mechanic,  finds 
admittance  into  some  house  or  other,  let  me 
ask,  what  sort  of  a  house  is  it  ?  Perhaps  the 
gentleman,  as  he  calls  himself,  was  formerly 
nothing  else  but  a  tf  acher,  or  artist,  or  even  a 
mechanic;  and  besides,  and  in  all  cases,  he  is  a 
foreigner  !  for  even  an  Englishman,  in  his  case, 
who,  as  a  parvenu  establishes  a  so  called  respec- 
table bouse,  would  admit  no  artist  or  teacher  to 
his  salon,  that  he  might  not  expose  himself  to 
the  embarrassment  of  having  him  seen  there 
by  some  gentleman  whose  portrait  he  had 
jiainted,   or  whose  daughter  he  had  instructed 

oil  the  piano.     My  good  .Senhor  P ,   think 

where  you  are  working  with  your  pencil  ! 

You  are  working  yourself  down  into  the  base- 
ment, info  the  society  of  the  footman,  who 
places  tbe  money  in  your  hand  for  your  por- 
traits, or  your  lesson  in  drawing.  You  must  at 
length  receive  money  for  your  handwork  ;  and 
the  gentleman  who  sends  the  pay  to  you,  will  be 
little  apt  to  inquire  whether  you  are  descended 
from  an  old  Spanish  family  or  not !  You  are, 
and  will  remain, '  an  artist,'  and  there's  an  end 
of  it;  and  it  gives  me  pain,  witii  your  capital — ■ 
it  migbt  bo  turned  to  something  belter." 

One  day,  as  Horatio  sat  in  one  of  the  cool  apart- 
ments of  the  Academy  of  Arts,  and  worked  at  a 
drawing  after  the  head  of  Niobe,  .Alvarez  stood 
near  him,  having  come  to  take  him  to  dinner. 
Horatio  was  just  giving  an  account  of  his  inter- 
esting interview  with  Mr.  Thomson,  about  the 
position  of  an  artist,  and  tbe  respectability  of 
a  stone  cutler  or  a  marble  merchant,  at  least  in 
the  English  mercantile  world,  when  a  wliite 
servant,  in  blue  livery,  with  gold  buttons,  ac- 
companied by  a  porter  of  the  academy,  entered 
the  room. 

"  That  is  Senhor  P ,"  said  the  porter,  in  a 

respectful  low  tone  to  the  white  footman,  who 
drew  a  billet  from  his  pocket,  and  handed  it  to 
the  nephew  of  Aipbonso,  with  the  words:  "From 
Senhor  Vera,  Rua  do  Valongo." 

I5olh  recognised,  at  the  first  glance,  the  ser- 
vant of  the  interesting  negro  from  Goa,  and 
looked  inquiringly  at  each  other,  while  Horatio 
opened  the  billet. 

"  My  compliments  to  Senhor  Vera,"  said  he, 
turnins  to  the  negro,  '■  1  will  take  the  liberty  to 
make  my  visit  to-morrow  about  eleven  o'clock." 

The  footman  withdrew,  attended  by  the  por-. 
ter  wiio  had  conducted  him  in. 

Hori'tio  imparted  to  his  friend  the  contents  of 
the  billet.  It  was  a  polite  invitation  from  Sen- 
hor Bernardo  Vera,  from  Goa,  that  he  would  do 
him  the  honor  of  calling  upon  him,  since  he  de- 
sired to  consult  with  him  as  a  friend  of  art,  about 
a  picture.  Both  suspected  that  the  consultation 
ibout  a  picture  might  be  only  a  prctoiice,  to  enter 
into  c(  mmunication  with  Horatio,  in  conse- 
ijuence  of  the  impression  that  the  portrait  of  Ihe 


mother  of  Dolores  had  wrought  upon  the  Ethi 
opian. 

"  Go  with  me  to-morrow  !"  said  Horatio  to  his 
friend,  to  whom  the  solution  of  the  riddle  might 
not  be  less  important  than  to  the  other,  inso- 
much as  the  family  name  of  his  mother,  on 
board  the  Nordstjernan,  had  wrought  just  as 
singular  an  impression  upon  Dolores. 

*'  1  will  introduce  you  as  my  friend,  who  like- 
wise possesses  judgement  in  the  arts,"  said  Hora- 
tio, "  and  perhaps  your  acquaintance  is  of  more 
importance  to  him  than  mine,  a  suspicion  which 
the  name  of  your  uncle,  who  disappeared,  inspires 
me  with." 

"  Certainly  !"  remarked  Alvarez,  "  it  seems  to 
me,  myself,  as  if  light  might  dawn  upon  rae, 
according  to  all  that  has  hitherto  appeared  pos- 
sible to  me." 

The  two  sons  of  Apollo  went  on  the  following 
day,  at  eleven  o'clock,  to  the  before  mentioned 
palace,  and  were  led  by  the  same  servant  into  a 
salon,  furnished  in  the  old  fashioned  style  of 
European  luxury  of  the  last  century,  like  similar 
buildings  of  the  sort  in  Rio. 

After  some  moments,  Senhor  Vera  appeared, 
the  same  negro  whom  they  had  seen  before  the 
picture  in  the  packing  room  of  the  alfandega. 
He  received  the  two  friends  with  the  suitable 
demeanor  of  a  man  of  the  world,  greeted  Ihem  in 
Spanish  with  a  Portuguese  accent,  and  especially 
fastened  his  penetrating  glance  on  Alvarez, 
whose  countenance,  as  it  seemed,  he  had  not  ob- 
served in  the  alfandega,  from  pure  absorption  in 
the  contemplation  of  t.iie  picture. 

Senhor  Vera  evidently  spoke  with  a  perturbed 
breast,  and  seemed  not  to  find  the  words  that  he 
sought,  for  the  opening  of  his  subject. 

"  Your  countenance  sir,"  said  he,  after  a  short 
introduction,  "  assures  me  beforehand  that  I 
have  not  deceived  myself  in  my  hopes.  Will  you 
have  the  goodness  to  go  with  me  now  to  my  room, 
and  look  at  a  picture." 

The  two  friends  walked  on  before  the  negro, 
and  soon  stood  with  him  in  his  study ;  at  least 
the  room  rather  resembled  the  library  of  a  savant 
than  the  counting-room  of  a  merchant. 

Senhor  Vera  drew  aside  the  green  curtain  that 
covered  a  picture,  and  Horatio  and  Alvarez 
started  bacliward  as  they  beheld  the  same  por- 
trait of  the  mother  of  Dolores,  or  at  least  a  dupli- 
cate painted  by  the  same  master,  as  it  had  ap- 
peared in  the  box  at  the  alfandega. 

"  You  are  then  a  nephew  of  Senor  Gabriel 
Garringos  .'"  said  Senhor  Vera  to  the  astonished 
Alvarez;  "for  your  features  resemble  bis,  at 
they  do  the  portrait  of  your  mother,  which  I 
know.  And  you,  if  I  may  inquire  ?"  added  he, 
turning  to  Horatio.  "  You  can  both  of  you,  gen- 
tlemen, perhaps  give  me  information  concerning 
the  life  or  death  of  the  lady  whose  portrait  you 
see  here,  the  du|)licate  of  which  I  beheld,  not 
long  since,  at  the  alfandega  .'" 

"  Senora   Paula  de  C is  dead,"   replied 

Horatio,  deeply  moved   by  the  mystery  which 
still  enveloped  this  encounter. 

"Did  she  leave  children.'"  inquired  Senlior 
Vera,  hastily. 

"  A  daughter,  named  Dolores." 

"  Where  does  she  live  .'"  inquired  the  negr» 
with  evident  anxiety. 

Botii  South  Americans  now  fell  into  (he  moat 
singular  perplexity ;  they  looked  at  each  other 


216 


DOLORES. 


with  the  same  expression,  which  im]>lied  the 
duty  of  preserving,  in  the  strictest  manner,  the 
incognito  ot  Dolores. 

"  My  God  !"  exclaimed  the  negro,  "  she  lives  ? 
and  your  glance  reveals  to  me  that  you  must  con- 
ceal lier  abode  from  me  '.  Then  she  is  probably 
in  d.iugcr,  perhaps  proscribed,  like  so  many 
otliers,  as  a  participatress  in  the  cause  of  the 
Unitarians,  Republicans,  or  Humanitarios  !" 

The  two  friends  were  silent.  Senhor  Vera 
hurried  to  a  writing-desk,  took  some  papers 
from  a  concealed  drawer,  and  asked  Alvarez,  in 
a  decided  tone : 

"  Pardon  me,  sir,  are  you  a  son  of  Dona 
Maria  Juana  de  Garringos,  whatever  name  she 
miglit  have  borne  after  her  marriage  .'" 

"  My  name  is  Alvarez  de  la  Barca ;  my  mo- 
ther's name  was  Maria  Juana  dc  Garringos,"  re- 
plied he. 

"  Have  you  sistei-s  ?" 

"  One  sister,  Maria  Juana  Angelica." 

"  Where  is  your  sister  .'" 

"  Unhappily  1  do  not  know  !  she  leftCorrien- 
tes  when  I  went  to  Europe  five  years  ago ;  she 
went  to  Bahia,  as  governess  with  an  Italian 
family.  I  have  only  a  short  time  since  returned 
from  Europe.  My  letters  were  intercepted  in 
Spain,  as  1  took  part  in  the  struggle  of  the  na- 
tion against  Don  Carlos.  I  have  written  to  Bahia, 
and  expect  an  answer  daily." 

"  According  to  the  station  of  your  sister,  I 
may  tlien  presume  that  you  do  not  possess  an 
ample  property  ?" 

"  We  are  poor,"  returned  Alvarez  with  dig- 
nity ;  "  but  Providence  gave  us  talent,  and  we 
are  independent." 

"  The  question  which  I  allowed  myself,"  con- 
tinued the  negro,  after  a  pause,  "  would  be  in- 
discreet, if  I  had  not  the  right  to  ask  it,  through 
this  power  of  attorney,  on  the  part  of  Seiior  Ga- 
briel Garringos,  your  uncle  in  Goa." 

"  My  uncle  Gabriel !"  cried  Alvarez,  in  a  voice 
trembling  with  emotion,  "  in  Goa!  Then  he  is 
alive?  living  in  Goa.'" 

"  He  is  living  as  one  of  the  most  distinguished 
physicians  in  Goa,  is  a  millionaire,  and  has 
commissioned  me,  by  this  document,  to  infjuire 
about  his  family,  and  to  bring  you  this  intelli- 
gence, in  the  case  that  Seiiora  Paula  de  C 

was  not  living.  In  the  other  case,  if  the  lady 
whiise  picture  you  see  here  were  si  ill  in  life,  it 
would  not  have  been  permitted  to  me  to  give 
you  information  of  the  existence  of  your  uncle. 
The  causes  which  lie  at  the  foundation  of  these 
instructions  to  me,  wliich  may,  perhaps,  appear 
strange  to  you,  rest  in  the  grave  of  >his  worthy 
lady.  As  little  as  we  will  for  the  present  touch 
upon  a  secret  which  'rests  in  tlie  grave,'"  con- 
tinued be,  "  so  little  will  1  permit  myself  a  ques- 
tion concerning  the  fate  of  this  lady's  daughter. 
I  desire  you,  however,  to  mark  well  where  1  live, 
in  case  .ScIiora  Dolores,  as  you  called  her,  should 
need  the  succcu-  of  a  friend,  for  life  or  death  :  for 
Seiior  Gabriel  is  my  bosom  friend ;  1  am  indebted 
to  him  for  my  intellectual  improvement  through 
intercourse  with  him  ;  and  tlirough  my  improve- 
ment, I  am  indebted  to  him  for  the  suitable  ap- 
plication of  the  wealth  which  my  father  be- 
queathed to  me.  I  am  commissioned  to  open 
an  uidimited  credit  witli  the  children  of  this 
lady,  and  of  the  sister  of  my  triend,  in  whatever 
circumstances  1  might  find  them  ;  that  is  to  say, 


advances  in  ready  money,  as  an  earnest  of  the 
inheritance  that  will  one  day  accrue  to  them. 
Take  notice,  then,  of  my  abode;  come  and  see 
me  soon  and  often.  Communicate  this  intelli- 
gence, if  possible,  to  the  daughter  of  the  lady 
whose  portrait  lias  led  me  to  this  fortunate  dis- 
covery, whicli  I  have  sought  throu.h  a  corres- 
pondence with  Buenos  Ayres.  Give  her,  then, 
this  intelligence,  if  possible,  and,"  added  he  to 
Alvarez,  "  consider  me  as  the  banker  of  your 
uncle — and  write  to  him  through  me.  And 
above  all  things,  procure  me  intelligence  of  your 
sister.  I  am  ready  to  go  to  Baliia,  to  accompany 
you  there,  in  case  you  believe  that  it  would  be 
suitable." 

Alvarez  was  too  much  surprised  with  all  he 
had  heard,  and  with  the  reality  of  the  portrait 
that  he  saw,  to  be  able  to  talk  over,  tranquilly, 
the  necessary  measures. 

The  negro  handed  him  a  duplicate  of  his 
uncle's  power  of  attorney,  dated  from  Goa,  and 
added  :  "  Only  through  this  pictm-e,  or  through 
its  duplicate,  was  information  to  be  obtained 
concerning  the  life  or  death  of  this  lady,  with- 
out betraying  Seiior  Gabriel's  incognito,  which 
he  wished  to  maintain  strictly,  so  long  as  Seiiora 
Paula  lived." 

The  two  friends  comprehended  this,  and  un- 
derstood all  tile  sooner  the  necessity  lor  the 
transportation  of  the  picture,  which,  more  than 
any  written  document,  confirmed  the  commission 
of  the  Spaniard,  who,  even  in  Goa,  lived  under 
another  name. 

The  negro  repeated  his  urgent  wish  to  find  an 
oppportunity,  as  soon  as  possible,  of  fulfilling,  at 
least  in  part,  the  especial  commission  of  his 
friend  in  relation  to  his  property;  and  Horatio 
and  Alvarez  withdrew  for  the  present. 


— '**^^*v^r  a 


CHAPTER   VII 


THE    TWO    PAVIUONS. 


Robert  Walker  had  taken  possession  of  the 
pavilion  in  the  garden  of  Madame  Closting,  and 
passed  the  greater  part  of  his  time  there,  as  he 
was  only  occujiied  in  his  counting-house  from 
ten  in  the  morning  until  two  in  the  afternoon. 

The  exchange  and  alfandega  were  closed  at 
this  hour,  and  tlie  mercantile  people  then  either 
betook  themselves  to  their  chacaras,  or  to  their 
several  dwellings  in  the  bosom  of  their  families ; 
and  those  who  had  not  the  good  fortune  to  be 
married,  either  went  to  dine  at  a  hotel,  or,  as 
bachelors,  passed  their  time  in  some  way  or 
other,  with  or  without  a  friend. 

Most  of  the  commercial  houses  kept,  besides 
their  chacaras,  particular  family  tables  for  the 
clerks  and  |)artners,  as  we  have  seen  in  the  case 
of  Messrs.  Rossbriick  &  Co.,  and  a  repast  sel- 
dom went  off  without  guests,  since  X  some- 
times ate  with  Z,  while  Z,  without  the  fearol 
compromising  himself,  seated  himself  at  table 
with  the  clerks  of  the  friendly  house  of  X,  and 
partook  of  the  roast  meat. 

Excepting  tlie  regular  visits  to  his  uncle  in 
Bota  Eogo,  and  to  Dr.  Thorfin  and  his  fellow 
voyagers  of  the  Nordstjernan,  v\hich  he  repeated 


DOLORES. 


217 


several  times  in  the  week,  Mr.  Robert  Walker 
was  seldom  seen  anywhere  in  society,  or  as 
above  named,  as  a  self-invited  guest.  From  a 
dislike  to  the  confusion  at  the  Hotel  Faroux,  he 
had  made  the  arransrement  to  enjoy  his  dinner 
quietly  and  comfortably  in  the  company  of  his 
hostess,  and  the  little  creature  "  whom  she 
wished  to  pass  for  her  dau-ihter."  Accordinfj;  to 
English  custum,  he  drank  his  tea  late  in  the  even- 
ing, and  in  the  morninj;  his  Brazilian  coffee, 
alone,  in  his  jjavilion. 

He  had,  a  long  time  before,  studied  the  German 
language,  and  now,  since  his  acquaintance  with 
Hinungo  and  Dr.  Thorfin,  pursued,  with  a  like 
zeal,  the  study  of  the  Swedish  and  Danish  lan- 
guages, the  rich  literature  of  which  excited  a 
particular  interest  in  him. 

He  lived  in  this  manner  in  tran(]uil  retirement, 
in  social  intercourse  witli  tile  young  lady,  wlio 
had  found  in  him  a  friend  and  protector,  and  felt 
himself  more  than  ever  attaciied  to  the  forte 
piano,  since  he  practised  four-handed  composi- 
tions with  her,  an  innocent  entertainment,  that 
no  police  mandate  prohibited. 

Hubert  liad  not  only  developed  to  practical 
readiness  a  decided  talent  for  music,  but  enclosed 
witliin  the  depths  of  his  soul  that  "  sounding 
board  of  sentiment,"  (as  he  had  on  one  occasion 
expressed  himself,)  on  which  all  tlie  tones  of  art 
and  nature  reverberated  in  their  mysterious 
purity,  as  harmony  of  the  soul  in  its  spiritual 
element. 

This  inward  feeling  in  him  resembled  a  dia- 
mond, whose  solution  had  been  attempted  in  all 
metliods,  by  the  chemical  matter  of  education, 
and,  to  Aunt  Susan's  groat  indignation,  without 
success.  In  whatever  fold  of  the  heart  this  dia- 
mond, the  sense  of  the  beautiful,  had  concealed 
itself,  it  had  remained  uninjured,  and  more  than 
ever  asserted  its  moral  worth,  since  the  undeni- 
able crisis  in  the  life  of  the  noble  youth,  at  his 
arrival  in  Rio,  as  friend  and  protector  of  the 
exiled  poetess  from  La  Plata  river. 

Robert's  inclination  for  music  would  perhaps 
not  have  developed  itself  in  so  great  a  degree,  if 
(as  we  have  already  intimated)  it  had  not  been 
stimulated  by  Aunt  Susan. 

Miss  Thomson,  who  had  had  the  boy  under  her 
superintendence  for  years,  in  consequence  of  her 
sectarian  si>irit  decl.ired  all  music  to  be  a  sinful 
propensity  to  worldly  dissijiation,  and  strictly 
prohibited  liim  tvnni  musical  exercises. 

It  happened  with  the  boy,  as  with  so  many 
men,  who  often  fust  experience  the  worth  of 
freedom  througli  despotic  restrictions,  and  feel 
the  moral  force  within  them  the  more  power- 
fully, the  more  strictly  it  is  repressed. 

The  less  the  buy  was  able,  according  to  his 
youthful  perceptions,  to  recognise  the  practising 
of  music  as  sinful  and  depraved,  and  cursed  be- 
fore (jod,  the  ottener  did  he  slip  away  to  his 
music  master,  and  linger  at  the  piano  forte  for 
hours. 

After  Aunt  Susan's  departure  from  Buenos 
Ayres,  he  became  his  own  master  in  the  above 
respect,  since  his  father,  with  whose  religious 
views  we  are  acquainted,  gave  himself  little 
trouble  about  it,  whether  Robert  played  the 
piano  or  cards,  if  his  teachers  were  satisfied 
with  him,  who  were  to  form  him  into  a  capable 
business  man. 

Kobert  had  never  found  his  undeniable  ex- 
28 


pcrtness  on  the  piano  gn  entertaining,  as  in  ac- 
coni'ianying  the  favourite  compositions  of  his 
pretty,  and  truly  amiable  hostess,  who,  on  her 
part,  quite  unaccountably  to  herself,  had  never 
before  moved  her  little  fingers  over  the  keys 
with  such  readiness,  as  when  she  accompanied 
the  young  Englishman.  !t  only  happened  occa- 
sionally, that  she  suddenly,  and  certainly  in  the 
least  dilTicnlf  passages,  made  a  mistake,  oi 
missed  the  time,  and  then,  involuntarily,  partly 
in  apologetic  civility,  her  glance  was  turned 
sideways  upon  her  friend,  either  to  excuse  tlie 
mistake,  or  to  ask  his  indulgence 

The  empire  of  tone  on  the  pdanet  Saturn,  may 
be,  as  Ilinango  afiirms,  of  an  extension  and  eleva- 
tion of  which  we  poor  mortals  on  the  earlh  are 
not  able  to  form  a  conception  ;  but  riiusic  has 
ever  appeared  to  us  incontestably  powerful,  even 
on  earth,  as  a  medium  for  the  expression  of  sen- 
timent and  thought  ;  and  the  fragmentary  inti- 
mation of  the  Scandinavian  "  enthusiast"  may, 
perhaps,  have  for  itself  some  ground  of  pro- 
bability. 

In  this  instance,  it  was  remarkable  that  the 
musical  pair,  in  the  comparison  and  selection  of 
the  ancient  and  modern  compositi(ms  of  their 
united  musical  store,  discovered  a  singular  ac- 
cordance in  the  character  and  spirit  of  the  com- 
positions— a  coincidence  of  taste  and  judgement 
in  art,  vrhich  proved  an  undeniable  affinity  of 
mind,  as  well  as  an  intimate  communion  of  soul. 
The  musical  portfolios  of  both,  contained  in 
preference,  masterpieces  of  serious  and  pro- 
foundly sentimental  composition, -in  opposition 
to  the  superficial  and  often  characterless  mixture 
of  stolen  fragments,  "  put  together,"  and  com- 
bined into  an  allegro,  which  are  liked  in  so 
many  families,  under  the  pretext,  that  "  life  is 
serious  enough,  and,  of  all  things  in  the  world, 
peo[>le  must  not  hear  any  thing  serious  or  moura- 
iul  upon  an  instrument !" 

Whether  Mr.  Robert's  piano  was  of  better  qual- 
ity, or  more  conveniently  situated  fur  two  stools, 
or  the  daylight  coming  through  less  foliage  was 
brighter  at  his  window,  or  the  glass  cylinders  to 
his  w,ix  lights  were  cleaner  than  all  these  things 
appeared  in  the  apartment  of  Senhora  Gracia, 
she  had,  all  at  once,  experienced  a  particular 
preference  for  Mr.  Robert's  piano  ;  and  as  it  was 
dilhcult  to  move,  and  there  was  no  better  place 
lor  it  in  her  villa,  the  instrument  remained 
where  it  was,  and  Senhora  Gracia  often  remained 
by  Seiibor  Riiberio,  upon  his  comfortable  chair, 
long  alter  they  had  ceased  pl.iying  their  four- 
handed  compositions. 

This  confiding  unreserve,  which  (according  to 
the  observations  of  so  many  travellers)  forms  a 
part  of  the  character  of  the  Brazilian  women, 
and  manilesLs  itself  in  their  natural  naivete  in 
social  intercourse,  operated  with  magic  power 
u|)on  the  stranger  youth.  Being  endowed  by 
nature  with  similar  unreserve,  in  a  few  weeks 
he  felt  himself  as  if  at  home  with  the  young 
lady,  whose  circumstances  he  never  allowed 
himself  to  touch  upon,  as  he  re.spected  her 
secret. 

When  Robert  came  home,  he  regularly  found 
the  traces  of  a  careful  disposing  hand,  which 
arranged  the  smallest  trifles  lor  his  accommoda- 
tion :  the  vases  on  the  pier  table  filled  with 
lre.sh  flowers  j  the  blinds  closed  on  the  sunny 


218 


DOLORES, 


Bidp,  and  the  sTi  uled  windows  opened  ;  in  short, 
all  the  pro|>ir itinns  for  his  return;  and,  occa- 
sionally, ;i  pj'iiliirly  delicate  flower  left  upon 
tlie  Iceys  of  t!i:;  |ii,i'io,  as  if  in  fori,'etfntnes3. 

The  windows  of  the  sitting-room-f  in  the  two 
pavilions,  whose  insii^nificant  distance  from  eacii 
otlier  we  liave  before  intimated,  casu  lUy  affn-dcil 
a  jn'ospect  (or  rather  iiisi2;ht)  into  each  other, 
besides  wliich,  they  comm  m(ie<l  a  view  of  the 
Bay  and  the  giijantic  Or;;an  Monntains.  The 
Brazilian  sun  regularly  took  its  course,  from  east 
to  West,  through  the  northern  hemisphere,  and 
shone  upon  t!ie  two  pavilions,  towards  evenin2^, 
in  such  a  direction  that  Senhora  Gracia's  win- 
dow, where,  as  it  seemed,  was  her  favorite  sent, 
happened  to  be  envelojjed  in  shade,  and  of  course 
could  remain  open  unhindered.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  window  at  which  stood  the  writin;;- 
deslv  of  her  neighbor  was  partly  covered  by  some 
bananas,  .vhose  fanlilce  crowns  first  commenced 
at  a  heii^ht  not  reached  by  Senhor  Roberto's 
forehead  when  he  sat  at  his  usual  place  at  home. 

Senliora  Gracia  occupied  herself  with  the  art 
of  making  flowers  from  the  feathers  of  parrots 
and  "  colibris,"  and  many  other  birds;  an  art 
which  (as  we  shall  soon  know)  she  had  acquired 
wlien  a  child  amongst  tlie  nuns,  and  had  since 
then  often  turned  to  the  lightening  of  her  solitary 
existence. 

She  worlied  from  sunrise  until  Robert  came  to 


they  do  not  grow  at  all  d\iri'na'  the  day.  To 
convince  himself  of  this,  Roliert  daily  bent  tlio 
■io  called  tube-loaf,  which  developed  itself  from 
the  chalice  of  the  crown,  against  the  wall,  by 
■neinsofacane  of  snUcient  length,  and  scratched 
1  mirk  with  the  same  cane.  It  was  the  Bra- 
'.ilian  spring,  it  w.is  quasi  May,  in  (Juenabara, 
md  .Senhora  Gracia  appeared  to  delight,  with  pe- 
culiar U)ve,  in  the  wonderful  richness  of  n.iture. 
A  mysteriously  powerful  force  of  nature  seemed 
to  spread  itself  through  her  being,  with  simil  irly 
speedy  development;  a  sentiment  of  the  joy 
und  happiness  of  existence  unfolded  itself  in 
her,  as  the  chalice  leaf  of  the  young  b  mana 
struggled  upward  from  night  to  night — heiven- 
wards — starwards — up  to  tlie  ethereally  clear 
zenith,  which  was  touched  by  an  arm  of  the 
milky-way,  whose  myriad  stars  our  human  eyes 
only  know  by  hearsay. 

Shall  we  explain  it  to  ourselves  by  the  child- 
ish love  of  a  pure  female  heart  fir  the  wonder- 
fully rich  mysterious  nature,  that  Seahora  (Jraeia 
at  times  suddenly  rose  from  her  work  and  ran  to 
the  young  tree,  merely  to  see  whether  it  did  not 
indeed  grow  in  the  day  time  ?  And  shall  we 
count  it  amongst  the  thousands  and  thousands  o( 
insignificantaccidents,  that  she  must  pass  direct- 
ly by  Robert's  door,  to  arrive  at  the  sun-avoiding 
and  starlight-loving  banana,  not  to  mention  that 
the  doors  of  chacaras  or  pavilions  in  Brazil  stand 


dinner,  and  often  employed  the  remaining  hours  :  open  the  whole  day  .'  .Senhor  Roberto  concerned 
until  sundown,  to  complete  an  unfinished  flower, '  himself  as  inquisitively  and  scientifically  about 
or  to  begin  the  composition  of  another,  accord-  |  the  growing  and  not  growing  of  the  tropical  be- 
ing as  she  felt  inclined.  "  Senhor  Roberto" gene- 1  tanic  world  a-s  Senhora  Gracia.  If  we  only  put 
rally  seated  himself  at  his  writing-desk,  as  he  all  these  insignificant  circumstances  and  "acci- 
had  the  habit,  when  he  was  not  writing,  of  read-  'dents  together,  it  will  surprise  nobody,  that  they 
ing  there,  perhaps  because  the  slanting  direction   both  met,  from  time  to  time,  under  the  young  ba 


of  the  desk  was  particularly  convenient  for  him 
as  a  support  to  his  book .' 

A  young  Brazilian  woman  is  as  little  able 
always  to  make  flowers,  as  a  young  Englishman 
is  to  read  or  write  for  ever,  without  once  looking 
up  and  around  from  the  flowers,  or  from  the  pa- 
per, whether  it  be  written  or  printed  paper; 
iliat  is  a  matter  decidedly  settled,  which  requires 
no  citations  from  .Aristotle,  or  Jesus  the  son  of 
Sirach,  or  Lord  Chesterfield. 

Heaven  knows  how  it  chanced  that  .Senhor 
Roberto,  almost  without  exception,  encountered 


nana,  before  Robert's  door,  and  the  justice  of  the 
peace  lor  the  parish  of  Nossa  Senhora  da  Gloria 
would  not  have  easily  decided  whether  the 
young  Brazilian  lady  ibund  the  young  .Senhor 
luglez,  or  the  young  Senhor  Inglez  found  the 
young  Brazilian  lady  there.  Both  stood  there, 
and  contemplated  the  young  banana,  and  con- 
versed about  the  tropical  strength  of  nature, 
about  the  influence  of  the  starry  and  spheral 
world  upon  our  earth,  and  about  the  disturbing, 
paralysing  ettect  of  the  sun,  which  extinguished 
the  coals  under  old  Anna's  cofiee  kettle,  if  she 


the  glance  of  the  lively,  inquisitive  eyes*  of  the  I  did  not  interpose  herself,  or  some  oilier  object 
you.ig  Br.izilian  lady,  whenever,  quite  casually, 
he  lookeil  up  from  his  writing  or  reading,  aiid 
out  of  the  window.  Without  further  pursuing 
the  queslion  how  it  chanoeil,  we  will,  for  the 
present,  take  for  granted  that  it  was  accident — 
altogether  accident,  as  there  are  so  many  thou- 
sand singular  accidents  in  life,  which  are  cer- 
tainly not  so  interesting  as  this  meeting  the 
"ance  of  the  young  lady  ap|)eared  ;  at  least  we 


gl 


that  cast  a  shadow,  between. 

Robert's  thermometer  hung  outside  of  the 
window  at  wliich  he  had  his  seat.  .Senhora 
Gracia  had  no  thermometer,  and  appeared  like  a 
travelling  Briton  in  Russia,  (who  would  look  at 
the  tliermometer  to  see  when  it  froze  him,)  just 
as  willing  to  examine  at  times  if  it  was  hot,  or 
how  hot  it  was,  in  their  neighborhood.  To  look 
at  the  thermometer,  she  must  step  to  Robert'? 
infer,  that,  in  case  the  accident  had  not  appeared  ]  window,  and  her  little  chin  just  rested,  exactly 
interesting   to   her,   she   would   probably   have  convenient,  on  the  sill. 

avoided  the  encounter  of  glances.  Tliat  was  only  blind  chance,  just   a.s  incon- 

By  Robart's  door  stood  a  ycning  banana,  close   testably  as  all  besides  that  we  have  incidentally 
"'"   —  ■"        Senhora  Gracia's   attention    had  I  alluded  to;  and   it  would  be  silly  and  |iedanlic 


to  the   w.dl. 

been  drawn  to  it  by  Dr.  Thorfin's  remark,  that 
the  leaves  of  this  colossal  plant  will  often  grow 
from  ten  to  fourteen  inches  in  a  night, f  while 


'  .\s  an  Kn^li5li  autlior,  whom  we  shall  cite  fiertafter. 
C^lls  the  eyes  of  tfie  wumisn  of  Braxil. 

f  Au  cbservatiou  that  the  aathor  loiiiij  confirmed  as  a 
("net  in  Brazil,  and  which  belongs  to  a  department  of 
liiitul'at  scieace  tiiat,  cuiiuot  hero  be  treated  oi  in  Q  note. 


to  take  the  least  notice,  in  any  history  what- 
ever, of  such  little  .iccidental  circumstances. 
But  good  manners,  politeness,  the  compl.iis.ince 
of  neighborhood,  required,  imperatively,  that 
Robert  should  spring  up  from  his  seal,  and  lean 
out  of  the  window,  or  on  the  winiio.v,  which 
Senhora  Gracia  almost  touched  with  the  delicate 
chin  of  her  delicate   little  lace,  whereupon  lie 


DOLORES. 


219 


would  say  a  word  to  her,  or  she  to  him;  and 
often  one  word  produced  another,  and  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  was  chatted  away. 

The  thermometer  might  rise  or  fall,  but  with 
such  casual  encounters,  the  "  thermometer  of 
mutual  confidence"  at  least  rose  in  nearly  equal 
proportion  with  the  tropically  rapid  development 
of  the  banana  and  of  sentiment. 

An  exhaustless  material  of  mutual  entertain- 
ment was  afforded  by  the  little  lizards,  which 
every  evening  pursued  their  youthful  sports, 
pairwise,  among  themselves,  here  and  tliere,  on 
the  white  painted  walls,  seeking  to  surprise  each 
other,  slipping  away  again,  and  not  tiring,  for 
hours,  of  showing  each  other  all  conceivable 
marlcs  of  attention. 

I'his  species  of  little  mosquito  lizards,  belong 
amongst  the  prettiest,  most  delicate,  and  most 
amusing  little  "domestic  animals"  we  could 
name.  The  mysterious  manner  in  which  they 
paralyze  a  mosquito  by  a  glance,  and  then  dart 
upon  and  swallow  him,  fettered  the  young  Eng- 
lishman, as  it  does  many  Europeans  in  Brazil,  for 
hours,  in  observation  and  contemplation.  With- 
out this  mysterious  power  of  the  glance,  a  lizard, 
which  cannot  fly,  would  hardly  be  able  to  catch 
a  mosquito,  that  would  betake  itself  to  the  air  at 
its  slightest  approach. 

Robert  contemplated,  with  unwearied  atten- 
tion, the  adroit  movements  of  the  fairylike,  deli- 
icate  little  animals,  running  about  like  flies  on 
the  ceiling,  as  they  glided  round  a  mosquito, 
until  they  could  direct  a  glance  at  his  head  from 
a  distance ;  such  a  "  glance  in  glance"  as  instant- 
ly bound  the  insect,  fastened  it  to  the  spot,  and 
allowed  it  to  be  caught. 

Who  will  find  it  remarkable  or  surprising,  that 
Senhora  Gracia  partook  with  Robert,  in  a  neigh- 
borly manner,  of  this  amusement  in  the  con- 
templation of  nature,  especially  when  the  ad- 
vancing cool  of  the  evening  permitted  them  to 
remain  in  the  open  air  ? 

Whom  dues  it  surprise,  that  by  degrees,  through 
80  many  chances  and  little  accidents  and  oppor- 
tunities, an  agreeable  relation  of  neighborly  inti- 
macy grew  up  between  the  two,  which  became 
more  intimate  every  day,  before  Robert  had  yet 
received  any  information  about  the  outward  re- 
lations and  inward  life  of  his  indisputably  amia- 
ble neighbor  ? 

The  connexion  of  ideas  awakened  in  Robert, 
as  he  mentioned  the  name  of  Hinango  at  his  in- 
troductory visit,  and  infused  into  his  mind  the 
suspicion  that  this  young  lady  might  he  Senhora 
Closting  in  person,  had  by  degrees  been  estab- 
lished within  him  to  a  probability.  On  the  con- 
trary, the  impression  that  this  female  made  upon 
him,  loudly  and  forcibly  contradicted  the  tangi- 
ble reality,  that  she  was  the  mother  of  the  little 
creature,  or  mother  and  wife  at  all. 

Senhora  Gracia  appeared  to  him  a  maiden, 
early  developed  in  a  tropical  climate,  breathed 
upon  by  some  mysterious  soul-suffering,  that 
rather  spiritually  heightened  than  physically 
spoiled  her  charming  bloom.  In  consequence  of 
all  this  confusion  of  ideas,  he  fell  into  a  maze  of 
the  most  singular  contradiction  with  himself  and 
the  reality,  that  he  would  not  recognise  as  such. 
He  was  as  little  able  to  comprehend  the  thought 
that  the  young  lady  was  the  mother  of  the  little 
girl,  as  on  the  other  hand  to  give  an  account  of 
the  degree  in  which  this  question  generally  in- 


terested him,  and  wherefore  it  seemed  impossi- 
ble for  him  to  recognise  the  reality,  as  such.  If 
the  connexion  of  ideas  led  him  within  the  limits 
of  the  probability  in  which  the  young  lady  ap- 
peared to  him  as  Madame  Closting,  he  was 
shocked,  and  notwithstanding  this,  was  obliged 
to  admit  to  himself  that  this  young  lady  would 
perhaps  have  remained  more  distant  to  him,  if  he 
had  not  surmised  in  her  a  being  so  boundlessly 
unfortunate  as  to  belong  to  such  a  man  as  Mr. 
Closting  was  described  to  him.  He  could  not 
even  deny  that  he  had  all  the  more  carried  out 
his  momentary  design  of  entering  indirectly  into 
business  connexion  with  Mr.  Closting,  to  give  to 
his  friend  Hinango,  whose  sympathy  had  always 
been  valuable  to  him,  an  after  proof  that  he  could 
transact  business  with  the  other,  without  incur- 
ring the  danger  which  his  fellow  voyager  had 
quite  incidentally  indicated,  by  way  of  conversa- 
tion, and  more  in  jest  than  earnest. 

The  expression  of  inward  suffering  which  Hi- 
nango had  designated,  in  respect  to  Madame 
Closting,  spoke  incontestibly  from  the  whole 
being  of  the  young  lady,  who,  as  a  woman  in 
danger,  had  made  demands  on  his  protection. 

We  will  not  examine  whether  this  expression 
which  presupposed  a  heart  that  was  capable  of 
suffering,  might  not  originally  have  more  pow- 
erfully attracted  the  sensitive  youth  than  even 
conspicuous  beauty,  without  soul  in  expression, 
(and  armed  with  icy  coldness  against  all  the 
impressions  of  life,)  would  ever  have  been  able 
to  do. 

The  position  of  Robert  as  protector  of  the 
young  lady,  who  had  so  confidingly  claimed  his 
sympathy,  was  founded  on  a  coincidence  of  sin- 
gular circumstances,  which  were  partly  foreign 
to  him,  and  partly  proceeded  from  his  personal 
relations,  without  his  being  able  to  prevent  them. 
Senhora  Gracia  had  one  day  revealed  to  her 
physician.  Dr.  Thorfin,  that  a  young  English- 
man, whose  uncle  had  introduced  him  to  her 
uncle,  inhabited  the  pavilion,  and  he  soon  after- 
wards learned,  to  his  no  small  astonishment, 
that  this  neiglibor  was  no  other  than  Mr.  Robert 
Walker,  the  fellow  voyager  and  friend  of  Hinan- 
go. Had  his  patient  imparted  to  him  this  intel- 
ligence the  day  before  Robert  took  possession  of 
this  abode,  he  would  probably  have  taken  it  on 
his  conscience  to  break  off  the  contract  for  the 
lease  under  some  pretence  or  other,  without 
casting  the  least  doubt  upon  the  blameless  de- 
portment, or  the  pure  and  noble  character  of  the 
young  lady.  The  physician  knew  his  patient 
and  her  sufferings,  the  cause  of  them,  and  their 
effect  upon  such  a  heart  as  hers. 

To  explain  Dr.  Thorfin's  perception  of  things, 
we  remark,  that  he  would  not  have  entertained 
a  scruple,  for  example,  about  quartering  the 
young  gentleman,  William  Rossbriick,  in  the 
pavilion,  since,  according  to  his  psychological 
judgement,  he  would  have  taken  upon  himself 
the  responsibility,  in  respect  to  this  young  man, 
that  no  element  of  spiritual  attraction  threatened 
the  young  lady  with  danger,  as  in  the  other  case 
he  was  fully  satisfied  that  there  could  be  no 
question  of  any  other  attraction  for  his  patient, 
out  of  the  province  of  inward  life. 

Dr.  Thorfin  had,  from  personal  experience, 
but  too  clearly  seen  the  rigid  difference  of  wo- 
man's position,  contrasted  with  that  of  man, 
which  the  judgement  of  the  world  seldom  ov 


220 


DOLORES. 


nevei'  consider — we  mean,  the  difference  of  a 
mutual  approach  and  intercourse  of  the  two 
sexes,  which  rests  on  sympathy  of  soul,  con- 
trasted with  another  approach  and  intercourse, 
which  is  as  foreign  to  the  former,  as  the  higher 
eoul's  life  is  to  the  hnvest  materialism  ;  in  a 
word,  we  thus  distinguish  :  "  Love  and  Animal- 
ism," (in  case  we  may  be  permitted  to  form  a 
positive  word  for  an  abstract  notion.) 

How  little  Dr.  Thorfiii  had  erred  or  deceived 
himself  in  such  perceptions,  may,  perhaps,  be 
proved  by  the  bullet  whii:.,  on  that  eventful 
evening,  w'hizzed  through  the  garden  gate,  un- 1 
der  circumstances  that  we  shall  tind,  in  due  time 
revealed,  in  the  progress  of  our  story. 

The  so  Called  weak  woman,  in  the  conscious- 
ness of  her  dignity,  is  endued  by  nature  with 
a  strength  which,  as  repulsion,  bids  defiance  to 
all  mortal  power,  and  repels  every  frivolous  ap- 
proach with  the  "  sentence  of  death,"  expressed 
by  a  single  giance. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

SOCIAL    (JtJESTIONS. 

It  may  be  considered  a  philosophic  truth, 
that  man,  in  every  age,  and  in  every  zone,  re- 
mains "  man  ;"  and  we  understand,  by  this  term, 
the  inhabitant  of  the  earth,  in  preference  to  all 
other  creatures  of  our  planet,  endowed  with 
susceptibility  for  a  higher  idea  than  that  of 
animal  life,  with  free  poiver  of  will,  with  capa- 
city for  thought,  and  judgement,  and  sentiment, 
capable  of  the  moral  and  physical  ennoblement 
which  the  consciousness  of  his  divine  nature 
points  out  to  him.  In  accordance  with  this 
truth,  however,  we  behold  man  in  the  various 
zones  of  the  earth  incoiitestably  thrown  under 
the  influence  of  climate,  of  customs,  and,  espe- 
cially of  human  regulations.  The  latter  often 
appear  more  a  satire  on  reason  and  the  divine 
naluvc,  in  rigid  contradiction  with  themselves, 
and  oppressive  of  the  moral  freedom  of  man,  than 
they  authenticate  reason,   and  promote  nature. 

Should  it  appear  possible,  in  consequence  of 
the  philosophical  result  of  tiie  considerations 
and  researches  of  all  ages,  to  arrive  at  a  defini- 
tion of  the  term,  7na/i — to  answer,  with  tolerable 
logical  tena!)ility,  the  question;  "  What  is  man  .'" 
all  logical  tenability  would  be  suddenly  at  a 
loss  by  the  half  of  the  question  :  *'  What  is 
woman  ?"' 

With  all  respect  and  veneration  towards  the 
intellectual  judgement  of  all  the  classical  and 
modern  philosojihical  cultivation  of  European 
academies  and  universities,  (among  which  we 
give  the  "  Institute  de  I'rance"  the  first  place,) 
we  doubt,  nevertheless,  whether  if  this  were  pro- 
posed as  the  pri/.e  question  for  the  year  IS-IO,  a 
satisfactory  answer  w'ould  be  given,  by  all  the 
white  or  coloured*  literati  on  earth. 

The  more  Socialism  is  recognised  in  our  epoch. 


•  A  coloured  man,  .Mr.  Linstant.  LL.  D.,  or  Hayti, 
obtained,  in  cousequence  of  an  anonymous  dissertation, 
in  tlie  year  ltia9,  tlie  prize  of  the  Academy  of  i'aris,  u|K)n 
tlic  quustion  :  "  What  is  tlie  cause  of  the  antipathy  of 
ILc  whites  aguinst  coloured  jteojtle  ?-' 


as  a  subject  of  the  most  profound  research,  anil 
the  future  transformation  of  existing  social  re- 
gulations is  acknowledged  to  be  an  undoubted 
necessity  in  all  nations,  so  much  the  more  clear- 
ly does  the  question  arise,  as  to  the  destiny  and 
the  dignity  of  woman.  By  "socialism,"  we  un- 
derstand the  consideration  and  profound  investi- 
gation of  the  dignity  and  high  destiny  of  man- 
kind, the  discussion  and  designation  of  the 
duties  of  both  sexes  towards  human  society  and 
towards  themselves,  and  the  annf»uncement  ot 
all  possible  means  and  ways  of  arriving,  through 
inoriJ  ennoblement,  at  the  aim  of  their  social 
destination. 

It  is  a  consequence  of  our  material  age,  as  in- 
teresting as  it  is  natural,  that  socialism  (in  what- 
ever forn\,  and  with  whatever  aim  it  presents 
itself  here  and  there)  prefers  to  concern  itself 
with  the  material  interests  of  individual  classes, 
rather  than  to  hold  up  the  moral  ennoblement 
of  the  whole  nation  as  the  chief  thing. 

As  a  result  of  nationality,  wouhl  proceed 
the  reformation  of  the  statutes,  which  circum- 
scribe the  material  interests  of  the  so  called 
subordinate  classes,  and  degrade  them  as  slaves 
to  the  selfishness  and  prejudice  of  the  so  called 
privileged  classes,  who  keep  them  in  wretch- 
edness. 

It  seems  to  us  strange,  remarkable,  and  incon- 
ceivable, that  philosophers  of  high  standing  can 
consider  a  social  edifice  of  the  future  to  be  prac- 
ticable, and  answerable  to  the  requisitions  of  so- 
ciety, whose  foundation  rests  upon  individual- 
ism instead  of  humanity. 

It  seems  to  us  impossible  to  produce  a  social 
translbrmation  without  overthrowing  the  politi- 
cal regulations  of  prerogative,  without  estab- 
lishing the  freedom  of  a  nation.  And  it  seems 
to  lis  just  as  impossible,  in  countries  whei-e  the 
element  of  political  freedom  on  the  basis  of  na- 
tionality is  attained,  to  bring  about  a  social  re- 
formation through  material  improvements,  with- 
out a  recogriition  of  moral  and  intellectual  enno- 
blement, the  exalted  and  true  destination  of  man, 
as  his  aim  on  earth. 

Association  upon  association  may  form  them- 
selves, on  funds  or  voluntary  contributions,  with 
or  without  community  of  goods,  to  supply  tem- 
porary nourishment  and  employment  to  some 
thousands  of  breadless  mechanics — speculators 
upon  speculators,  (proceeding  to  the  practical 
application  of  this  or  that  philosophical  system) 
may  establish  and  promote  one  or  the  other  phi- 
lanthropic social  enterprise — the  social  world,  or 
the  basis  of  individualism,  will  forever  remain 
the  same,  so  long  as  the  nation  does  nut,  in  the 
element  of  freedom,  set  up  ordinances  of  hu- 
manity, in  conse<]uence  of  which  the  legislation 
of  the  state,  and  the  education  of  the  rising 
generation,  shall  be  recognised  as  the  first  and 
only  means  of  all  social  improvetnent,  and  all 
ennoblement  of  the  human  race. 

By  thesideof  the  material  degeneracy  of  the 
men  of  our  age,  which  conlbunds  the  means 
with  the  end,  and  recognises  no  higher  aim  than 
"  to  make  money,"  even  desj>ising  talent  and  in- 
tellect, as  subordinate  to  this  oliject — stands 
woman,  "  the  riddle  of  creation,"  which,  judging 
by  the  records  of  Scripture,  even  God  (as  it  ap- 
peared) was  not  able  to  solve  The  singular 
prophecy  which  he  united  with  it,  is  as  obscurs 
as  the  riddle  itself:  "  Therefore  shall  a  man  leav'O 


DOLORES, 


221 


fAthcr  and  mother,  and  shall  cleave  to  his  wife, 
eiti  they  twain  shall  be  one  fleah." 

Had  Dr.  Thorfin,  in  his  discussion  about  the 
psychological  enigma  of  the  moral  degradation 
of  woman  in  marriage  without  love,  recollected 
this  passage  of  the  Bible,  it  Would,  at  least,  have 
advanced  him  some  steps  nearer  to  the  solution 
of  this  social  question.  It  has  been  manv  times 
juridically  proved  that  a  morallv  vile  man',  when 
it  comes  to  the  point  at  which  the  unfortunate 
Wife  might  separate  from  her  husband,  literally 
"  cleaves"  to  his  wife,  and  if  she  desires  the  sepa- 
ration, in  a  hundred  cases  to  one  he  refuses,  be- 
cause she  has  become  "  one  tlesh"  with  him,  and 
13,  as  Mr.  Thomson  expressed  himself,  perhaps, 
particularly  "  comfortable  "  to  him  as  a  wife. 

We  see,  likewise,  millions  of  cases  in  which 
the  wife,  as  Mr.  Fitz  said,  "  cannot  be  separated 
from  her  husband  by  a  steam  engine  of  sixty 
horse  power,"  although  he  is  sunken  in  demor- 
alization, a  fact,  the  reason  of  which  is  perhaps 

to  be  sought  in  the  above  passage  of  Scripture 

because  both  have  become  ■'  one  flesh." 

If  the  original  Hebrew  text,  in  the  above 
place,  has  been  correctly  translated,  (which  We 
submit  to  the  researches  of  classic  philologists,) 
then  "the  riddle  of  creation,"  woman,  stands 
out  only  the  more  inexplicable,  since  God,  ac- 
cording to  another  Scripture  passage,  "  created 
man  in  his  uwn  image;"  and  it  repeats:  "In 
the  image  of  God  created  he  him  :"  And  this  man, 
created  in  the  image  of  God,  "  shall  leave  father 
and  mother,  and  cleave  to  his  wife  ■"'  That  is,  in 
fact,  as  great  a  contradiction  as  woman  ig' in 
herself. 

It  stands,  also,  in  Scripture:  •'  It  is  not  good 
for  man  to  be  alone."  To  be  sure  not.  This  truth 
has  been  recognised  for  many  thousand  years- 
"  It  IS  not  good."  The  Apostle  Paul,  as  an  apostle 
who,  here  and  there,  in  his  flight,  must "  slide  out 
of  a  window  in  a  basket,"*  could  only  maintain, 
as  an  exception,  "  he  that  does  not  marry  does 
better,"  since  there  might  not  always  be  room 
enough  m  such  a  flight-basket  for  two  persons, 
and  his  apostolic  office  required  resignation. 

That  the  Apostle  Paul,  however,  recognised 
clearly  the  powerful  influence  of  woman  upon 
man  or  youth  in  general,!  is  confirmed,  amongst 
many  similar  passages,  by  his  fatherly  or  bro- 
therly warning  to  the  youthful  apostle  Timothy 
"  to  beware  of  the  young  widows,"}  etc. ,  since  he 
beheld  the  young  Timothy  (like  so  many  other 
apostles)  in  danger  of  hanging  his  apostolic  of- 
fice "  on  the  nail  "  so  soon  as  he  should  "  cleave" 
to  a  young  widow  !  We  may  conclude,  from  Paul 
and  all  the  epistles  of  the  apostles,  that  the  wo- 
man of  eighteen  hundred  years  ago,  was  the 
same  woman  who,  some  thousands  of  years  be- 
fore, gave  her  Adam  to  eat  of  the  forbidden  fruit, 
and  then,  with  female  inconsistency,  cast  the 
m        guilt  upon  the  serpent. 

Poor,  unfortunate  woman  !  thou  hadst,  at  least, 
of  course,  so  much  love  of  truth,  and  sense  of 
honor  and  openheartedness,  as  to  admit,  "  I  first 
allowed  myself  to  be  seduced,  and  then  I  se- 
duced." 

Perhaps  she  was  seduced  by  a  Mephistophel— 
by  one  of  those  fallen  angels,  who  lived  with 
them  in  Paradise,  as  the  "  children  of  God  " 


'■  Noble,  hut  much  fo  be  pitied  woman  !  If  T, 
like  Adam,  had  had  the  luck  to  be  seduced  by 
such  a  woman,"  (observed  Hinango,  in  cimver- 
sation  with  Dr.  Thorfin  on  tlie  above  social  ques- 
tions,) "  I  Would  have  sustained  the  loss  of 
earthly  paradise,  and  in  tlie  loveotsurh  a  noble 
woman,  would  have  found  my  spiritual  paradise, 
even  in  the  desert " 

"  That  I  believe— it  is  probable,"  added  Dr. 
Thorfin,  and  both  found  themselves  at  the  gar- 
den gate  of  Madame  Closting,  when  Hinango 
withdrew,  and  rode  out  towwds  Beta  Fogo. 


CHAPTER   IX. 

THE    BHAZILIAN    WOMAN. 


•1  Corinthians,  chap.  7,  v.  8,  9,  32  37  33  40 

1 2  Corinthians,  u,  v.  33.      J  Timothy,  chap!  6,  y.  U. 


It  was  towards  evening.  Dr.  Thorfin  found 
the  young  Englishman  from  the  Nordstjernan 
in  the  sitting-room  of  his  hostess,  who  was  oc- 
cupied with  her  flower  Work,  while  the  "  little 
creature"  who  must  "by  all  means"  be  her 
daughter,  was  playing  at  her  feet,  and  trying  to 
make  flowers  likewise,  with  the  clippin"s  of 
some  feathers.  ° 

The  physician,  who  had  already,  for  soma 
weeks,  often  met  young  Mr.  Walker  in  the  same 
domestic  circle,  took  a  seat  by  him,  and  ex- 
pressed, in  the  first  place,  his  professional  grati- 
fication at  the  indisputable  revival  of  strength  io 
his  patient. 

"  For  the  present,  you  require  no  more  medi- 
cine," said  he,  after  a  sliort  conversation  upon 
the  state  of  her  health  ;  "  if  you  should  relapse, 
however,  ^sculapius  would  be  in  perplexity, 
and  leave  me  in  the  lurch." 

"Relapse!  be  so  ill  as  I  was  lately  .'"  cried 
the  young  lady,  with  a  heartfelt  expression  of 
anxiety  and  dread ;  "  God  forbid  :"  and  laid  her 
feather  flowers  out  of  her  hand. 

"  What  book  have  you  there,  Mr.  Walker  .'" 
said  Dr.  Thorfin,  hastily  seeking  an  object  on 
which  to  turn  the  attention  of  the  sufferer. 

"  Luckock's  Notes  on  Kio  de  Janeiro  and 
Southern  Brazil— lS-20,"  replied  Robert,  "  and 
I  was  just  going  to  read,  for  Senhora  CIracia,  a 
portrait,  as  I  find  here,  although  in  a  very  bad 
style,  a  delineation  of  the  characteristics  of  the 
Brazilian  Women." 

"  1  fear,  however,  that  the  Senhor  Inglez  ob- 
serves us  through  English  spectacles,  which, 
perhaps,  magnify  or  diminish,  or  are  green  or 
blue.  Honestly  speaking,  1  feel  that  we  are  no 
more  perfect  than  the  female  sex  in  other  coun- 
tries, and  fear  I  should  fall  into  a  little  embar- 
rassment, if  this  sketch  is  correct," 

"  You  will  permit  me  to  read  it  to  you,  Sen- 
hora .'"  inquired  Robert,  smiling. 

"  '  beg  you  to  do  so,  and  promise  not  to  inter- 
rupt you.  If,  however,  I  find  accusations  against 
my  countrywomen,  I  shall  allow  myself  to  make 
our  apology  after  you  have  ended." 

The  little  one  went  up  to  Dr.  Thorfin,  and 
showed  him  her  flowers.  Robert  began,  and 
read  as  follows : 


"  Of  their  dress  and  apearance,  we  Btranger* 
were  more    competent   judges    than    of  theip 


imsi 


DOLORES. 


mir.rlq.  The  firmer  is  of  the  lightest  sort.  Amonz 
their  fhmiliar  friends,  they  are  seen  with  a  sliilt 
only,  and  the  bosom  of  it  often  falling  otf  from 
one  shoulder.  They  wear  no  stockings,  and 
seldom  eittier  slippers,  or  the  wooden  clogs, 
with  hrown  upper  leather,  called  tamancas. 
Their  hair  is  long,  bound  with  a  riband  close 
behind  the  head,  the  end  turned  up  to  the  crown, 
and  there  twisted  about  a  sort  of  bodkin.  Some- 
times a  wreath  of  artificial  flowers  is  added, 
ingeniously  made  by  themselves  of  silk,  beads, 
coloured  paper,  tinsel,  and  the  wings  of  some 
of  the  brilliant  insects  of  the  country.  They 
are  arranged  and  worn  with  taste.  They  have 
few  opportunities  of  conversing  with  the  other 
sex,  and  what  good  fortune  offers  they  use  with 
eagerness. 

"  The  ornaments  of  these  females  have  a 
pleasing  effect,  and  set  off  the  charms  of  a  face, 
the  features  of  which  are  round  and  regular,  a 
black,  lively,  inquisitive  eye,  a  smooth  and  open 
forehead,  a  mouth  expressive  of  simjilicity  and 
good  temper,  furnished  with  a  white  and  even 
set  of  teeth,  united  with  a  moderately  handsome 
figure,  a  sprigiUly,  laughing  air,  and  a  demean- 
our gay,  frank,  and  unsuspicious.  Such  is  the 
appearance  of  a  young  lady  of  about  thirteen  or 
fourteen  years  of  age,  a  period  when  she  usually 
takes  upon  her  the  cares  of  a  household.  At 
eighteen,  in  a  Brazilian  woman,  nature  has  at- 
tained to  full  maturity ;  a  few  years  later,  she 
becomes  corpulent,  acquires  a  great  stoop  in  her 
shoulders,  looses  the  good  humour  of  her  coun- 
tenance, and  the  eye  and  mouth  both  indicate  that 
they  have  been  accustomed  to  express  the  violent 
and  vindictive  passions. 

"  Early  corpulence  appeared  to  me  to  arise 
from  their  secluded  and  indolent  habits.  They 
are  seldom  seen  out  of  doors,  except  when  going 
to  mass,  so  early  as  four  o'clock  in  the  morning 
and  even  then  the  whole  form  and  face  are  so 
wrapped  in  mantles,  as  to  preclude  the  enjoy- 
ment ot'  fresh  air,  and  to  conceal  every  feature, 
except  perhaps  a  wickedly  talkative  eye.  The 
exercise  which  these  ladies  take,  is  almost  wholly 
confined  to  the  house." 

Senhora  Gracia  had  listened  to  the  reading 
the  most  quietly  possible,  even  though  at  times 
a  slight  flush  passed  over  her  Brazilian  com- 
plexion; and  Dr.  Thorfin  had,  by  anticipa- 
tion, so  to  say,  counted  her  replies  "  upon  his 
fingers." 

"  1  will  tell  the  Senhor  Inglez  my  opinion, 
point  for  point,"  began  the  lady,  smiling,  when 
Robert  had  concluded.  She  requested  the  book, 
to  read  over  the  several  places,  that  she  might 
correct  them.  Robert  appeared  to  hand  it  to  her 
reluctantly,  as  he  feared,  with  justice,  that  she 
would  read  further  than  he  had  proposed.  He 
could,  however,  find  no  consistent  pretext  for 
withliolding  the  book  from  her,  so  he  handed  it 
to  her,  and  she  read  over  the  places  she  had 
marked  for  herself 

"  As  concerns  our  negligee,  I  should  like  to 
know  in  what  sort  of  ladies'  society  your  Inglez 
was  an  '  intimate  friend.'  That  we  cannot,  in  so 
warm  a  climate,  tie  ourselves  up  in  many  tight 
garments,  while  we,  as  your  Inglez  himself  ad- 
mits, pass  most  of  our  time  at  home,  I  find  as 
F'-iitable  as  natural ;  but  I  demand  of  you  both,  to 
decide  whether  you  have  ever  seen  me  in  a 
lij^hter  negligee  than  this  in  which  I  am  sitting 


here,  and  whether  it  has  ever  •  partly  fallen  from 
my  shoulder,'  in  your  presence  ?" 

The  two  friends,  according  to  the  truth,  gave 
the  required  affirmation,  and  Senhora  Gracia  con- 
tinued : 

"  As  regards  our  tamancas,  they  are  not 
always  of  brown  leather,  as  your  Inglez  asserts, 
but  as  you  see,  and  have  long  known,  of  all  con- 
ceivable colors,  and  often  very  tastefully  orna- 
mented," She  thrust  out  the  point  of  a  tamanca 
below  the  trimming  other  negligee. 

"  And  for  the  most  part  very  small  and  deli- 
cate," returned  Dr.  Thorfin,  "  at  least  yours  are 
so." 

"  What  is  it  to  your  Inglez  whether  we  wear 
stockings  in  the  house  or  not .'"  she  continued. 

"  Perhaps  he  is  a  knight  of  the  Order  of  the 
Garter,"  interrupted  Mr.  Robert. 

"  He  may  have  the  honor.  He  will  hardly  have 
seen  at  our  balls  here  an  empress  or  lady  of  the 
court  without  stockings,  in  case  he  had  been 
permitted  to  attend  them.  I  thank  him  that  he 
at  least  allows  us  commendable  hair.  1  do  not 
wear  mine,  however,  twisted  up  '  in  buckskin,* 
but  as  you  see,  for  the  most  part,  confined  on 
the  forehead  with  a  velvet  band,  and  fastened  in 
a  knot  behind." 

"  And  that  is  certainly  very  becoming  to  you," 
affirmed  the  doctor,"  only  I  find  the  velvet  band 
too  wide,  it  conceals  too  much  of  your  open 
forehead." 

"  1  thank  you  doctor !  That  we  can  make 
flowers  you  see,  but  we  seldom  use  paper  for 
them,  and  the  English  paper  there  that  asserts 
our  '  eagerness  to  converse  with  gentlemen,'  if  it 
were  even  colored,  I  would  not  convert  into  a 
thistle  leaf  As  regards  our  portrait,  we  owe 
the  Inglez  national  thanks  indeed !  he  is  very 
gracious  !  very  flattering  !  only  I  find  our  faces 
more  oval  than  round.  Perhaps  the  Inglez  saw 
them  all  round,  because  he  was  accustomed  to 
his  own  reflection  in  the  glass.  A  moderately 
handsome  figure  I"  continued  she,  with  naive 
emphasis.  "  Then  it  is  moderately  handsome  1 
Thanks  !  thanks !  in  the  name  of  my  country- 
women I  mo-de-rate-ly  handsome  !  1  find  this 
judgement  admirably  just." 

The  two  friends  could  not  restrain  their  laugh- 
ter at  the  expression  on  the  oval  countenance 
of  the  young  lady,  who  suddenly  rose,  placed 
herself  before  the  mirror,  and  contemplated  her 
figure,  with  the  exclamation :  "  Yes,  sir,  mo-de- 
rate-ly  handsome '." 

"  '  Gay,  frank,  and  unsuspicious  !'  Frank  and 
unsuspicious  we  ai-e,  that  they  must  allow  us. 
Gay?  Ah!  yes;  I  was  gay  once.  At  thirteen 
or  fourteen,  we  are  burdened  with  the  cares  of 
a  household  ;  that  is  true.  Whether  we  are 
maturer  matrons  at  eighteen,  and  some  years 
later  become  corpulent,  and  lose  our  good  hu- 
mour, that  may,  also,  be  partially  true,  although 
I  have  not  become  corpulent,  I  have,  unhappily, 
already,  before  eighteen  years,  lost  my  good 
humor."  She  read  further  :  "  '  Accustomed  to 
express  violent  and  vindictive  passions.' "  "  Is 
that  true .'"  inquired  she,  with  incomparable 
naivete.  "  Have  you  seen  me  so  violent,  doctor 
say  frankly  ?" 

"  If  Mr.  Robert  lives    near   you    for   some 

months,  I  will  beg  him  to  answer  the  question  " 

"  Senhor  Roberto,"  now  began  the  young  lady, 

with  an  expression  of  voice  and  countenance 


DOLORES. 


223 


as  original  asgoodhearted,  "  Senhor  Roberto,  you 
know  that  I,  also,  am  a  Brazilian  woman  ;  now 
listen  to  my  request,  in  the  presence  of  you 
and  my  friend.  I  hope  that  I  shall  long  enjoy 
the  pleasure  of  your  neighborhood,  and  if  yon 
should  ever  see  me  in  an  outbreak  of  passion — 
an  outl)reak  of  passion  against  you,  then  pardon 
me  !  Will  you,  Senhor  Roberto— will  you  forgive 
me,  in  such  a  case  ?  I  beg  you  now  to  do  so,  in 
case  I  should  ever  vex  you  ;  to  ask  forgiveness 
when  I  have  vexed  you,  would  be  hard  for  me, 
for  I  am  a  woman — a  Brazilian  woman,  and,  so 
far  as  I  have  heard,  your  European  women  sel- 
dom or  never  admit  that  they  have  done  wrong, 
when  they  otTend  a  friend  through  their  ebulli- 
tions.'* 

The  inimitable  naturalness,  and  the  sad  tone 
with  which  Senhora  Gracia  uttered  this  request, 
afiected  both  her  auditors. 

"  You  will  not  vex  me,  nor  can  you  offend  me 
in  any  manner,  that  I  should  expect  a  request 
for  pardon  from  you,"  replied  Robert;  "there 
may  occur  cases  when  you  will  mistake  me,  and 
when  the  pain  of  being  mistaken  by  you,  will 
make  me  unhappy  ;  that  is  all  forgiven  in  anti- 
cipation ;  I  give  you  my  hand  thereupon." 

"  You  are  a  noble  man,"  sighed  the  lady,  and 
pressed  the  hand  of  the  Briton ;  "  I  envy  the 

woman  that "    She  interrupted  herself,  and 

read  silently : 

" the  unnatural,  and  shamefully  early  age 

at  which  they  are  allowed  to  marry.  Their  earlv 
good  humor,  or  the  show  of  it,  soon  wears  away ; 
they  often  become  the  very  reverse  of  what  they 
were,  and  exhibit  the  alternative  too  plainly. 
Tliey  s,ecm  to  bo  regarded  by  the  men  as  dolls, 
or  as  spoiled  children,  whose  whims  must  be 
gratified,  and  even  anticipated ;  and  she  who 
has  the  greatest  number,  obtains  the  most  atten- 
tion. The  generality  of  ladies,  treated  in  this 
way,  become,  almost  of  course,  fretful  and  peev- 
ish, and  vent  their  spleen  upon  their  slaves." 

While  she  scanned  over  these  lines,  all  the 
contradictory  emotions  which  their  impression 
wrought  in  her,  were  depicted  upon  her  delicate 
countenance. 

"  The  unnatural  and  shamefully  early  age," 
whispered  she,  and  suddenly  threw  the  book 
from  her.  A  deadly  paleness  overspread  her 
face ;  a  fever  chill  appeared  to  pass  over  her. 

Dr.  Thorfin  and  Robert  looked  at  each  other 
with  an  expression  of  heartfelt  sympathy,  and 
remained  silent. 

"  God  forgive  me  !  it  was  not  my  fault,"  she 
at  length  exclaimed,  and  leaned  herself  hastily 
out  of  the  window,  to  hide  a  flood  of  tears. 

The  two  friends  found  it  convenient  to  with- 
draw for  an  instant,  and  went  into  Robert's  pa- 
vilion, where  the  little  one,  with  her  feather 
flowers,  accompanied  them. 

"  Is  that  really  her  daughter  .'"  inquired  Ro- 
bert of  the  physician,  after  a  long  pause.  "  I 
permit  myself  this  question,  without  desiring  to 
intrude  upon  the  incognito  of  this  lady,  which 
was  the  condition  under  which  I  came  here." 

"  To  be  sure,"  replied  Dr.  Thorfin,  laughing, 
•'  I  thought  you  knew  that,  long  ago." 

"  Call  it  spleen,  or  what  you  will,  I  cannot 
believe  it,  and  will  not  believe  it !" 

"  Why  not  >" 

"  Because  I  cannot  think  that  she  is  married." 


Thorfin  again  looked  at  the  youth  with  a 
smile,  and  observed  :  *'  You  may  be  willing  to 
believe  it  or  not — be  able  to  think  it  or  not;  it 
nevertheless  is  and  will  remain  so.  Your  neigh- 
bor has  been  married  four  years.  To  whom, 
I  may  not  tell  you,  as  you  well  know.  Besides 
this  little  one,  she  has  had  two  others,  sickly, 
suffering  creatures,  who  did  not  live  long." 

"  You  may  make  another  believe  that .'" 
grumbled  Robert.  "  You  will  at  length  try  to 
persuade  me  that  I  myself  am  already  a  grand- 
father !" 

Senhora  Gracia  had  dried  her  tears,  and  now 
called  to  the  little  one  at  the  entrance  of  the 
pavilion  under  the  young  banana;  boUi  gentle- 
men went  out  to  her  before  the  door,  and  led  the 
child  towards  her. 

"  I  thank  you  for  the  book,  doctor,"  she  be- 
gan, as  she  handed  him  a  small  duodecimo 
volume;  itwa3the"Psychology  of  Love,"  which 
she  had  thrown  her  tamanca  alter  on  that  event- 
ful night. 

"  Whoever  the  author  may  be,  and  in  what- 
ever part  of  the  world  he  may  live,  he  means 
well  by  us,  by  the  women,  and  I  hope  that  a 
worthy  individual  of  our  sex  may  long  since 
have  rewarded  him  with  her  love." 

"  1  doubt  that  extremely,"  said  Dr.  Thorfin, 
laughing,  "  for,  so  far  as  I  know  his  circum- 
stances his  property  is  confiscated,  and  '  With- 
out money,  no  mouths  of  honey.'  " 

"  Doctor !  how  can  you  quote  such  a  proverb  .' 
Are  you  in  earnest  >" 

"  Perfectly  in  earnest,  through  manifold  ex- 
perience, confirmed  also  around  us  here." 

"  And  have  you  made  no  experience  from  ob- 
servation, which  tells  you  of  the  contrary  ?  I 
know  also  that  men  get  through  the  world  bet- 
ter in  relation  to  tiieir  outward  existence,  when 
they  are  married  than  if  they  remain  single." 

"  Certainly  !  I  grant  you  the  last,"  assented 
the  doctor;  "the  man  makes  demands  upon 
social  sympathy  for  his  wife  ;  demands  which 
he  dares  not  make  as  a  so  called  single  per- 
son. Where  love  cements  (he  union,  I  find  such 
demands  just.  But  to  bind  a  noble  being  to  us, 
as  a  'sign  of  family  paternity,'  without  love,  I 
pronounce  to  be  unmanly ;  and  as  a  man  of  honor 
I,  myself,  would  be  ashamed  of  such  a  privi- 
lege." 

"  And  as  is  indicated  in  this  book,  als®,"  added 
the  lady,  with  a  sigh. 

"  If  I  had  a  free  fatherland,  I  would  propose  a 
marriage  court  in  every  parish,  consisting  of  wo- 
men and  men,"*  continued  Dr.  Thorfin.  "  Each 
couple  should  announce  themselves  as  betroth- 
ed, and  should  not  marry  until  a  year  after  the 
announcement,  if  both  kept  to  their  resolution. 
If  they  became  convinced,  during  the  year,  that 
mutual  love  did  not  prevail,  then  many  unhappy 
marriages  would  be  avoided.  Before  the  same 
court,  all  complaints  and  accusations  for  divorce 
should  be  received,  investigated,  and  decided  on. 

"  Very  naturally,  however,  the  necessary  es- 
tablishment of  a  universal  Popular  Education 
should  precede  this.  As  government  in  gene- 
ral should  regard  education  as  the  foundation  of 
its  spiritual  and  material  prosperity,  care  should 
also  be  taken,  by  various  public  institutions,  for 
the  welfare  of  the  children  of  divorced  parents 


•  See  Social  World,  Book  VI.,  chap.iii,  Dolores 


224 


DOLORES, 


"  If  man  considers  ".iberty  as  the  privilege  to  do 
or  to  leave  undone  whatever  pleases,  without  the 
higher  aim  of  hiimia  ennoblement,  the  youth- 
ful generation  will  ^row  up  like  nettles  upon  thi 
open  fields;  and  if  the  children  inherit  nothing 
els.',  they  will,  at  least,  inherit  the  selfishness 
of  their  parents." 

"  Don  Pedro  the  Second  will  hardly  introduce 
populir  education  in  Brazil  on  such  humane 
principles,"  observed  tlie  young  lady. 

"  No  monarchy,  whether  despotic  or  consti- 
tutional, will  sustain  a  principle  of  humanity 
that  contravenes  its  establishment;  and  in  coun- 
tries which  boast  of  their  freedom,  man  is  so 
extremely  occupied  vrith  *  business  and  money 
making,'  that,  until  now,  he  has  found  no  time  to 
reflect  upon  the  idea  of  freedom,  and  to  ponder 
his  duty,  as  a  man,  towards  mankind." 

"  I  used  to  believe  that  England  was  free,  and 
was  proud  of  our  freedom,"  remarked  Robert, 
"but  [  feel,  mote  and  more,  that  we  are  gov- 
erned by  a  power  which  more  rigidly  resists  the 
foundation  of  a  •■ational  system  of  popular  edu- 
cation than  abso'v'tism:  it  is  Prejudice,  which 
recognises  the  aristocracy  and  the  priesthood  as 
the  Highest  authority,  and  so  long  as  these  pre- 
vail, no  social  'ransformation  is  to  be  thought 
of" 

"  Your  old  England,  my  dear  Mr.  Walker,  is, 
in  relation  to  moral  freedom,  at  least  two  centu- 
ries behind  France,  and  will  yet  pass  through  a 
crisis  like  the  year  '93,  before  prejudice  is  over- 
thrown." 

"  Our  Chartists  appear  to  know  what  is  re- 
quired  " 

"  And  your  socialists  stand  opposed  to  them, 
since  in  England,  as  everywhere,  they  hold  a 
social  relorm  possible  without  political  and 
moral  freedom  ;  that  is  the  mistake  !" 

"  Papa  will  come  soon  !"  said  the  little  one, 
interrupting  the  philosophical  physician,  "  and 
bring  a  gold  chain  for  mamma,  and  then  we 
shall  go  to  the  theatre." 

The  young  lady  colored  at  the  inapropos  in- 
terruption, took  the  little  creature  gently  by  the 
hand,  and  led  her  to  her  attendaut,  the  negress 
Maria." 

Dr.  Thorfin  took  leave  of  the  young  English- 
man and  his  convalescent  patient,  and  rode 
down  the  hill,  past  his  dwelling,  towards  Bota 
Fogo,  where  he  was  to  meet  his  friend  Hinango 
according  to  agreement. 


CHAPTER    X . 

N-^TURE    AND    CUCBCH. 

It  was  difficult  for  Robert  to  find  a  \^ord  of 
excuse  for  having,  by  his  lecture  of  the  charac- 
teristics of  the  women  of  Brazil,  touched  a 
string  in  the  mind  of  his  friend,  which  so  clear- 
ly awakened  within  her  the  tone  of  discord. 

"  Pardon  me  Senhora,"  began  he,  as  he  was 
walking  with  her  in  the  garden,  "  I  considered 
the  whole  sketch,  so  far  as  I  read  it,  beforehand, 
from  the  comic  side,  and  did  not  suspect " 

"0,  I  know  that,  Senhor  Roberto!  It  was 
not  your  intention  to  wound  me — I  feel  that — 


you  gave  me  the  book  unwillingly.  I  thank  yen, 
however,  that  you  have  given  me  an  oppor- 
tunity  '"     She  paused,  and  then  continued; 

■*  You  know  too  little  of  my  fate,  to  be  able  to 

Imagine  what  anguish  stilus  when  I when  I 

look  back  upon  a  step — that  1 — -took  once — and 
— have  regretted  often  enough." 

"  You  have  re.illy  been  married  then  ?  if  ) 
may  be  allowed  the  question.  I  have,  until  now 
not  been  able  to  believe  it;  and  just  because  I 
did  not  believe,  I  had  the  less  fear  of  reading." 

"  Let  us  sit  down,"  said  she,  alter  a  pause 
and  pointed  to  a  stone  bench  near  the  young  ba 
nana.  "  To-day  I  am  at  length  forced  to  give 
you  information  about  my  pi_>sitioii ;  about  my 
inward  life.  Listen  to  me  quietly,  and  coiidemu 
me,  if  you  find  me  culpable." 

An  expression  of  pleasure  passed  over  Ro- 
bert's countenance,  at  the  prospect  of  receiving 
the  long  desired  communication,  which,  from 
strict  discretion,  he  would  never  urge. 

The  young  lady  commenced,  interrupting  her- 
self, from  time  to  time,  as  she  was  led  aside  into 
the  mazes  of  retrospection,  and  related  as  fol- 
lows : 

*'  My  father  was  a  superior  officer  at  the 
mines  of  Minas  Geraes.  He  was  surrounded  by 
gold,  but  he  was  an  honorable  man,  and  acquired 
no  property.  His  income  was  hardly  suiiicienl 
for  our  support.  My  mother  was  the  daughter 
of  an  othcer  of  high  rank,  who  likewise  left 
nothing  behind  but  the  name  of  a  brave  soldier. 
We  were  three  sisters.  My  brother  entered  the 
military  service,  and  tell,  as  an  ensign,  in  the 
campaign  in  the  south,  in  the  war  against  the 
rebels.  I  lived,  when  a  child,  with  my  sisters 
in  the  Minas  Mountains,  until  my  mother  diid, 
ten  years  ago.  We  were  helpless,  for  the 
pension  of  my  mother  ceased  at  her  death,  and 
we  had  no  protectors  at  court.  Some  relatives 
among  the  rest  Senhor  Moreto,  in  Rua  dos  Ou- 
rives,  took  us,  and  provided  for  our  education  in 
a  convent  school,  where  young  girls  of  the  firs', 
families  were  instructed  in  all  th..t  was  found 
suitable.  My  sister  was  afraid  to  go  into  the 
world  without  property,  and  shrunk  from  the 
thought  of  being  unhappy  in  marriage.  .She 
kitew  as  little  as  I  what  was  to  become  of  her 
when  she  left  the  institution,  and  remained  in 
the  cloister.  She  took  the  veil,  "  to  have  a 
living."  Ah  !  it  would  perhaps  have  been  bet- 
ter if  I  had  done  the  same ;  but  it  was  (juite 
difficult  to  place  one  of  us  there,  lor  we  were 
poor,  and  my  sister  could  give  no  donation  to 
the  convent.  Besides,  I  felt  no  inclination  for 
cloister  life,  I  could  not  dissemble,  and  I  could 
not  believe  what  the  church  required  as  faith. 
Ah  !  I  often  felt  so  unhappy  !  As  a  child  1  had 
so  loved  the  whole  world.  The  whole  of  grand, 
exalted  nature,  with  all  its  mountains,  ami 
streams,  and  flowers,  and  butterflies,  had  become 
so  familiar  to  me.  I  played  all  day,  and  until  late 
at  night,  with  my  floweis,  whose  buds  I  watched 
before  they  unfolded,  and  gave  every  favorite  a 
particular  name,  and  laid  myself  down  by  them, 
and  often  prattled  to  them  for  hours.  I  admired 
mysterious  nature  in  the  life  of  the  flowers,  ob- 
served many  of  the  chalices,  as  they  slowly  closed 
at  sundown,  and  hurried  in  the  morning  to  the 
same  llower,  before  it  awakened,  and  laid  down 
by  it,  and  said  to  it :  '  Oh,  thou  dear,  good  little 
flower,  wilt  thou  soon  awake?  how  hast  thou 


DOLORES. 


223 


plejit  ?  hast  thou  dreamt  much — much  and  plea- 
santly ?'  Pardon  me  these  childish  reminiscences ; 
I  lived  entirely  in  my  flowers;  it  seemed  to  me 
as  if  I  v/as  related  to  them.  I  was  then  obliged 
to  part  from  all  that  I  loved  there,  and  lived 
five  whole  years  in  the  convent.  The  religious 
Sentiments  which  I  had  derived  from  sublime 
nature,  were  declared  to  be  sinful,  heathenish 
notions,  abominable,  and  blasphemous.  I  must 
now  consider  as  culpable,  what  had  so  purely 
developed  itself  in  mc  as  a  child,  in  reverence 
and  worship  of  the  God  who  made  my  flowers. 

"Ah  !  I  cannot  and  will  not  tell  you  of  the  pain 
I  felt  when  they  called  me  a  heathen,  who  would 
be  *  eternally  damned '  unless  converted.  As  a 
child  of  seven  or  eight  years  old,  1  mustcompre- 
hand  religious  dogmas,  which  the  nuns  them- 
selves, who  taught  them,  did  not  comprehend 
them.  I  was  merely  to  believe  them  ;  believe 
in  relics  and  miracles,  and  pray  in  words  whose 
meaning  I  did  not  understand,  and  secretly  ob- 
serve my  playfellows,  and  report  to  the  nuns 
what  this  or  that  one  said  or  did.  Hell  was  de- 
picted to  me  as  a  means  of  binding  me  to  the 
so  called  duties  of  faith  and  es]uonage.  I  re- 
cognised our  whole  so  called  religion  as  a  system 
of  terror,  that  holds  up  fear  instead  of  love,  and 
the  Devil  instead  of  God.  But  why  should  1 
relate  to  you  any  more  of  my  sufferings  as  a 
child  .'  I  prayed  to  the  God  whom  I  had  ac- 
knowledged in  my  childish  innocence,  that  he 
would  open  my  heart  to  faith — faith  in  the  mira- 
cles of  the  church,  and  in  all  that  I  should 
believe  in.  But  God  heard  me  not,  and  I  could 
not  respect  the  nuns,  who  wished  to  compel  me 
to  listen  secretly  to  my  playmates,  and  to  be  the 
cause  of  their  punishment,  when  I  saw  no  sin  in 
all  that  was  described  as  culpable.  At  length  I 
was  confirmed,  and  left  the  convent. 

"An  aunt  took  charge  of  me ;  but  I  came '  out  of 
the  rain  under  the  eaves.'  I  had,  until  now,  only 
seen  the  world  through  the  window  grates  of 
our  convent ;  the  whole  great  city  was  a  strange 
World  to  me,  and  no  Botocudan  maiden,  that  may 
casually  come  to  Rio,  can  be  more  astonished 
with  ;dl  that  surrounds  her  here,  than  1  was.  I 
was  curious  to  see  all,  to  become  well  acquainted 
with  every  thing,  and  my  aunt  declared  me  a 
worldling,  and  wept  over  my  'thwarted  educa- 
tion ;'  and  when  I  told  her  that  1  was  passionate- 
ly fond  of  playing  on  the  organ,  and  wished  for 
a  piano  that  I  might  practice  diligently,  then 
my  misfortunes  were  complete." 

"  A  singular  accordance  with  my  position 
towards  my  aunt  in  Buenos  Ayres,"  remarked 
Robert,  as  she  paused.  "  I  beg  you  tell  me 
more." 

"  I  longed  to  hear  an  opera — to  visit  the  the- 
atre. One  of  my  relatives  took  me,  occasionally, 
here  and  there,  and  I  soon  learned  our  national 
dances  from  my  young  friends,  in  whose  society 
I  lived.  I  attended  family  balls,  and  I  found 
life  so  new,  and  so  charming  by  its  novelty,  and 
now  desired  nothing  so  much  as  to  be  '  indepen- 
dent," that  I  might  enjoy  life.  I  called  it  being 
independent  to  remove  from  my  aunt,  who  was 
hourly  tiring  me  with  telling  the  rosary,  and  de- 
picted all  the  enjoyments  of  the  world  as  sinful 
and  culpable.  1  durst  read  nothing  but  my  con- 
vent hooks,  which  1  had  read  a  hundred  times, 
and  I  thought  so  much  the  more.  I  had  an  ap- 
titude for  flower-making,  and  not  to  be  a  burden 
29 


to  my  aunt  for  the  nxpenses  of  clothing,  and  the 
like,  I  gave  my  attention  to  the  trade,  and  sold 
my  work  to  the  business  people,  who  dealt  in 
them.  A  stranger  came  to  live  at  my  aunt's, 
who  had  hired  the  second  story.  I  made  his 
acquaintance.  He  was  a  naturalist,  and  had  for- 
merly been  a  soldier  in  the  German  legion.  He 
always  had  all  sorts  of  singular  things  to  show 
me — minerals,  and  animals,  and  insects,  that  were 
strange  to  me,  and  attracted  my  curiosity.  Some- 
times he  had  a  tiger  cat,  whose  frightful  wild- 
ness  terrified  me ;  and  yet  I  lingered  willingly 
before  the  cage,  to  accustom  myself  to  the  hor- 
rible. He  kept  great  boa  constrictors,  rattle- 
snakes, and  the  like  monsters.  I  gradually  be- 
came accustomed  to  the  naturalist,  and  his  dis- 
agreeable company.  He  was  more  polite  and 
complaisant  to  me  than  any  other  man  had  ever 
shown  himself,  and — and— God  knows  1  only 
desired  a  friend  in  tlie  world,  a  friend  who 
should  accompany  me  through  life.  I  did  not 
know  tvhat  I  wanted  ;  1  did  not  know  any  thing 
of  life — I  had  no  idea  of  my  destiny  as  a  woman 
— I  was,  with  all  my  education,  so  stupid,  so 
excessively  stupid,  in  all  that  the  future  was  to 
lead  me  to,  so  unconscious  with  regard  to  all 
social  relations,  that  1 — that  I  did  not  even  know 
what  step  I  took  when  1  married  the  man  in 
whom  1  sought  a  friend." 

"  Then  you  married  Mr.  Closting?"  inquired 
Robert,  involuntarily,  but  started  when  he  had 
uttered  the  name. 

"  Mr.  Closting  !  my  God  !  you  know,  then, 
that  I " 

"  That  you  are  Madame  Closting,"  interrup- 
ted the  youth  ;  "  that  is,  [  might  have  known  it 
long  ago,  but — until  to-day  I  did  not  even  yet 
believe  that  you  were  married,  and,  consequent- 
ly, not  that  you  were  Madame  Closting.  I  can- 
not, and  will  not,  and  never  shall  believe  it!" 
added  he,  with  a  degree  of  violence. 

Notwithstanding  the  seriousness  which  the 
lady's  state  of  mind,  and  which  the  communi- 
cation occasioned,  she  could  not  avoid  a  smile, 
since  the  contradiction  of  his  assertions  bordered 
on  the  comic. 

"  Dear  Senhor  Roberto,"  began  she,  after  a 
pause,  "  in  the  convent  I  was  required  to  be- 
lieve what  no  man  can  know,  and  you  refuse  to 
believe  what  you  knew  beforehand." 

"  Well,"  said  the  youth,  after  he  had  for  a 
long  time  gazed  before  him,  "  explain  it  as  you 
will,  I  cannot  conceive  the  thought  that  you  are 
the  mother  of  that  little  one,  that  you  have  ever 
pressed  the  hand  of  a  man — to  say  nothing  of 

giving   your  hand  away .     I   had  forgotten 

to  say  to  you  this  morning,"  continued  he,  "that 
I  am  going  away  in  a  few  days." 

"  Going  away  !  you  will  go  away  .'  Senhor 
Roberto,  do  not  put  such  a  bitter  jest  upon  me. 
You  cannot  be  in  earnest !" 

"  However,  I " 

"  I  understand  you,"  she  would  have  said,  but 
she  restrained  the  words  on  her  tongue,  that 
would  have  expressed  too  much. 

"  No,"  continued  she,  alter  long  reflection, 
"No,  it  cannot  be  !  you  will  not  go  away  ;  you 
have  hardly  been  here  six  weeks.  Six  weeks  ! 
it  seems  to  me  as  if  it  were  six  days.  You  must 
stay  here,  Senhor  Roberto,  at  least,  until  my 
husband  comes.  You  ought  not  to  leave  me.  I 
have  not  yet  told  you  all.     I  will  reveal  to  yotf 


226 


DOLORES. 


the  situation  in  wliich  I  am  placed  here,  and  I 
am  certain,  beforehand,  that  you  will  not  leave 
me  to  the  danger  that  threntens  me  if  I  remain 
here  alone." 

"  It  is  true,"  interrupted  he,  "  I  have  pro- 
mised you  my  protection — it  is  true.  I  will  re- 
main here  until — until  the  business  of  our  house 
calls  me  away.  It  will  happen  some  of  these 
days.     Tell  me,  I  beg  you " 

"  There  is  a  man  here  who  sought  the  ac 
quaintance  of  my  husband,"  continued  Madame 
Closting,  "  a  baron  from  Europe,  who  is  travel 
ling  for  his  pleasure,  as  he  says ;  he  lives  at 
the  Hotel  Faroux  ;  a  man  in  whose  presence  I 
was  always  more  uncomfortable  than  before  the 
cage  of  the  rattlesnakes  and  the  tigercats,  and 
it  has  become  evident,  latterly,  that  my  antipa- 
thy towards  this  man  was  not  unfounded.  This 
man  leads  here  a  very  wild,  dissolute  life,  and 
keeps  several  mistresses.  This  man  visited  us 
often  before  my  husband  went  into  the  interior 
of  the  country,  and  transacted  business  with 
him.  We  lived  in  the  city,  and  I  remained 
atone  with  my  two  negresses.  The  baron,  as  he 
called  himself,  continued  his  visits  under  the 
mask  of  being  a  friend  of  my  husband,  after  he 
had  gone  away  ;  I  received  him  according  to  my 
anti])athy,  without,  at  the  same  time,  violating 
hospitality.  Perhaps  he  remarked  that  his 
presence  was  not  exactly  desired  by  me,  and  he 
remained  away  for  a  long  time.  My  husband 
has  an  agent  here,  who  takes  care  of  his  busi- 
ness ;  his  name  is  Senhor  Forro  ;  his  mother-in- 
law  is  a  very  low  woman,  who  unfortunately 
visited  me  occasionally,  because  I  could  not 
show  her  the  door.  My  husband  left  me  a  sum 
for  my  support,  he  is  very  particular  in  all  that 
relates  to  money  matters ;  you  will  become  ac- 
quainted with  him,  and  find  a  friend  in  him  ;  he 
is  the  best  man  in  the  world,  and  universally 
respected;  he  has  enemies,  like  all  other  men — 
and  especially  enviers — amongst  his  countrymen 
particularly,  because  he  is  fortunate  in  business 
and  a  very  experienced  business  man " 

"  And  the  agent's  mother-in-law  !"  said  Mr. 
Robert,  interrupting  the  "exemplary  wife"  of 
the  respected  man  of  business,  "  the  woman  of 
whom  you  were  going  to  tell  me ?" 

"  I  came  upon  the  subject  of  my  husband  be- 
cause he  is  very  punctual  in  money  matters,  and 
very  naturally  would  not  have  gone  away  with- 
out having  left  word  with  Senhor  Forro  to  give 
me  the  necessary  sum  monthly  that  I  required 
for  my  housekeeping." 

"  Pardon  me  for  interrupting  you,"  remarked 
Robert ;  "  I  find  it  very  strange  that  your  husband 
should  leave  you  under  the  guardianship  of  an 
agent  whose  mother-in-law  is  a  bad  character ; 
incorrect  associations  were  to  be  feared." 

"  Certainly — but — the  men  stand  in  business 
connexion  between  themselves,  and  their  family 
regulations  they  consider  as — as  secondary — the 
one  never  concerns  himself  with  the  family  of 
the  other." 

"  Just  so  I  think ;  therefore  Senhor  Forro,  also, 
should  have  had  no  occasion  to  concern  himself 
with  you.     Go  on,  I  beg." 

"  The  baron  then  remained  away  a  long  while. 
My  husband  has  now  been  gone  eight  months, 
and  should  already  have  returned  four  months 
ago.  He  wrote,  however,  that  his  business  re- 
quired a  still  longer  journey,  and  he  desired  or 


ordered  Mr.  Forro  to  continue  to  pay  me  the 
monthly  sum.  There  must  have  been  a  misun- 
derstanding," continued  she,  with  evident  em- 
barrassment ;  "  evidently  a  mistake,  for  my  hus- 
band is  known  here  as  a  man  of  property  and 
credit,  and  universally  respected  as  such ;  you 
must  make  his  acquaintance " 

"  And  Senhor  Forro  refused  you  the  money, 
and  gave  out  that  he  had  no  funds  of  Mr.  Clost- 
ing ."'  said  Robert,  again  interrupting  the  "  ex- 
emplary wife." 

The  embarrassment  of  the  lady  increased  at 
these  words  of  the  young  merchant,  who  had 
sufticient  knowledge  of  affairs  and  of  the  world, 
to  see  through  the  circumstances. 

"  Some  misunderstanding  must  have  taken 
place,  Senhor  Roberto,  for  I  assure  you  that  my 
husband " 

"  And  the  mother-in-law  came  then  instead 
of  Mr.  Forro,  and  declared  that  no  credit  was 
opened  for  you  ?  I  will  anticipate  you,  and  re- 
late to  you  what  further  occurred.  The  baron 
appeared  again  —  repeated  his  visits  —  ottered 
his  services  to  you,  as  the  friend  of  your  hus- 
band, to  make  an  advance  to  you — and  there- 
upon appeared  this  low  woman,  as  a  friend  of  the 
baron " 

"  My  God  !"  interrupted  she,  "  you  know  the 
whole  story,  then  ?  Through  whom  ?  if  I  may 
ask,  through  whom  did  you  learn  it.'  not  from 
Dr.  Thorfin  .'" 

"  From  you  !  Senhora ;  from  yourself,  since 
you  have  just  told  me  enough  to  enable  me  '  to 
read  the  rest  on  the  leaves  of  a  banana.'  The 
bad  woman  made  her  appearance  as  mediatrix, 
and  by  degrees  came  forward  with  certain  pro- 
positions^with  base,  shameful  importunities  ? 
Have  I  guessed  it !" 

The  unfortunate  woman  sat  suffused  with 
purple  at  the  recollection  of  a  baseness  which 
the  youth  had  exactly  and  truly  pointed  out 
Her  wounded  feelings  at  length  found  expres- 
sion in  bitter  tears.  "  You  have  truly  delinea- 
ted my  terrible  situation,  Senhor  Roberto,  but 
you  do  not  yet  know  the  end,"  continued  she, 
when  she  had  at  length  recovered  com])Osure. 
"  Think  of  the  unheard  of  audacity  of  the  baron, 
as  he  calls  himself.  Instead  of  considering 
himself  as  dismissed  by  the  answers  which  I 
repeatedly  gave  to  the  negotiatrix,  he  appeared 
himself,  took  me  by  surprise,  so  to  say,  in  my 
own  house — and  wished — to  force  money  upon 
me."  She  was  again  interrupted  by  tears,  and 
at  length  continued  again :  "  Senhor  Moreto, 
whom  your  uncle  knows,  is  my  relation ;  I  hur- 
ried to  him,  and  sought  protection,  without 
naming  the  baron.  There  existed  a  relation  be- 
tween him  and  my  husband  that  was  not  agree- 
able to  me:  all  sorts  of  calumnies,  even  before 
my  marriage,  intrigues  of  those  who  envied  my 
husband,  especially  of  some  young  Brazilians 
wlio — who  were  very  polite  to  me " 

"  1  can  understand  it  all ;"  concluded  Robert, 
"  gallant  young  men  who  desired  to  possess  your 
hand,  told  the  truth  to  your  uncle  in  relation  to 
Mr.  Closting !" 

"  The  truth!"  cried  the  "exemplary  wife," 
"  Senhor  Roberto  !  what  do  you  mean  by  that  1" 
and  her  high  forehead  drew  itself  into  wrinkles 
between  the  eyebrows.  "  You  cannot  surely 
believe  that  my  husband ?" 

"  Pardon  me,  Senhora,"  interrupted  he,  "  I 


DOLORES. 


227 


believe  that  you  love  your  husband,  as  only  a 
wife  can  love  her  husband." 

"  I — I — I  love  my  husb:ind  ?"  returned  she  in 
a  confusion  which  spread  a  paleness  over  her 
countenance;  "  I — love  him?  1  can  neither  love 
him  nor  esteem  him — horrible  !  Oh,  God  !"' 
sifthed  she.  "Oh,  if  I  could  bi'.t  love  him  as 
he  loves  me  !  if  you  only  knew  how  he  clings 
to  me — how  he- — ■" 

Robert  arose ;  the  lady  seized  him  convulsively 
by  the  hand.  "  Senhor  Roberto  !"'  sighed  she, 
as  she  arose  also,  and  as  it  were  literally  held  f.ist 
to  him.  "  Fort;ive  me !  forgive  me  !  for  He.iven's 
sake  do  not  misapprehend  me  ;  I  beseech  you  do 
not!  no!  I  do  not — love  him.  He  has — disap- 
pointed me.  He  should  havecllosen  a  different 
woman — quite  different — -not  a  woman  of  senti- 
ment—not  a  woman  that — had  a  heart — like 
this." 

She  said  these  words,  and  gazed  fixedly  before 
her.  Pressing  his  arm  with  her  right  hand,  she 
leaned  her  left,  and  her  forehead,  on  his  shoul- 
der.    Her  limbs  seemed  to  fail. 

Robert  trembled.  "  Sit  down,  Senhora.  Will 
you  go  into  your  room  '  Shall  I  give  you  my 
arm .'" 

No  !  no  !  not  in  my  room — I  will  finish — my 
relation — you  must  know  all.  My  uncle  then, 
as  I  call  Senhor  Moreto,  reproached  me  about 
my  marriage ;  there  was  a  violent  scene  ;  but  he 
took  my  part  as  a  man,  and  proposed  to  me  to 
occupy  this  pavilion,  which  belonged  to  him.  I 
had  hardly  moved  in  here,  when  the  baron  dis- 
covered my  asylum,  perhaps  through  my  ne- 
gresses,  who  are  obliged  to  go  into  the  city  occa- 
sionally, and  whom  he  has  followed  at  a  distance ; 
perhaps  even  by  ray  committing  the  imprudence 
of  playing  the  mehuly  which  1  designated  to 
you.  Enough  ;  he  endeavored  to  force  himself  in 
here,  and  one  .evening,  very  late,  nothing  else 
remained  for  me,  but  to  fire  a  pistol  through  the 
garden  gate  above  his  head." 

"  Why  did  you  not  aim.  lower  .'"  inquired  the 
J'oung  Briton,  "  he  is  not  very  broad,  to  be  sure, 
but  you  might  then  perhaps  have  hit  him  some- 
where." 

"  You  arc  acquainted  with  him  then — you  know 
of  whom  1  speak  .'" 

"  Of  the  Baron  de  Spandau,"  answered  Robert, 
"  and  I  thank  you,  with  all  my  heart,  that  you 
have  given  me  this  information.  The  miserable 
fellow  has  sneaked  into  our  house.  I  know  his 
views." 

"  I  concealed  even  from  my  uncle  the  name  of 
the  scoundrel  who  persecuted  me,  because  1 — 
because  I  did  not  want  to  accuse  Iiim,  as  he  was 
an  acquaintance  of  my  husband  and  my  uncle." 
"  I  can  account  for  that !  and  admire  your  de- 
licate consideration  for  a  fellow  who  does  not 
deserve  it." 

"  You  now  understand,  noble  Senhor  Roberto, 
the  ground  of  my  petition  that  you  will  remain 
here,  until  my  husband  comes.     If  1 — if  1  even 

do  not  love  him  ;  he  is  yet  a  good  man,  and " 

"  You  just  said,  however,  that  he  had  deceived 
you  !  and  whoever  deceives  a  woman,  acts, 
in  my  opinion,  neither  honorably  nor  well." 

"  Pardon  me  !  he  loves  me  indeed  !  as  well 
as  he  can  love.  He  provides  for  me,  however, 
and  for  our  children." 

Robert  made  a  movement  to  withdraw. 

"  Stay  !  stay  !  Senhor  Roberto,  stay  by  me  !" 


cried  the  unfortunate.  "  I  mean  do  not  go  away ! 
do  not  forsake  me  !"  She  uttered  the  last  words 
with  such  deep  feeling,  that  Robert  could  not  find 
it  in  his  heart  for  the  moment  to  deny  such  a  re- 
quest. 

'*  Senhora  Gracia!"  answered  he,  after  a  pause, 
in  a  decided  tone,  "  I  will  then  remain  here 
until— until  Mr.  Closting  returns,  upon  one  con- 
dition." 

"  Whatever  it  may  be,  I  will  comply  with  it." 

"  Upon  the  condition,  then,  that  you  never 
mention  your  husband  in  my  presence— never 
allude  to  your  relation  to  him — never  !  Either 
not  speak  another  word  to  me  from  this  hour, 
except  what  the  usual  salutation  of  a  neighbor 
requires,  or  never  mention  that  man's  name  to 
me  again.  Do  not  require  others  to  respect  him, 
whom  you  yourself  cannot  respect.  You  must 
either  avoid  him  or  me.  Do  not  condemn  me  to 
the  most  horrible  fate  with  which  a  man  was 
ever  burdened.  Decide  for  yourself  and  for  me." 

"  I  promise  you  that  I  will  decide,"  sighed  the 
unfortunate  woman,  pressing  his  hand  convul- 
sively, and  gazed  with  a  moistened  glance  into 
his  eyes.  Her  forhead  was  near  his  lips,  she 
felt  his  breath  ;  both  trembled.  It  was  night. 
Robert  lowered  his  head  ;  she  lingered  near  him 
as  if  his  pulse  was  hers.  As  if  awakening  from 
a  dream,  Robert  rose  and  attended  her  to  the  door 
of  her  pavilion  ;  she  tottered  into  her  apartment ; 
her  protector  entered  his,  where  he  threw  him- 
self on  his  divan,  sunk  in  that  chaos  of  feelings 
which  now  prevailed  in  him,  to  work  out  his 
eventful  future. 


CHAPTER   XI. 

ALL   SORTS    OF    COMMUNICATIONS. 

Horatio  and  Alvarez  went  from  the  palace 
of  the  negro  from  Goa,  to  their  abode  at  Dr. 
Thorfin's,  the  mediator  of  their  conne.vion  with 
Dolores,  to  whom,  in  such  a  case,  they  would 
certainly  have  gladly  spoken  in  person.  After 
they  had  made  their  northern  friend  acquainted 
with  this  singular  invitation,  and  what  had  oc- 
casioned it,  the  question  arose  whether  it  would 
be  proper  to  discover  to  the  plenipotentiary  the 
present  abode  of  the  exile.  Hinango,  who  al- 
most every  evening,  at  least  for  a  moment,  sought 
his  friends,  in  case  they  did  not  visit  him  upon 
St.  Theresa,  came  in  just  as  the  matter  was 
under  discussion.  He  was  "  on  business,"  as 
Dolores  was  translating  some  fragments  of  a  lite- 
rary work  of  "  Young  Europe,"  which  passed 
from  hand  to  hand  through  Thorfin,  and  was  set 
up  by  Alvarez  in  a  French  printing  office,  to  be 
despatched  to  Rio  Grande.  Dr.  Thorfin  delivered 
the  manuscript  which  he  received  from  Dolores, 
and  Alvarez  carried  a  proof  sheet  with  him. 
But  Hinango  was  soon  diverted  from  his  business 
by  the  communication  to  him  of  what  had  taken 
place  in  the  Rua  do  Valongo. 

"  At  any  rate  I  will  endeavor  to  procure  a 
private  interview  with  Dolores  to-morrow,"  con- 
tinued Dr.  Thorfin,  in  their  general  consultation, 
"  though  it  is  every  day  becoming  more  difficult. 
Since  we,  as  it  seems,  have  no  treachery  to  fear 


m 


DOLORES, 


on  the  part  of  Senlior  Vera,  Dolores  may  per- 
haps desire  to  confide  in  him,  to  receive  the 
information  about  the  relation  of  Senhor  Garrin- 
go?  to  her  deceased  mother.  I  am  myself  not 
the  less  curious  to  procure  an  explanation  of 
this  affair,  as  lately  a  circumstance  surprised  me 
in  conversation  with  Dolores.  We  were  talking 
about  magnetism  in  Miss  Susan's  presence,  who 
considers  the  belief  in  magnetic  power  '  sinful.' 
Dolores  smiled,  and  observed:  'Tlie  priests  in 
Spain  were  likewise  of  that  opinion,'  but  sud- 
denly recovered  herself,  however,  and  returned 
to  her  role  of  'Miss  Fanny'  before  me,  and 
merely  asked  me,  iff  knew  a  brochure,  the  old- 
est and  fir.^t  that  Mesmer  had  published  about 
his  discovery  .'  I  replied  to  her  by  repeating  the 
title  :  '  Memoires  sur  la  Decouverte  dii  Magne- 
tisme  animal,'  under  Mesmer's  name — in  the 
titlepage,  '  Geneve  e!  Paris,  1779.'  She  seemed 
as  if  she  wished  to  say  more,  but  her  incognito  did 
not  admit  of  it.  Miss  Susan  had  already  remarked 
that  her  niece  was  acquainted  with  a  great  many 
worldly  books,  and,  in  short,  believed  in  animal 
magnetism — what  no  '  church'  allowed. 

"  '  Because  al!  the  miraculous  cures  that  Jesas 
performed  would  then  admit  of  explanation,' 
added  I ;  and  Aunt  Susan  would  gladly  have  or- 
dered me  instantly  thrown  out  of  the  window. 

"  Whether  the  intimated  persecirtion  in  Spain 
stands  in  connexion  with  the  incognito  of  the 
physician  in  Goa,  1  hope  soon  to  leam.  I  know 
so  much  as  this,  that  a  Jesuit  in  Vienna,  Pater 
Hell,  and  an  Englishman  by  the  name  of  Ingen- 
hnuse,  endeavored,  by  all  sorts  of  intrigue,  to  ap- 
propriate to  their  objects  the  discovery  of  Mes- 
mer, and  to  announce  it  as  their  own  ;  another 
interesting  example,  by  the  way,  that  a  Jesuit 
and  a  Briton  often  pursue  the  same  path,  and 
endeavor  to  aiTive  before  each  other  at  the  goal." 

"  We  have  also  to  do  with  them  both,  here  in 
South  America,"  said  Hinango,  smiling,  "  and  I 
do  not  know  which  is  the  bitterest  foe  to  the 
fu*"ure  of  this  country'.  As  concerns  Dolores,  she 
is  at  present  in  gi-caterand  more  especial  danger 
from  a  good  Briton,  who  has  taken  into  his  head 
the  idea  of  man'ying  her." 

"  Are  you  at  length  convinced  of  that .'"  in- 
quired Dr.  Thorfin,  laughing. 

"  From  all  that  I  hear  by  yon,  and  must  con- 
clude from  the  conduct  of  the  old  widower,  I 
have  not  a  doubt  remaining ;  and  I  cannot  see, 
what  is  to  be  done,  to  save  Dolores." 

"  Unless  particular  circumstances  intervene, 
nothing,  nothing  is  to  be  feared  for  the  present," 
observed  Thorfin,  "  for  Mr.  George  goes  slowly 
to  work,  that  he  may  the  more  surely  attain  his 
object.  What  is  odd  in  this  whole  affair  is,  that 
the  old  man  as  confidently  believes  in  the  carry- 
ing out  of  his  '  fixed  idea,'  as  if  Dolores  really 
stood  with  him  at  the  altar." 

The  friends  were  interrupted  in  their  conver- 
sation, by  an  old  acquaintance  from  the  mouth 
of  the  La  Plata,  Patrick  Gcntleboy,  who  had 
sought  Hinango,  without  finding  him,  on  St. 
Theresa.  He  already  nearly  knew  the  haunts 
of  his  future  cajitain,  and  found  him  where  he 
hid  expected. 

Patrick,  with  the  aid  of  Captain  Finngreen, 
converted  the  cutter  which  Barigaldi  had  pre- 
sented to  him,  secretly  into  money,  without  ex- 
citing observation,  and  accepted  Hinango's  pro- 


posal to  enter  into  his  service,  aa  he  Was  n^c- 
tiating  for  the  purchase  of  the  schooner  brig 
Vesta,  and  could  then  employ  him  on  board  as 
port  guard.  Until  then,  he  kept  secret  his  ac- 
quaintance with  the  stout  red-haired  Irishman, 
not  to  increase  the  suspicions  of  the  Baron  de 
Spandau,  who  had,  unfortunately,  learned  more 
about  the  mouth  of  La  Plata,  from  Dr.  Merbold, 
than  was  even  necessary. 

"I  ax  pardon, your  honor!"  began  the  cap- 
stan piper,  **  1  have  come  to  your  honor  about 
something,  quite  intirely  by  ordinary  " 

"Now !"  said  Hinango,  what's  the  matter  ? 
what  news  ?" 

"  Faith,  your  honor,  that  has  happened  to  me 
that  an  ould  sailor  does  not  often  meet  with.  I 
am  promoted  from  the  foremast  to  a  horse,  or 
rather  to  the  stable.  By  yoOr  honor's  lave,  I'll 
just  tell  ye  what  I  mane.  This  morning  1  wa^ 
sitting  with  Jemmy  O'Halloran,  my  landlord, 
and  a  countryman,  too,  from  ould  Ireland,  your 
honor,  when  in  comes  a  spalpeen  that  spoke 
some  sort  of  English,  your  honor,  and  he  stare? 
at  me  like  a  sailor  at  the  land  he  is  steering  for, 
and  then  he  turns  about,  and  makes  his  course 
for  Jemmy  O'Halloran,  that  was  behind  the  bar, 
your  honor,  and  cries,  '  Ship  ahoy  !'  and  takes  a 
glass  of  cachaz,*  and  then  goes  on  to  speak  him 
without  trumpet,  and  axes  if  he  doesn't  know  a 
man,  may  be  a  sailor,  that  could  take  a  sarvice 
on  shore.  He  said  he  knew  somebody  that 
could  employ  such  a  man.  '  There  sits  a  man 
that  looks  like  a  sailor,'  said  my  countryman. 
Jemmy  O'Halloran,  and  winks  at  me,  becase  he 
knowed  well  enough  that  the  fellow  meant  me, 
he  saw  that,  as  well  as  I,  your  honor !  But  I 
won't  tire  your  honor  with  a  loi^ig  yarn,  but  go 
into  port  at  the  rate  oi'  *  nine  knots  an  hour  !' 
The  Dutchman,  Baron  de  Spandau,  wants  to 
make  a  groom  of  me  !  Did  your  honor  evei 
hear  the  like  of  that !  captain  .'  And  so  I  went 
to  look  for  you,  becase  the  air  didn't  look  jist 
clear  to  me ;  there's  a  bank  ahind,  a  bank  of 
clouds,  and  there's  a  storm  brewing,  I'll  lay  any 
wager,  begging  your  honor's  pardon  ! 

"  Did  the  baron  inquire  what  ship  you  came 
in .'"  interrupted  Hinango. 

"  To  be  sure,  your  honor ;  he  ased  more  ques- 
tions than  aver  a  Dutchman  on  the  open  sea, 
when  he  meets  a  vessel  after  a  hundred  days 
voyage ;  but  I  answered  him  as  a  smuggler  does 
a  custom  house  cutter.  I  s:iid  1  had  been  at  sea 
two  years  with  Captain  West,  in  the  Rose  of  Peru, 
and  last  with  Captain  Drewes  of  the  barque  Julia, 
of  Hamburgh  and  was  only  waiting  here  for 
news  of  my  brother  Tom,  from  the  coast  of  Pata- 
gonia ;  and  when  he  wanted  to  see  my  papers, 
I  told  him  that  the  cursed  Brazilian  rats,  that 
here  in  port  run  over  your  feet,  had  eaten  up  my 
tin  box  with  all  the  papers,  and  my  sail  maker's 
thimble  into  the  bargain.  He  told  me — the  t>aron 
I  mane ,  your  honor — that  he  wanted  to  get  a  tioat, 
or  a  shallop,  to  fish  here  in  the  bay,  and  axed  me 
would  I  he  his  boatswain,  and  for  the  present  I 
could  find  employment  here  in  the  stable  with 
the  care  of  his  hor-ses.  1  told  him  that  I  was 
not  willing  to  have  any  thing  to  do  with  a  four- 
legged  cratt  that  carried  the  bowsprit  behind 
and  steered  by  the  head.  The  thing  didn't  plase 
me  at  all,  at  all,  and  so  I  tmild  him,  but  1  woul.l 


•  Brazilian  white  mm. 


DOLORES. 


22d 


tliint  aliout  it,  and  so  I  came  straight  to  look  for 
yoiir  lionor.  Do  you  know  what  I  suspect,  cap- 
tain? what  the  spalpeen  wants?  He  wants  to 
use  me  for  a  spy  !  and  I'm  all  ready,  at  his 
liarvice  !" 

The  friends  smiled,  and  looked  at  each  other. 
Patrick  continued  : 

"  If  tlie  spal[)een  of  a  baron  takes  me  to  be 
stupid,  and  bad  enough  to  sarve  him  as  a  spy,  I 
will  do  it  ;  but  I'll  s.in'e  him  in  such  away  tliat 
he  shall  have  something  to  tell  of!  I'll  act  as 
stupid  as  he  thinks  rne ;  1  tried  it  on  him  to-day 
alreL-dy.  I  axed  liim  if  he  could  tell  me  where 
the  English  governor  here  lived.  '  You  matie 
the  ambassador,'  sez  he.  '  No,  your  honor,  the 
governor,'  sez  I,  '  for  sure  there  must  be  an 
English  governor  upon  an  English  island  !'  and 
then  he  tells  me  that  tiie  country  here  was  not 
an  island,  and  that  the  name  of  it  was  Brazil, 
and  that  a  prince  lived  here  !  I  gave  him  many 
thanks  for  telling  me,  and  jiromised  to  give  him 
an  answer  after  1  found  out  how  much  1  was 
owing  to  my  landlord,  and  came  away  from  the 
Hotel  Farouge,  where  he  lives,  the  Dutch  spal- 
peen ! 

"  Now,  your  honor,  what  d'ye  say  tillit  ?  will 
I  take  the  place  ?  for  he  axed  me  if  I  had  not 
lately  been  on  La  Plata  river?  accidentally  as  a 
passenger  may  be  ?  I  axed  him  if  the  La  Plata 
river  ran  round  Cape  Horn,  or  in  amongst  the 
West  Indies,  and  then  sure  the  leak  in  my  skull 
was  plain  enough  for  a  blind  man  to  see." 

"  Do  you  not  think  that  he  knows  well  enough 
how  you  came  here,  if  he  wishes  to  lake  you 
into  his  service  ?"  inquired  Dr.  Thorfin. 

"I  don't  doubt  it  at  all,  at  all,  your  honor," 
replied  Patrick,  turning  his  flat  straw  hat  like  a 
tiller  rope  before  him ;  "  ought  I  to  tell  him, 
tlien  ?  1  ax  pardon,  your  honor,  but  ought  1  to 
tell  the  Dutch  spalpeen  1  am  Patrick  iVIcCaffray, 
from  the  .Ar-gentile  man  of  war  ?  the  same  that 
shot  down  the  officer  on  board  tlie  cutter,  when 
the  Mazzini  came  up  with  us,  and  when  we 
were  ordered  to  lilow  up  the  schooner?  ought  I 
to  say  that  your  honor  ?  and  have  myself  sliut  up 
in  prison  here  at  the  command  of  the  Ar-gentile 
consul,  or  ambassador,  or  whatever  he  may  be  ?" 

"  Certainly,"  observed  Hinango,  "  you  could 
not  well  do  otherwise  than  briefly  deny  that  you 
ever  had  been  in  cjDmmunication  with  us." 

"  And  begging  your  honor's  pardon,  I  have 
always  heard  that  whoever  wants  to  make  his 
way  on  shore,  must  appear  stupid,  stupid  as 
possible,  and  then  he  will  do  the  best." 

"  Vou  may  be  in  the  right,"  interrupted  Hi- 
nango, "  but  the  baron  lias  undoubtedly  remark- 
ed that  you  are  not  so  stuijid  as  you  wish  to 
appear." 

"  And  begging  your  honors'  pardon,  it  is  ex- 
actly such  people,  that  ar'n't  just  as  stupid  as 
they  are  thick  or  long,  and  know'  how  to  turn 
their  stupidity  to  account,  that  can  sail  in  all 
water,  and  don't  run  so  easily  upon  sand  and 
reefs." 

The  friends  looked  at  each  other  again,  and 
smiled  their  approbation  of  the  Irishman's  wit. 

"  As  the  Dutchman  found  out  where  I  was, 
I'm  sartin  he  knows  who  1  am,  and  what  use  he 
wants  to  make  of  me  1  know  very  well ;  for 
tnayhap  he  commands  a  signal  ship  here  on 
fliwe,  that  reports  at  Buenos  Ayres  or  else- 
wheit!,  and  he  wants  people  to  look  out,  and 


see  what  sails  pass.  But  I  must  keep  olcso 
when  I  once  enter  the  sarvice.  1  cannot  come 
here  any  more,  nor  see  you,  captain,  but  must 
keep  a  report  cutter,  and  I  have  one  already 
under  sail.  There  is  a  seamstress  sits  with 
the  daughter  "f  my  landlord,  an  Irish  girl  too, 
she  is,  and  her  mother  wasltes  for  us  sailors  ; 
her  name  is  Lucy,  and  she's  a  nate  honest  girl. 
She  must,  by  your  lave,  take  care  of  your  hon- 
or's linen,  and  go  in  and  out  of  your  house  ;  you 
understand  ;  and  when  I  liave  anything  to  tell 
your  honor,  1  will  tell  it  by  Lucy." 

**  Have  you  already  made  such  acquaintance 
with  her  that  you  can  count  upon  Lucy,  Pat- 
rick ?"  inquired  Uiaango,  "  that  slie  will  not 
deceive  you  ?  " 

"  Oh  !  as  to  that,  captain,  I'll  risk  my  head  on 
Lucy,  f<ir  isn't  slie  an  Irish  girl,  and  all  she 
wants  to  know  is,  that  there  is  a  young  lady  from 
La  Plata  river  in  danger,  as  I  saw  pretty  plainly 
when  I  was  behind  you  in  the  Ar-genlile  brig. 
Lucy  need  only  kiiosv  the  part  that  Pat  Gentle- 
boy  played  in  tlie  cutter,  and  she  will  show  that 
she's  an  Irish  girl,  I'll  answer  lor  it!" 

The  friends  again  exchanged  glances,  and  in- 
dicated more  by  looks  than  words,  their  appro- 
bation of  all  that  the  gallant  liishman  proposed. 

"  Here,  captain,  here  is  the  tin  case  with  my 
papers,"  continued  Patrick ;  "  the  baron  must 
not  find  these  upon  me ;  keep  them  till  your 
next  muster  roll,  and  let  my  name  stand  in  your 
memo-raundum  as  boatswain  for  your  schooner 
brig.  .She's  an  inviting  little  thing,  the  "Vanda  ! 
1  looked  at  her  yesterday  at  a  distance.  She 
desarves  to  have  a  boatswain  like  Patrick  Mc- 
Caffray." 

Dr.  Thorfin  summoned  a  negro,  to  hand  a  glass 
of  \vine  to  tlie  honest  fellow,  who  took  it  with 
thanks,  and  "  poured  it  over  the  ballast  in  his 
hull,"  as  he  expressed  himself. 

"  Then  captain,  it's  a  bargain  that  I'm  to  sarve 
you  as  an  informer,  and  the  baron  is  to  pay  me 
for  it ;  and  the  money  for  my  cutter  Mr.  Walker 
has  got,  and  the  obiiquidation  papers  you  will 
find  in  the  tin  box." 

Hinango  hastily  examined  the  papers  that 
were  committed  to  his  keeping,  and  found  all  in 
the  best  order.  He  thanked  Patrick  for  his  con- 
fidence, and  especially  for  his  diligence  in  serv- 
ing the  good  cause  after  such  an  original  fashion. 
"  But  are  you  not  afraid  that  the  baron  will  send 
you  to  Buenos  Avres  ?" 

"  Me  !  Pat  Geiitleboy,  is  it,  that  he'll  be  after 
sending  me  to  Buenos  Ayres?"  said  he,  laugh- 
ing ;  "  and  faith,  befiire  he'll  do  that  he  must 
have  me  to  send;  and  before  he,  or  three  of  his 
fellows,  or  even  a  dozen,  take  me  alive,  the 
blood  will  run  from  some  of  them,  I  promise 
your  honor  !  No,  captain,  they  don't  hang  a 
man  at  the  yard  until  thoy  have  him ;  and  in  the 
mane  wliilst,  I'll  take  care  they  don't  catch  you, 
or  the}oung  l.idy  from  La  Plata  river  !  that  shall 
be  my  business,  and  Lucy  will  come  to  you, 
to  take  care  of  your  linen.  Farewell,  captain  ' 
Farewell  to  your  honors  !  "  said  he  to  the  three 
others,  and  hastily  withdrew. 

Dolores  had  lived,  until  this  time,  in  Mr. 
Thomson's  country  house,  at  Beta  Fogo,  in  tran- 
quil retirement,  as  his  niece,  and  found  her  sit- 
uation, if  not  exactly  agreeable,  yet  endurable. 
iShe    occupied    herself,    uninterruptedly,  with 


280 


DOLORES. 


literar}'  labors,  arranged  a  collection  of  her 
poems  for  an  edition,  and  filled  up  the  time 
which  she  had  to  spare  from  her  own  produc- 
tions, by  translating  Childe  Harold,  as  she  in- 
tended to  translate  tlie  wliole  of  Lord  Byron's 
works  into  her  mother  tongue. 

Severely  as  Miss  Susan  might  cry  out  against 
such  unheard  of  proceedings,  and  exclaim  about 
the  Catholic  who  had  evidently  been  conceived 
and  born  in  heathendom,  Dolores  had,  neverthe- 
less, known  how  to  secure  her  nioral  indepen- 
dence from  the  beginning.  At  the  first  oppor- 
tunity that  a  loud  remark  of  Aunt  Susan  in 
presence  of  Mr.  Thomson  afforded,  she  declared, 
with  the  decision  peculiar  to  her,  according  to 
her  rule,  however,  of  tlie  betrothed  of  Robert 
towards  his  aunt ; 

"  I  yield,  under  existing  circumstances,  to  the 
parting  from  my  friend  Robert,  because  my  po- 
sition requires  it.  The  sacrifice  I  make  must 
be  conceivable  to  you — do  not  require  yet 
greater.  I  was,  so  to  say,  brought  up  with  your 
niece,  Miss  Fanny,  and  have  learned  and  stu- 
died the  English  language  and  literature  aa  my 
own." 

"  Good  heavens !"  interrupted  Miss  Susan, 
"  you  have  studied  English  literature  ?" 

"  And  entertain  the  highest  reverence  for 
your  authors  and  poets,  especially  those  who  are 
misconceived  in  England,  and  only  in  part  un- 
derstood, like  Byron." 

Mis?  Susan  shrank  back  at  this  name,  and  ex- 
claimed, with  a  glance  at  her  brother,  "  Lord 
have  mercy  upon  us,  you  have  then  even  Byron's 
works  among  your  books !" 

"And  am  translating  his  Childe  Harold  into 
Spanish,  and  shall  dedicate  the  edition  to  my 
Robert." 

The  old  widower  twitched  his  face,  as  if  an 
enormous  beetle  had  suddenly  alighted  upon  his 
cheek  ;  not  on  account  of  the  literary  occupation, 
which  he  allowed  to  take  care  oi"  itself  until 
after  his  marriage — lie  was  merely  shocked  and 
thunderstruck  by  the  words,  "  my  Robert."  Al- 
though absolute  necessity  required,  in  relation 
to  the  aunt,  that  Dolores  should,  with  all  con- 
sistency, carry  out  the  part  of  the  betrothed  of 
his  nephew,  there  could  hardly  have  been  found 
a  more  painful  situation  for  Mr.  Thomson,  than 
the  one  which  compelled  him  to  have  this  mask 
of  betrothal  daily  before  his  eyes.  He  hoped, 
or  rather  firmly  believed,  that  nothing  would 
sland  in  the  way  of  his  realizing,  in  his  own 
time,  liis  anticipated  courtship  of  liolores,  when 
some  months  had  passed,  which  would  certainly 
be  necessary,  that  such  a  step  might  not  be  con- 
sidered as  "youthful  precipitancy"  on  his  part. 

So  far  as  he  had  hitherto  been  able  to  observe, 
he  had  certainly  not  discovered  the  slightest 
ground  of  suspicion  that  a  love  relation  sub- 
sisted between  Dolores  and  Robert,  a  consolation 
that  at  times  made  the  sight  of  the  mask  en- 
durable. Robert,  to  be  sure,  made  his  appear- 
ance regularly  several  times  a  week,  and  deport- 
ed himself,  in  presence  of  his  aunt,  towards 
Dolores,  as  her  betrothed  ;  a  demeanor  which, 
delicate  and  discreet,  as  it  ever  was,  occasionally 
made  the  old  widower's  hair  stand  on  end,  es- 
pecially when  ho  kissed  her  on  the  forehead  at 
parting.  To  the  reiterated  consolation  of  Mr. 
Thomson,  Robert  not  only  in  general  very  soon 
departed,   but  appeared  at  thelea  table,  as' in  tlie 


garden,  always  qnrte  strangely  occupied  witb 
himself — absent  minded — somewhere  else. 

Mr.  Thomson  obsei'ved  more  and  more  sharp- 
ly, and  by  degrees  beheld,  iii  the  far,  far  distance 
a  beacon  towaids  wliich  Mr.  Robert  had  directed 
his  course,  although  the  port  was  blockaded  by 
a  hostile  legitimate  navy. 

People  like  Mr.  George,  who,  notwithstand- 
ing their  "  youthful  age,"  have  sailed  for  full 
forty  yeai-s  laden  with  matrimonial  thoughts, 
have,  for  the  most  part,  a  particularly  sharp  eye 
for  recognising  vessels,  far  and  near,  bound  on  a 
similar  course  ;  if,  on  the  otlier  hand,  many  steer 
for  the  altar,  without  carrying  love  as  ballast, 
many  sail  laden  with  love,  who  must  renounce 
it  in  anticipation  if  they  would  ever  enter  the 
port  of  matrimony. 

Mr.  George  took  occasion  to  inquire  of  Dolo- 
res, in  a  confidential  tone,  as  ancle  and  friend, 
whether  Robert  had  left  a  so  called  "  acquaint- 
ance "  behind  in  Buenos  AjTes  ;  and  learned 
that  his  nephew,  so  far  as  Dolores  knew,  had 
held,  except  with  her  and  her  sister,  little  or  no 
intercourse  with  young  ladies,  and  had  passed 
most  of  his  leisure  hours  in  their  society.  The 
sensation  which  this  information  excited  in  the 
old  widower  was  divided,  in  so  much  as  the 
former  observation  had  satisfied  him  that  no  love 
understanding  existed  between  Robert  and  Do- 
lores, if,  on  the  other  hand,  the  aS'air  still  ap- 
peared suspicious  to  him. 

Accident  at  length  showed  him  the  beacon  in 
the  far  distance,  as  the  talkative  baron  once 
turned  the  conversation  upon  Mr.  Robert's 
neighbor and  the  latter,  from  youthful  dif- 
fidence, or  awkwardness,  could  not  prevent  a 
sadden  flush,  which,  besides  his  uncle,  nobody 
present  observed. 

A  light  then  suddenly  dawned  upon  the  old 
man,  as  we  have  said — tlie  beacon,  probably, 
towards  which  his  nephew  was  steering  his 
course.  The  result  of  a  business  transaction 
that  should  suddenly  have  brought  him  half  a 
million,  would  not  have  surprised  him  so  joy- 
fully, so  consolingly,  and  so  tranquiUizingly,  as 
this  discovery.  He  had  learned,  incidentally, 
from  Sr.  Moreto,  that  tliis  young  neighbor  waj 
a  young  lady  of  the  highest  rtsjiectabi/ity,  and 
he  required  to  know  no  more.  If  shfe  were  un- 
married, or  a  widow,  so  much  the  better ;  if  slie 
were  a  wife  seeking  a  divorce,  (for  Sr.  Moreto 
had  already  intimated  that  she  was  there  on 
legal  business,)  it  was  very  well  This  case, 
even,  was  no  misfortune !  whatever  might  be  the 
circumstances  of  the  young  lady,  it  was  enough 
for  the  old  man  that  Robert,  as  it  appeared,  had 
directed  his  eye  upon  her  instead  of  Dolores. 
All  the  rest  was,  and  remained,  tt)  the  old  expe- 
rienced matrimonial  practitioner,  a  secondary 
matter — entirely  a  secondary  matter — which 
would  finally  admit  of  being  accomplished  by 
the  means  which  were  at  Robert's  command,  iu 
case  ui  need,  and  which  had  already  set  aside 
far  greater  difficulties  than  proceedings  for  di- 
vorce and  the  like. 

Dr.  Thorfin  sought  an  interview  with  Dolores 
on  the  day  after  -Alvarez  had  revealed  to  him 
the  communication  of  the  negro  from  Goa,  and 
availed  himself  of  some  moments  in  the  srard'-n, 
while  Miss  Susan  had  withdra-^n  to  her  rotta 


DOLORES. 


331 


Dolores  appeared  in  the  highest  degree  sur- 
prised and  affected  by  the  news  from  Goa. 

"  What  relation  existed  between  my  mother 
and  Gabriel  Garringos  in  Madrid,  was  always  a 
riddle  to  me,"  said  she,  after  long  reflection.  "  I 
will  impart  to  you  what  1  know.  I  once  found, 
after  my  motlier's  death,  a  little  book — the  title 
of  which  you  lately  mentioned  to  me  correctly — 
among  some  of  my  mother's  papers  that  she  had 
kept  carefully  put  away.  In  this  book  was 
written  the  name  of  '  Gabriel  Garringos,  Dr. 
Med.,  Madrid,  ISIU  ;'  and  I  learned,  in  answer 
to  my  a  little  too  naive  questions,  that  the  phy- 
sician was  a  friend  of  my  mother,  who  treated 
her  in  a  nervous  sickness,  and  had  saved  her  life 
by  magnetism.  I  admit  that  this  science  was 
at  that  time  strange  to  me,  and  I  first  obtained 
an  intimation  of  this  mysterious  sphere  through 
that  little  book. 

"  I  heard,  from,  a  friend  of  my  mother,  that 
she  had  been  in  a  state  of  clairvoyance,  and  had 
given  her  physician  the  most  singular  informa- 
tion, which  remained  entirely  strange  to  her  out 
of  the  magnetic  sleep.  She  had  admitted  that 
she  experienced  a  wonderful  personal  inclina- 
tion for  her  physician,  and  knew  of  his  approach 
even  while  he  was  yet  at  a  great  distance,  or 
had  traced  him  as  he  came  near  the  house.  She 
appeared  to  avoid  looking  back  upon  this  situa- 
tion and  these  relations,  or  at  least  to  speak  of 
them  unwillingly.  I  only  learned  that  the  cir- 
cumstances which  controlled  her  at  that  time, 
made  the  separation  from  her  friend  obligatory, 
which  suddenly  anJ  inexplicably  took  place. 
The  phenomenon  of  animal  magnetism  in  the 
person  of  the  young  physician,  however  secret 
it  was  kept,  had  drawn  upon  him  the  observa- 
tion of  the  ecclesiastics,  and  his  life  was  in 
danger.  The  fate  of  her  friend  remained  ob- 
scure, and  up  to  this  hour  no  one  in  Spain  or  in 
South  America  knows  in  what  manner  the  mag- 
netizer  was  saved,  or  put  out  of  the  way,  who, 
on  the  night  of  the  24th  of  May,  1S12,  did  not 
arrive  at  home,  after  having  left  the  residence  of 
my  grandfather  about  teu  o'clock. 

"  That  is  all  that  I  ever  knew  about  Dr.  Gar- 
ringos. The  illness  of  my  mother  had  vanished. 
She  soon  after  accompanied  her  father  back  to 
Buenos  Ayrcs,  and  was  married.  If  1  judge  cor- 
rectly, from  many  passages  of  her  fragmentary 
correspondence,  so  far  as  I  became  acquainted 
with  it  afterward,  this  mysterious  inclination  for 
Garringos,  which  she  endeavored  to  struggle 
against  as  a  consequence  of  her  sickness  itself, 
disapf)eared  after  her  marriage  ;  but  awakened 
afterward,  as  a  friend  has  since  assured  me.  Some 
years  after  my  birth,  my  mother  lost  her  health, 
and  died  when  I  w;is  about  ten  years  old." 

Dr.  ThorSn  heard  this  communication  with 
fixed  attention,  and  then  inquired  : 

"  Wliat  is  your  determination  in  regard  to  the 
confidant  of  Dr.  Garringos  ?  May  I  inform  him 
of  your  abode  ?" 

'  According  to  all  that  Alvarez  has  informed 
you  of,  concerning  the  duplicate  of  the  picture, 
and  the  inferences  from  this  letter  of  attorney, 
we  may  confide  in  him  certainly.  He  ought  to 
know  my  fate  ;  and  you,  doctor,  will  have  the 
goodness  to  visit  him,  with  Alvarez,  but  urge 
him  to  strict  discretion  in  regard  to  my  incogni- 
to." 

"  That  is  a  matter  of  course,"  answered  he, 


hastily,  for  Aunt  Susan  approached  with  a  criti- 
cising air  at  the  long  interview  of  her  niece  with 
the  foreign  doctor,  which  certainly  did  not  ap- 
pear absolutely  necessary. 

"  Present  my  hearty  greetings  to  Mr.  Kobert 
when  you  see  him,"  continued  Dolores,  aloud, 
and  with  unconcern,  as  Aunt  Susan  approached 
her,  "  and  my  fellow  voyagers  likewise,  all  of 
them.     How  is  Horatio  ?" 

"  Very  well,  so  far  as  I  know,"  replied  Dr. 
Thorfin. 

"  Have  you  seen  the  baron  lately  ?"  inquired 
Aunt  Susan.     "  He  is  not  ill,  1  hope  .'" 

*'  So  far  as  I  know,  the  baron  is  also  very  well ; 
I  shall  probably  meet  him  to-day  at  the  Hotel 
Faroux." 

**  Give  my  compliments  to  him,  then  ;  we  hope 
to  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you  both  on  Sun- 
day." 

"  I  thank  you  Miss  Thomson,  on  my  own  part ; 
I  will  have  the  honor  ;  and  will  then  take  the 
liberty  to  bring  you  the  book  of  which  we  were 
just  speaking,"  added  he  to  Dolores. 

"  What  sort  of  a  book  ?"  inquired  the  quasi 
gouvernante,  of  the  poetess,  with  pardonable 
female  curiosity. 

"  'Spiridion,'  the  last  work  of  Madame  Sand," 
answered  Dr.  Thorfin,  to  the  vexation  of  the 
lean  aunt. 

"  Of  Madame  Sand  !  Do  you  read  the  books 
of  Madame  Sand,  Miss  Fanny  .'" 

"  I  consider  Madame  Sand  as  the  first  author- 
ess of  our  epoch,  and  there  are  few  men  who  can 
stand  beside  her." 

"  Shocking  !"  sighed  the  well  educated  Eng- 
lishwoman ;  "  translates  Byron,  and  reads  Ma- 
dame Sand,"  added  she,  half  aloud.  "  Did  I  ever 
hear  any  thing  like  it  ?" 

Dr.  Thorfin  now  took  leave,  and  left  the  poet- 
ess to  the  ill  humor  of  her  gouvernante,  which 
mounted  higher  than  ever,  since  Dr.  Thorfin  had 
named  an  authoress,  whose  philosophical  work, 
'  Spiridion,'  would  be  alone  sufficient  to  immor- 
talize her  name  in  the  literature  of  her  nation. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

THE    MOONUGHT    NIGHT. 

It  was  such  a  tropical  moonlight  night  as  sur- 
rounded the  two  pavilions  when  we  first  beheld 
the  desecrated  wife  on  her  divan.  Two  months 
had  passed  by  since  then. 

The  dense  foliage  of  the  groups  of  trees  on  the 
declivity  of  the  hill,  formed  broad  masses  of 
shadow,  above  which  the  magically  lighted  land- 
scape appeared  in  wonderful  magnificence.  Tire 
distant  mountains  raised  their  dark  and  downy 
summits  to  the  star  sprinkled  sky,  and  the  bay, 
like  a  mirror  of  polished  crystal,  displayed  the 
reflection  of  the  moon,  whose  light  formed  the 
glistening  pearls  and  diamonds  of  the  silver  veil, 
that  was  hardly  ruflied  by  a  zephyr.  Here  and 
there  a  boat  floated  slowly  towards  the  shore  at 
the  foot  of  the  hill,  and  with  every  sti-oke  of  the 
oar,  that  sounded  clearly  and  distinctly  in  the 
deathlike  silence,  a  phosphorescent  gleam,  like 
flaming  oil,  dripped  back  into  the  watery  ele- 


DOLORES. 


mpnt,  and  again  expired  on  the  almost  motionless 
surface. 

Hundreds  of  masically  shining  insects  flitted 
throuijh  the  deep  dark  foliage  of  the  perfuming 
coHee  shrubs  and  blossoming  orange  trees, 
whose  aroma,  mingled  with  that  of  innumerable 
other  blossoms,  filled  the  atmosphere,  and  afford- 
ed a  bUs.imic  odor,  which,  as  it  were,  strength- 
ened the  breast  and  the  heart,  while  the  magic 
forms  of  the  landscape  fettered  the  eye,  and 
elevated  the  soul  i]>  blissful  contemplation. 

Star  upon  star  sparkled  immediately  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  moon,  and  the  myriads  of 
orbs  filled  the  blue  of  ether  to  a  glittering,  co- 
lourless expansion  of  the  idea  space,  in  unfath- 
omable boundlessness. 

The  harmony  of  a  composition  of  Beethoven, 
■audible  for  miles  in  the  slumbering  distance, 
resounded  through  the  silent  night  from  the 
pianoforte  of  Robert,  who,  at  the  side  of  his 
friend,  animated  the  strings. 

Both  played.  The  spirits  of  both  appeared  to 
float  upward,  on  the  wings  of  tone,  to  Saturn,  to 
the  natal  sphere  of  spiritual  melody.  The 
hands  of  both  moved  as  if  guided  by  inward  har- 
mony, which  diffused  itself  through  their  being, 
even  to  the  nervous  fluid  of  the  finger  ends  that 
glided  over  the  keys.  Both,  as  with  a  spiritual 
glance,  looked  over  the  passages  and  runs  of  the 
composition,  whose  mysterious  expression,  no 
written  music  is  able  to  give — which  no  master 
can  teach,  and  no  scholar  can  learn,  if  the  soul 
do  not  comprehend  the  melody,  and  return  it 
from  itself,  as  there  occurred  in  the  four-handed 
execution  from  the  musical  dream-world,  in  the 
pavilion  of  the  serious  youth  and  the  unfortu- 
nate Brazilian  lady. 

Slow,  and  still  slower,  sounded  and  lingered 
the  final  accord,  in  trembling  pianissimo,  and 
the  last  note  floated  off,  and  expired  in  the  far, 
far  distance,  in  the  motionless,  deathlike  si- 
lence. 

Both  looked  at  each  other,  from  an  involun- 
tary impulse,  to  confirm,  by  a  glance,  what  the 
spiritual  harmony  had  so  undeniably  expressed 
in  tones. 

"  Ah  !  if  you  could  always  accompany  me 
thus ;  always !"  sighed  Gracia,  reaching  her  hand 
involuntarily  to  her  friend. 

Robert's  eyes  received  Ihe  ray  of  hers :  it 
seemed  a  magnetic  band,  embodied  as  a  ray,  even 
though  invisible,  and  soul  appeared  to  stream 
forth  into  soul. 

"  If  I  could  accompany  you  for  ever,  remain 
near  you  for  ever  !"  sighed  the  unfortunate,  agiin 
repeating  the  earnest  pressure  of  the  hand  she 
held. 

"  We  are  separated  upon  earth,"  at  length  the 
youth  found  words  to  say ;  "  separated  until 
death  !"  and  he  arose,  as  if  he  would  remove  in- 
to the  air. 

The  lady  also  rose  from  her  seat,  stared  before 
her  with  motionless  eyelids,  then  started  back, 
and  shuddered. 

"  l^d  pardon  me  the  thought !  God  pardon  it 
to  me ;  how  it  ruslie<l  through  me  I  cannot  my- 
self conceive,"  said  she,  slowly,  and  in  a  low 
tone. 

"  What  thought  ?"  inquired  Robert,  with  an 
agitated  voice,  for  the  glance  of  the  sufferer 
shocked  him.  Her  countenance,  lighted  by  the 
bright  beams  of  the  moon,  grew  as  pale  as  the 


face  of  a  corpse,  only  an  inexpressible  brilliaricy 
lingered  about  the  eye;  her  lips  quivered  ;  with 
folded  hands  she  stood  there  like  a  statue — a 
supplicating  angel. 

"  I  entreat  you,  tell  me  what  suddenly  struck 
you ;  confide  it  to  me  ?"  said  Robert,  after  he 
had  contemplated  her  for  a  long  time,  as  if  with 
holy  reverence. 

"  A  thought  that  is  frightful,  but  which  ye' 
awakened  within  me,  as  the  most  inward  desire  of 
my  soul.  I  wished  to  be  changed  into  a  lizard, 
still  preserving  my  spiritual  existence,  that  1 
might  accompany  you  everywhere — to  glide 
around  you  everywhere,  even  although  unno- 
ticed by  you  ;  to  hide  myself  at  evening  over 
against  you,  like  these,  and  peep  forth  from  my 
hiding-place,  and  merge  my  glance  in  yours,  as 
these  are  looking  out  upon  us  from  behind  your 
books." 

"  Great  God !"  sighed  Robert,  lost  in  the 
depth  of  the  abyss,  from  which  had  ascended 
this  thought  of  discon3»">late  despair,  of  uncon- 
querable longing.  "  What  have  I  done  ?  what 
crime  have  I  committed,  that  1  have  awakened 
a  sentiment  in  you  which  I  dare  not  return  ':" 

"  And  you  do  not  return,  because  you  '  will' 
not  return  it,"  added  the  woman,  with  a  sharp 
intonation. 

"  Senhora  !"  cried  the  youth,  in  an  excited 
voice,  "  Senhora,  do  not  taunt  me !  If  I  have 
hitherto  given  no  utterance  to  the  sentiments 
which  rage  within  me,  which  are  even  destroy- 
ing me,  it  is  because  I  recognise  the  position  in 
which  we  stand  in  the  world,  and  before  the 
world  !'' 

"  Before  the  world  !"  inten-upted  she,  with  a 
tone  of  scornful  contempt ;  "  before  the  world  ! 
Ah!  if  you  could  suspect  how  far  the  world — what 
we  designate  with  this  wretched  word — how  far 
the  world,  with  its  judgement  and  condemnation, 
lies  below  me  now  !  how  indifferent  men  have 
become  to  me,  with  all  their  scorn  and  uncharita- 
bleness!  Oh,  you  suspect  not  what  has  passed 
within  me  until  now,  since  I — since  I  knew  you, 
since  I  have  only  lived  in  you,  ai*i  must  be  ever 
and  eternally,  as  if  fettered,  as  if  bound,  in  your 
neighborhood  !  Is  the  world  capable  of  con- 
demning me  ?  of  judging  me?  a  world  that  does 
not  comprehend  me  ?"  added  she,  with  an  ex- 
pression of  elevated  dignity."  Robert  was  silent. 

"  I  do  not  know  what  has  liappened  to  me, 
since  you  have  been  about  me,  by  what  influence 
you  have  operated  upon  me." 

"  Will  you  not  allow  me  to  utter  the  same 
inquiry .'"  said  the  youth. 

"  iS'o  1  no  !  Robert !  that  1  will  not  allow,  for 
you  would  do  an  injustice.  Oh  !  I  well  know 
that  1  possess  nothing  that  could  awaken  your 
sentiments.  If  they  are  awakened,  it  is  only 
compassion,  and  not  that  feeling  which  binds  me 
to  you  ;  ah  !  that  I  must  not  even  once  express 
it,  name  it,  much  less  nom-ish  it."  She  said  these 
woi-ds  with  thrilling  anguish,  and  pressed  her 
folded  hands  together  with  inward  despair. 

'*  By  all  that  is  sacred,  you  do  me  injustice  '" 
exclaimed  Robert,  advancing  towards  her ;  "what 
demon  of  diffidence  has  again  taken  possession 
of  you,  that  you  despair,  as  you  once  despzured 
five  years  ago,  of  being  worthy  the  love  of  a 
man — who — who  might  be  worthy  of  you,  and 
gave  yourself  away  without  love,  renouncing 
love  ?  What  is  that  in  vou  as  woman .'"  continued 


.. 


DOLORES 


233 


be,  in  a  tone  that  bordered  upon  reproach, 
•'what  19  that  inconceivable  feelin;^  that  expresses 
ittelfin  you  as  unbelief,  as  despair  of  love  ?  If 
you  do  not  believe  in  your  heart,  if  your  feelings 
do  not  tell  you  that  you  are  beloved,  then  you 
also  do  not  love.  The  heart  feels  that  it  is  loved, 
aiid  requires  no  oath." 

"  So  may  God  judge  me !"  returned  Gracia, 
after  a  pause,  and  stretched  her  folded  hands 
towards  heaven  ;  "so  judge  me  God,  if  this  be 
not  love,  that  e.xalts  my  soul !" 

She  faltered  at  these  words,  and  raised  her 
hand  to  her  forehead  ;  her  glance  fell ;  her  limbs 
tottered. 

"  Gracia  !"  cried  the  youth,  putting  his  arm 
round  her,  as  she  was  evidently  near  fainting. 
Her  limbs  refused  their  otfice,  she  sank  on  Rob- 
ert's breast,  willess,  motionless  ;  her  arms  hung 
down  as  if  broken.  Her  glance,  brilliant  as  be- 
fore, soared  upward  to  his  eyes  ;  her  lips,  pale, 
a.1  if  under  the  kiss  of  death,  quivered  and  ex- 
haled the  respiration  of  a  stagnating  life  into  the 
breath  of  the  youth,  who,  carried  away  by  over- 
powering feeling,  hardly  retaining  his  conscious- 
nef<8i  sank  his  head  lower  and  lower,  and  inter- 
30 


cepted  the  convulsively  quivering  soul  in  hi3 
breath. 

The  eye  of  the  guiltless  woman  broj^e,  as  if  in 
a  last  struggle,  and  closed  as  if  to  a  dream. 

Minutes  elapsed.  "Just  Heaven!"  she  suddenly 
exclaimed,  looking  wildJy  around  her.  "  Where 
am  I  ?  What  is  that .'  Is  it  you  Robert  ?"  As  if 
floating  downward  from  another  world,  she  sud- 
denly gazed  at  the  youth — and  then  gradually 
regained  her  consciousness — a  glance,  express- 
ing the  thousand  fold  contradictions  in  her  mind  • 
the  fear  of  being  mistaken,  and  the  delight  at  the 
perception  of  being  understood  in  her  unhappy 
feelings.  Despair  and  joy,  belief  and  doubt, 
touched  Robert's  inmost  being. 

"  For  ever  !"  sighed  she,  pressing  his  hand, 
and  sinking  on  his  breast.  "  I  never  yet  gave  my 
heart.  I  give  it  to  you  for  eternity  ! 

"  For  eternity  !"  repeated  she,  with  a  confirm- 
ing glance,  and  with  the  swiftness  of  an  aiTOW 
she  left  the  pavilion. 

There  stood  the  youth,  like  a  statue,  gazing 
before  him,  as  if  he  read  his  unJbrtnnate  future; 
as  if  he  read  his  sentence  of  death  in  the  fibree 
of  the  straw  matting  under  his  feet. 


■W»»»^#^  &-^*f*^^^r 


DOLORES. 


BOOK   VI 


CHAPTER  I. 

FIVE   BHIPS   AT   ANCHOB. 

Some  days  after  the  interrupted  interview  of 
Dr.  Thorfin  with  Dolores,  Alvarez  conducted  him 
to  the  palace  in  the  Rua  do  Valongo. 

The  physician  stood  long  absorbed  in  contem- 
plation of  the  picture,  whose  twofold  existence 
had  occasioned  the  mental  discovery,  and  now 
exolained,  according  to  the  commission  of  the 
exile,  what  he  judged  proper  concerning  her 
fate. 

"  Then  she  lives  here  in  the  neighborhood  ?" 
inquired  Senhor  Vera,  in  joyful  surprise. 

"  In  the  family  of  an  Englishman  at  Bota 
Fogo,"  replied  Thorfin.  "  Her  incognito,  how- 
ever, and  peculiar  circumstances  which  it  is 
necessary  for  us  rigidly  to  observe,  will  not  ad- 
mit of  her  receiving  a  visit  from  the  friend  of  her 
uncle. 

"  I  can  understand  them,"  began  the  negro, 
"  and  for  the  present  renounce  this  pleasure, 
earnestly  as  I  desire  it.  Should  circumstances 
occur  which  may  occasion  Seiiora  Dolores  to 
change  her  asylum,  I  bid  you  to  make  known  to 
her,  that  my  house  stands  open  for  her  reception. 
My  daughters  live  here  with  me  in  the  society  of 
their  governess,  and  although  they  bear  the  Ethi- 
opian tint,  their  hearts  will  vie  with  those  of  any 
English  woman  in  sympathy  and  respect  for 
the  '  niece'  of  our  friend.  I  have  to  inform  you 
about  the  circumstances  which  have  generally 
been  the  cause  of  my  commission. 

"  Some  twenty  and  odd  years  ago,  Senor  Ga- 
briel de  Garringos  arrived  in  Pondjem*  under 
an  assumed  name.  He  was  recommended  to  our 
house.  My  parents  received  him  with  hospi- 
tality, according  to  the  custom  of  the  country. 
A  mutual  friendship  soon  arose,  in  which  I  was 
included — then  but  a  youth. 

After  some  years,  he  first  gradually  disclosed 
to  us  his  former  position  in  Europe,  and  after- 
wards his  inward  being.  We  then  learned 
that  the  application  of  animal  magnetism  was  at 
that  time  prohibited  in  some  countries  of  Eu- 
rope, by  church  and  state,  and  drew  down  perse- 
cutions upon  many  who  treated  this  discovery 


•  The  East  Indian  name  of  Goa. 


as  a  science.  You  may  be  aware  that  this  myste- 
rious power  has,  for  a  long  time,  not  been  un- 
known in  India,  and  plainly  lies  at  the  founda- 
tion of  many  compositions  of  Indian  poetry,  as, 
for  instance,  "  Kamrup,"  and  others.  Magnetic 
rapports  as  a  dream  life,  is  not  a  strange  or 
surprising  appearance  in  India,  without  being 
treated  as  a  science,  like  in  Europe.  Garringos 
found  many  opportunities  of  pursuing  his  studies 
in  this  department,  and  after  we  had  observed 
him,  and  been  astonished  at  several  cures  which 
he  undertook  in  our  neighborhood,  he  revealed 
to  my  father  and  to  me  what  had  driven  him 
from  Europe. 

"  1  am  in  possession  of  several  documents, 
which  he  confided  to  me  in  the  certainty  that  a 
daughter  of  his  frien.^  was  living,  whose  portrait 
we  see  here.  These  documents  may  now  be  de- 
livered into  the  hands  of  Seiiora  Dolores,  and 
will,  perhaps,  not  be  uninteresting  to  you  like- 
wise, as  you  are  a  physician.  One  document  con- 
tains, if  I  may  so  call  it,  a  peculiar,  and  perhaps 
in  Europe  unknown.  System  of  Magnetism, which 
may  be  made  public — on  condition,  however,  of 
keeping  secret  the  name  of  my  friend. 

"  From  another  document,  which  encloses  the 
history  of  his  inner  life,  you  will  perceive  that 
Garringos  foresaw  (or  rather  foreknew)  the 
death  of  his  female  friend,  and  then  first  re- 
solved to  inquire  concerning  the  fate  of  her 
daughter,  whom  he,  by  a  singular  spiritual 
relationship,  ranked  among  the  descendants  of 
his  own  family." 

Dr.  Thorfin  received  the  designated  papers, 
whose  perusal  would  interest  him  the  more,  as 
he  regarded  magnetism  as  a  favorite  study.  He 
therefore  endeavored  to  seek  an  early  opportunity 
to  convey  the  communications  to  theyoung  lady, 
for  whom  they  were  first  intended,  that  he  might 
thereafter  digest  them  at  his  leisure. 

Senhor  Vera  touched  upon  the  circumstances 
of  Alvarez,  and  then  again  urgently  sought  for 
information  in  regard  to  the  residence  of  his 
sister,  concerning  whose  fate  he  had  unfortu- 
nately learned  nothing. 

He  declared  that  he  was  firmly  resolved  to  go 
to  Bahia,  to  discover  the  traces  of  the  young  lady 
by  some  means,  unless  he  should  soon  receive  a 
satisfactory  answer.  He  expressed  the  supposi- 
tion that  the  correspondence  was  probably  very 


236 


DOLORES 


unsafe,  on  account  of  the  political  relations  of 
Brazil,  as  many  would  fear  to  compromise  them- 
selves by  any  communications  not  relating  to 
commercial  matters.  After  a  long  conversation 
concerning  the  circumstances  of  the  family  of 
Garringos,  Dr.  Thorfin  and  Alvarez  left  the 
palace.  The  former  hastened  to  Bota  Fogo,  in 
tlie  hope  of  being  able  to  deliver  to  Dolores  the 
papers  from  Goa  ;  and  the  latter  directed  his 
ste)is  to  Hinango's,  where  he  was  to  meet  him 
and  Horatio,  for  a  politcal  consultation. 

Hinango's  "  mission"  in  South  America,  which 
he  had  taken  upon  himself,  in  his  peculiar  rela- 
tions to  the  central  committee  of  Young  Europe 
required  some  papers  to  be  despatched  to  Rio 
Grande,  which  he  could  indeed  take  witli  him  on 
board  of  his  well  armed  vessel,  were  it  not  tliat 
peculiar  circumstances,  in  regard  to  the  safety  of 
l)olores,  detained  him  personally  in  Rio. 

Horatio  and  Alvarez,  both  full  of  glorious  zeal 
for  the  cause  of  their  fatherland,  vied  in  offering 
to  undertake  the  mission  to  the  headquarters  of 
the  insurgents,  the  materials  of  which  had  for 
some  time  employed  them.  The  translation  and 
copying,  and  also  the  preparation  for  the  press, 
gave  them  plenty  to  do. 

Hinango  was  in  negotiation  for  the  purchase  of 
the  schooner  brig,  which  had  hitherto  borne  the 
name  of  Vesta,  to  take  her  as  a  privateer  to  the 
coast  of  Rio  Grande  and  the  Banda  Oriental. 

The  strange  position  in  which  Dolores  was 
placed,  imposed  upon  him,  on  the  other  hand,  the 
moral  obligation  not  to  go  to  sea  until  her  per- 
sonal safety  was  made  more  certain  than  was  the 
case  under  the  existing  circumstances.  Her 
embarkation  from  Buenos  Ayres  to  Rio,  had  been 
more  the  result  of  concurring  circumstances,  than 
her  own  will  and  plan  She  would  have  pie- 
fered  going  to  Mount  Video,  where  she,  at  least  in 
a  social  respect,  could  await  her  intellectual 
element.  The  necessity  of  herspeedy  departure, 
and  the  difficulty  of  finding  a  safe  passage  for 
her  under  a  neutral  flag,  had  hastened  tlie  sailing 
of  the  Nordstjernan,  which  was  favored  by  Mr. 
Walker's  "  passion  for  secrets,"  and  his  just  as 
undeniable  desire  to  be  obliging  and  serviceable. 
He  had  no  direct  commereial  connexion  with 
Monte  Video,  and  would  consequently  have  been 
obliged  to  give  up  the  whule  secret.  A  certain 
pride  to  "  despatch"  the  friend  of  his  daughter, 
in  such  danger,  from  his  own  house  on  board  of 
a  vessel,  to  his  own  house  in  Rio,  might  have 
been  at  the  bottom  of  the  willingness  which  he 
manifested  so  zealously  in  this  matter. 

Although  Mr.  Walker  had  hinted  at  the  se- 
cret of  the  authorship  in  the  most  cautions 
manner,  and  with  all  due  importance,  to  his 
brother-in-law  in  Rio,  he  did  not  in  the  least 
doubt  of  the  personal  security  of  the  persecuted 
poetess,  under  the  protection  of  Mr.  Thomson. 
He  had, like  so  many  business  people  ofhissort, 
too  little  insight  into  the  political  relations 
which  surrounded  him,  to  perceive  the  danger 
of  'nis  protege  in  Rio.  Men  of  his  class,  who 
fio  not  take  a  decisive  part  in  any  political  con- 
tost,  and  belong  to  neither  the  one  nor  the  other 
party,  (but  to  secure  their  personal  safety,  in 
a  juste  milieu,  by  which  they  are  never  com- 
promised,) seldom  comprehend  the  extreme  of  a 
political  or  religious  persecution.  Similar  men, 
in  wrhom  no  principle  has  arrived  to  the  clear- 


ness of  inward  moral  conviction,  for  ■wlio-io  sup- 
port they  would  stake  their  external  existence, 
not  to  mention  their  fortune  or  life,  cannot  con- 
ceive of  the  "  power  of  conviction,"  which  is 
so  dangerous  to  the  principle  opposed  to  it. 

As  every  man  judges  othe.'s  by  himself,  he  can 
seldom  re[jresent  to  himself  a  higher  degree  of 
moral  strengtli  than  that  which  he  possesses.  A 
man  without  patriotism  or  religion,  cannot, 
with  the  best  will,  have  any  idea  of  a  sacrifice 
for  the  sake  of  patriotism  or  religion ;  it  is  p.sy- 
chologically  impossible.  No  material  egotist  can 
have  an  idea  of  an  action  or  a  connexion  from 
love;  for  what  he  calls  love,  is  selfishness  and 
animal  instinct,  as  far  as  the  feeling  is  extinct 
in  him  which  lies  at  the  foundation  of  love. 

In  tills  psychological  and  logical  impossibility  cf 
correct  judgement  on  the  part  of  material  men,  is 
founded  that  loveless  "judgement  of  the  world," 
which,  in  a  thousand  instances,  falls  upon  the 
man  who,  penetrated  by  a  principle,  acts  from 
conviction,  or  from  love  in  harmony  with  him- 
self As  a  moral  consequence,  the  "world"  breaks 
most  mercilessly  the  staff  over  him  who  is  not 

undorstood. F;tr  beside  the  judgement  or 

critics  of  the  social  world,  (founded  upon  pre- 
judices and  adopted  regulations,)  stands  "  public 
opinion,"  the  judgement  of  sound  common  sense 
and  natural  feelings.  The  world  gives  its  judge- 
ments generally  very  loud ;  public  opinion  judges 
sometimes  in  silence. 

Decided  enemies,  often  more  considerate, 
judge  each  other  with  less  narrow  mindedness, 
when  opposed  in  a  political  or  religious  contest. 
Both  recognise  the  force  of  the  principle  which 
contends  against  them,  as  well  as  the  eflect  and 
consequences  of  sacrifice  from  conviction. 

Let  the  "practical _/jis(e  milieu"  believe  in  a  re- 
conciliation of  despotism  with  the  idea  of  liberty, 
a  reconciliation  of  materialism  with  spiritual- 
ism, a  union  of  fire  with  water,  without  injury 

to  either  of  the  hostile  elements  : the  Juste 

milieu  only  manifests,  by  such  a  belief,  its  own 
want  of  character,  if  not  its  narrow-mindedness. 

The  word  of  every  author,  the  poem  of  every 
poet,  in  the  spirit  of  liberty,  remains  a  thorn 
in  the  eye  of  despotism,  until  the  author  or 
poet  becomes  converted  to  the  opposite  prin- 
ciple, or  is  bought  over  to  silence  ;  and,  until 
then,  his  person  is  morally  and  civilly  con- 
demned to  death.  The  juste  militu  can  as  little 
comprehend  such  a  man's  contempt  of  such  a 
sentence  of  death,  as  it  can  conceive  of  the 
maintenance  of  a  moral  conviction,  in  spite  of 
such  a  sentence.  The  7«»<e  niiViei/ does  not  re- 
cognise the  power  of  such  a  conviction,  because 
it  has  none  itself. 

Mr.  Thomson  had  hastily  read  the  Elegies  of 
La  Plata,  upon  a  time,  and  had  thought  them 
very  interesting,  very  beautiful,  very  pretty,  and 
that  they  displayed  quite  a  poetical  tendency, 
as  he  afterward  thought  the  authoress  very  in- 
teresting, very  beautit"ul,  very  pretty,  and  far 
iVom  being  so  thin  as  her  little  pamphlet,  but 
witli  a  decided  tendency  to  corpulency.  But  he 
had  had  neither  time  nor  occasion  to  reflect 
upon  the  spirit  of  conviction  that  bre.ithed 
throughout  the  work,  because  that  spirit  had 
nothing  at  all  to  do  with  his  business. 

iMr. Thomson,  like  thousands  of  his  kind,  vcn 
seldom,  if  ever,  thought.  He  calculated  and  cal- 
culated, as  his  business  required,  and  bis  wtiole 


DOLORES. 


237 


I  lib  tr  as  a  Bnsinega,  which  his  father  had  quite 
ncciden|-a!ly  happened  to  found.  He  had  not  an 
hour  to  spare  to  reflect  upon  any  thins,  not  di- 
rectly belonging  to  his  business,  that  did  not 
aflect  him  personally. 

In  the  first  weeks  after  the  arrival  of  Dolores, 
he  had  almost  forgotten  that  glie  Was  the  author- 
ess of  those  Elegies,  as  the  baron  had,  luckily 
for  himself,  got  the  idea  out  of  his  head  that  he 
had  ever  shown  him  the  pamphlet.  This  forget- 
fulness  and  absent-mindedness  in  all  that  does 
not  concern  his  department,  in  which  the  Criton 
lives,  is  to  be  found,  without  exception,  amon; 
all  business  men  who  move  in  the  narrow 
sphere  of  their  calculations,  whose  atmosphere 
is  like  a  chemical  substance  that  dissolves  in 
itself  every  thing  foreign,  and  annihilates  all 
that  does  not  belong  to  their  business. 

Such  men  as  IVIr.  Thomson  are  like  the  wheels 
of  a  machine,  which  fit  to  a  hair  between  the  cogs 
of  another  wheel,  in  which  they  fall  mechani- 
cally, and,  when  set  a  going  by  the  "  perpetual 
motion"  of  calculation,  turn  positively  about  their 
axes,  as  long  as  some  fatal  effect  from  without 
does  not  disturb  them,  or  cause  another  wheel 
to  stop  :  a  misfortune  that  makes  them  as  useless 
as  the  separated  wheel  of  a  broken  machine. 

Mr.  Thomson  recognised  physical  existence  as 
the  principal  condition  of  every  business.  He 
did  not  conduct  business  in  order  to  live  from  its 
profits,  but  he  lived  only  to  "  do  business."  He 
considered  the  principal  objects  of  physical  ex- 
istence to  be  breakfast,  lunch,  dinner,  supper, 
soda  water,  pepper,  mustard,  castor  oil,  Morri- 
son's pills,  sherry,  port,  ale,  and  a  large  English 
family  bedstead. 

No  reasonable  man  will  ever  maintain  that 
such  claims  on  life  could  have  been  in  the  least 
extravagant.  On  the  contrary,  we  find  few  men 
who  do  not  make  nearly  the  same  demands  for 
their  earthly  existence,  although  many  do  not 
see  them  satisfied. 

Mr.  Thomson  had  now  proposed  to  himself  to 
marry  Senora  Dolores,  and  Mr.  Thomson  was 
a  man  who  generally  endeavored  to  carry  out 
what  he  had  once  proposed  to  do,  let  it  be  what 
•It  would ;  it  was  all  one— Mr.  Thomson  was  a 
man  of  energy.  He  had  five  times  in  his  life  ob- 
tained the  hands  of  ladies  whose  tendencies  to 
corpulency  were  just  as  attractive  as  was  here 
the  case ;  and  he  thought  that  the  devil  would 
be  to  pay,  if  she  should  this  time  be  obliged  to 
abandon  his  purpose. 

Hinango  had  seen  through  this  individuality 
of  the  old  widower,  and  as  clearly  understood 
the  position  of  his  female  friend,  who  (as  he  ex- 
pressed himself  in  his  seaman's  way)  lay  under 
convoy  of  an  old  corvette,  between  cliffs  on  every 
side,  to  be  escorted  into  the  port  of  matrimony, 
and  could  not  separate  from  it  without  exposin"- 
hersell  to  the  danger  of  being  sunk  by  a  broad- 
side of  desperation  from  the  old  corvette,  called 
the  "  Energy."  Dolores  must  get  out  of  this  dan- 
gerous spot,  lift  anchor  under  the  flag  of  moral 
freedom,  and  go  out  upon  the  ocean  of  life,  to 
seek  some  other  port. 

There  seemed  to  be  no  social  nary  at  hand  to 
save.  "  Dolores,"  by  giving  battle  to  the  old  cor- 
vette. The  condition  of  "  Dolores"  was  critical 
and  became  every  dav  more  and  more  so,  since 
the  suspicious  guard  ship  "  De  Spandau"  had  ap- 
pruaclied  the  old  corvette  under  a  false   flag, 


likewise  tc  tow  into  the  port  of  matrimony  an 
old  F'nglish  brig,  called  "  Miss  Susan,"  laden 
with  dullness  and  intolerance,  and  a  deck  load  of 
hope,  deceived  a  hundred  times.  The  old 
"Miss  .Susan"  was  indeed  newly  rigged  and 
painted,  but  did  not  make  a  move  as  if  she 
meant  to  run  aw.iy  from  the  longed  for  convoy; 
but  the  guard  ship  kept  both  under  close  watch. 
These  four  sails  lay  in  a  safe  anchorage,  but  a  tew 
short  English  miles  distant  from  the  port,  whose 
lighthouse  was  the  top  of  a  stately  steeple  to 
which  tlie  convoy  bore  down. 

There  seemed  to  be  no  obstacle  in  the  way  of 
the  two  captains,  to  prevent  them  from  running 
in  with  the  first  favorable  wind,  as  both,  from 
long  seaman's  experience,  knew  their  sailing 
ground.  The  captain  of  the  "  Spandau"  did  not 
always  observe  the  port  laws,  nor  punctually 
report  himself  to  the  worldly  or  spiritual  author- 
ities, but  sometimes  escorted  a  brig  into  the  Port 
of  Betrothed,  without  paying  the  duties  for  an- 
chorage, buoys,  lighthouse,  and  the  like,  al- 
though he  was,  notwithstanding,  by  no  means 
wanting  in  practice. 

Both  were  sufficiently  practical  captains,  ac- 
quainted with  the  coast,  among  whose  rocks  they 
lay.  They  had  duly  examined  the  cables  and 
chains  of  their  convoys,  and  from  their  long  ex- 
perience, considered  them  strong  enough  to 
withstand  the  breakers,  which  they  declared  to 
be  quite  insignificant;  at  least  "  Miss  Susan"  lay 
as  comfortable  at  anchor  before  the  port  of  matri- 
mony as  ever  an  old  vessel  of  the  kind  did,  that 
had  been  over  forty  years  at  sea,  and  had  never 
found  a  pilot  or  a  convoy  for  its  destination. 

"  Dolores,"  according  to  the  inspection  of  the 
captain  of  the  "  Energy,"  very  lightly  laden 
with  poetical  enthusiasm,  religious  and  political 
exaggeration,  fantastic  ideas  concerning  the  so- 
cial world  and  the  destiny  of  woman,  had  hitherto 
appeared  very  little  inclined  to  submit  to  the 
convoy.  But  the  "  Energy"  considered  the  escort 
as  secured,  as  soon  as  the  flag  of  the  "  Dolores" 
could  be  properly  hoisted  up  again,  which,  alas  ! 
under  the  prevailing  mourning,  had,  until  now, 
floated  at  half-mast. 

Such  weeks  or  months  of  mourning  were  so 
natural,  and  happened  so  often  in  the  merry 
navigation  of  life,  that  this  circumstance  scarcely 
came  into  consideration,  when  the  captain  of 
the  "  Energy"  sat  before  his  special  chart,  and 
very  comfortably  compared  with  the  reality  the 
deep  upon  which  he  was  anchored,  the  "reefs 
that  surrounded  him,  and  the  light  from  the 
church  steeple  of  matrimony.  According  to  his 
view,  an  old  seaman,  under  Hymen's  flag,  would 
not  easily  have  so  fortunately  cast  anchor,  as  he, 
favored  by  tide,  wind,  and  weather,  had  suc- 
ceeded in  doing.  He  regarded  his  "  Energy" 
and  the  stately  "  Dolores"  at  his  side  with  a  sat- 
isfaction, of  which  aland  hero, who  never  cast 
anchor  under  that  flag,  on  the  coast  of  matri- 
mony, can  form  no  idea. 

Hinango  could  not  and  would  not  desert  Do- 
lores in  such  a  situation  ;  and,  nevertheless,  the 
difficulties  of  a  formal  abduction  were  evidently 
increased  at  every  visit  of  the  captain  of  the 
"  Spandau,"  at  the  side  (if  not  on  board)  of  the 
old  brig  "  Miss  Susan."  Both  captains  seemed 
to  have  a  secret  understanding,  to  improve  a 
good  opportunity  when  the  period  of  mourning 
of  the  "  Dolores,"  should  have  expired,  of  run- 


S3S 


DOLORES. 


ning  in  tci;;ether  into  the  safe  port.  There  had 
lieen,  until  now,  a  calm,  a  motionless  calm,  and 
the  sea  was  only  moved  in  beating  against  the 
reefs  and  clilfs,  by  the  mighty  current  of  time. 

The  supposition  of  Hinango  and  his  friends,  in 
relation  to  the  above  plan,  was  so  far  well  founded 
as  the  captain  of  the  "  Energy"  made  use  of  the 
strange  guard  ship,  to  keep  *'  Dolores"  in  their 
midst,  while  "  Miss  Susan,"  somewhat  nearer  to 
the  entrance  of  the  harbor,  lay  qui.**  cortforlaldy, 
held  by  solid  chain  cables,  and  (".id  uot  need 
scarcely  any  watching. 

Hinango  saw  the  case  before  his  eyes,  that  the 
"  Energy  "  would  some  day  take  the  liberty  to 
attempt  to  command  the  "  Dolores"  by  signal, 
and  that  the  latter  would  then  (with  undeniable 
dislike  to  the  company  of  the  "  Eticrgy")  con- 
sequently lie  between  two  fires,  within  shot  of 
the  Spandau. 

The  most  necessary  step  on  his  part,  as  pri- 
vateer, for  such  a  case,  to  come  to  the  assistance 
of  the  hard-pressed  **  Dolores,"  was  the  prepa- 
ration of  the  Vesta,  the  schooner  brig,  which 
he  had  purchased  through  Vernon's  agency. 
This  vessel,  of  about  two  hundred  tons,  had,  be- 
fore that,  belonged  to  a  corpulent  Portuguese, 
who  used  it  in  his  slave  business,  and  had  not 
spared  it.  It  was  constructed  after  the  French 
model,  elegantly  shaped,  and  built  for  a  fast 
sailer,  and  had  proved  its  original  strength  and 
solidity  through  many  a  storm,  although  it  some' 
times,  perhaps,  had  leaked. 

It  lay  upon  the  water  in  a  manner  pleasing  to 
every  seaman,  and  obeyed,  with  admirable  case, 
the  slightest  pressure  of  the  helm  ;  it  sailed 
close  to  the  wind,  like  an  American  pilot  boat, 
required  strong  canvass  when  upon  its  course, 
and  seemed  jealous  of  every  sail  that  endeavored 
to  outrun  it.  The  corpulent  son  of  Lusus,* 
her  owner,  knew  the  good  qualities  of  his  Vesta, 
as  well  as  every  other  seaman  or  captain  did  his 
comfortable  vessel,  but  she  was  too  small  for  the 
slave  trade,  and  he  finally  resolved  to  dispose  of 
her.  The  conscientious  journal  of  the  Vesta, 
under  the  command  of  the  Lusiado,  showed  her 
excellent  sailing,  of  which  he,  like  every  other 
seaman,  was  not  a  little  proud,  as  he  ascribed  a 
part  of  her  good  qualities  to  his  own  nautical 
skill,  which  every  sailor  thought  just  and  right. 
Hinango  made  several  pleasure  trips  with  his 
favorite,  without  actually  going  to  sea,  which, 
under  the  existing  circumstances,!  would  cer- 
tainly have  been  difficult,  but  he  had  suSicient 
judgement  to  calculate  what  would  be  her  sail- 
ing upon  the  broad  ocean,  under  full  sail,  with 
a  favorable  wind,  from  his  trial  excursions.  He 
seemed,  for  the  present,  not  to  desire  a  better 
ship,  as  it,  on  the  other  hand,  having  been  new 
rigged,  and  a  fresh  coat  of  paint  put  on  it,  since 
coming  into  his  possession,  really  appeared  as 
one  of  the  finest  slave  ships  in  the  bay  of  Rio. 
The  V'esta,  fitted  out  for  a  Haytien  man  of  war, 
and  Mr.  Vernon's  hints,  that  it,  like  so  many 
others,  was  secretly  intended  for  its  former  pur- 
pose, the  slave  trade,  was  suflicient  to  satisfy 


♦  The  Portuguese  style  themselves  the  sons  of  Lusus, 
as  the  Germans  call  themselves  the  sons  of  Hermann,  the 
Swiss  the  sons  of  TelL 

f  According  to  the  port  laws  of  Rio,  no  ship  can  pass 
the  fortress  Santa  Cruz,  without  having  been  cleared  et 
the  custom  house,  or,  in  a  particular  case,  with  a  writ* 
ten  permit  from  the  guarda  mor  (port  captain.) 


the  curiosity  of  the  inquii-ers  who  chanced  to 

notice  the  vessel. 

Hinango,  without  ceremony,  took  possession 
of  the  cabin  of  the  corpulent  Portuguese,  as 
captain  of  the  Vesta,  the  name  of  which  he 
changed  to  Astrala,  when  he  got  his  shij)  papers 
made  out  in  order  under  the  Haytien  flag. 

The  insurrection  in  Rio  Grande,  a  Brazilian 
province,  would  clearly  prevent  his  return  to 
any  por'-  of  t  je  empire,  as  soon  as  he  should  be 
seen  there,  op^  ily  taking  part  in  the  cause  of 
the  people.  He  would,  consequenlly,  have  to 
delay  his  departure  from  the  Bay  of  Rio,  until 
the  crisis  in  Dolores'  fate  should  have  shown 
itself. 

He  had  sufficient  to  do  until  that  time,  to  pro- 
cure the  translation  into  Spanish  of  those  pam- 
phlets which  he  had  arranged  from  his  papers 
as  an  author  of  "  Young  Europe,"  if  it  should 
only  be  to  answer,  before  friend  or  foe,  the  ques- 
tion :  "  What  a  life  like  his  was  really  intended 
for  r"  In  this  manner  originated  a  short  extract 
from  a  literary  work  "  on  nation  and  govern- 
ment." 

Alvarez  had  resolved,  as  soon  as  the  work 
should  be  completed,  to  undertake  a  journey  by 
land  to  Rio  Grande,  in  order,  as  a  member  of  the 
association,  the  Humanidad,  to  bring  the  gift  of 
a  young  European  to  the  insurgents.  This  offer 
was  the  more  to  be  prized,  as  the  departure  of 
the  Astrala  (as  the  Vesta  was  now  called)  was 
deferred  to  an  indefinite  time,  and  the  little 
work,  perhaps,  contained  much  that  might  be 
welcome  to  the  insurgents,  and  of  practical 
utility  to  them.  But  the  uncertainty  respecting 
the  fate  of  the  sister  of  Alvarez,  was  a  circum- 
stance which  Hinango  took  into  consideration, 
and  regarded  as  a  strong  reason  against  his  de- 
parture. It  nevertheless  appeared  necessary 
to  open  a  communication  by  land  with  Rio 
Grande,  for  the  safe  arrival  of  the  Astrala  on  the 
coast  of  Rio  Grande,  watched  as  it  was  by  the 
Brazilian  men  of  war,  or  cruisers,  seemed  some- 
what doubtful,  as  soon  as  it  should  have  fired 
the  first  shot  for  the  cause  of  tlie  people. 

Hinango  had,  as  an  answer  to  the  question  of 
conscience,  what  he,  and  men  of  his  position, 
really  intended  to  do  in  the  world  .'  explained 
the  spirit  and  object  of  his  mission  in  a  sort  of 
epistle  to  the  insurgents  in  Rio  Grande.  This 
document,  as  well  as  the  pamphlet  to  which  it 
was  to  serve  as  an  introduction,  may  the  sooner 
find  a  place  in  this  novel,  as  we  owe  the  reader 
an  account  of  the  real  object  of  life,  and  the 
h'avelling  about  of  a  man,  who,  "  without  any 
regular  business,"  had,  as  it  wotdd  seem,  even 

roamed  about  through  half-a-dozen  planets. 

We  therefore  improve  the  calm  on  the  coast 
of  our  events,  before  which  the  five  ships  are 
lying  at  anchor,  at  some  distance  from  each 
other,  to  give  the  reader  the  necessary  informa- 
tion in  regard  to  the  above  "  questions  of  con- 
science," by  here  inserting  the  epistle  in  the 
style  of  a  privateer,  and  the  little  book  without 
a  "title. 

The  two  following  chapters  are  to  be  consider- 
ed as  the  ballast  of  the  Astrala,  as  their  con- 
tents are  heavy  enough,  and  would,  perhaps,  be 
sufficient  to  keep  a  ship  of  state,  at  whose  helm 
a  man  of  head  and  heart  should  be  placed,  in 
course,  under  the  flag  of  humanity,  towards  the 
point  of  its  destination. 


DOLORES. 


239 


CHAPTER   II. 

THE  EPISTLE  OF  ORMTJR, 
TO    THE    INSURGENTS    OF    RIO    GRANDE. 

"  God  and  mankind  !" 

Ormur,  a  European,  of  the  tribe  of  the  Scan- 
dinavians, called  to  be  an  apostle  of  humanity, 
offereth  unto  you  the  greeting  of  the  spirit  which 
inspireth  him,  and  sendeth  unto  you,  in  the  per- 
formance of  his  duty,  a  little  book,  without  title, 
concerning  nation  and  government. 

Let  humanity  prevail  in  the  spirit  of  God,  and 
manifest  its  existence  in  striving  after  perfection. 
Amen. 

We  have  beheld  you  for  years  contending 
openly  and  heroically  for  your  freedom  and  in- 
dependence— for  the  extension  of  republican 
boundaries  in  South  America. 

We  know  that  the  Brazilian  monarchy  hath, 
by  means  of  a  legitimate  band  of  pirates,  of  the 
alfandega,  burdened,  oppressed,  and  almost  de- 
stroyed all  commerce  on  your  coast  with  an  op- 
pressive duty,  hath  forced  millions  from  you 
without  securing  its  own  e.xistence  thereby, 
because  the  most  of  the  plundered  money  fell 
into  the  left  pocket  of  the  alfandega. 

We  know  that  ye  are  tired  of  such  monarchical 
disorder;  that  ye,  in  the  proud  consciousness  of 
your  strength,  made  short  work  with  the  afore- 
said piracy  of  the  alfandega ;  that  ye  drove  away 
your  plundering  guests,  and  lit  the  matches  of 
your  cannons  with  the  monarchical  tarilf. 

The  history  of  the  world  of  the  last  centuries 
showeth  "  similar  instances"  of  so  called  colonies, 
of  this  or  that  monarchy,  throwing  overboard 
the  monarchical  custom  house  officers,  douaniers, 
gens  d'armes,  officers  of  the  alfandega,  or  what- 
ever they  were  called,  as  well  as  all  other  kinds 
of  officers,  and  proclaiming  a  republic,  or  even 
a  constitutional  monarchy. 

Such  occurrences  are  considered  great  events 
in  the  history  of  the  world ;  but  mankind  are 
little  benefited  by  the  result,  so  long  as  no 
Principle  proceeds  from  such  a  declaration  of 
independence,  that  is  higher  than  the  personal 
liberty  of  "  making  money." 

Every  republic  that  has  arisen  out  of  thp  ashes 
of  a  monarchy,  after  a  long  and  obstinate  struggle, 
is  continually  exposed  to  the  danger  of  sooner 
or  later  being  precipitated  into  the  mines  of 
selfishness — if  it  counts  no  Republicans. 

1  therefore  feel  myself  called,  in  sending  unto 
you  the  accompanying  little  book,  concerning 
nation  and  government,  to  impress  upon  your 
hearts  what  is  needful,  and  what  will  be  needful, 
in  every  nation  which,  having  acquired  its  inde- 
pendence, declares  itself  a  "  republic." 

A  Republic  is  not  a  country  in  its  geographical 
position,  between  this  or  that  latitude  and  longi- 
tude ;  a  republican  is  not  every  man  born  in 
euch  a  country,  without  a  throne,  that  is  called  a 
republic.  Think  not  so.  There  are  as  less 
republicans  by  birth  as  there  are  aristocrats  by 
birth ;  and  whoever  imagines  that  he  is  a  repub- 
lican, because  he  was  born  in  a  country  without 
a  throne,  is  like  the  arrogant  aristocrats,  who 
pride  themselves  upon  the  chance  of  their  birth. 

Know  ye,  a  republican  is  not  born  such,  but 
must  develop  himself  from  the  germ  of  hu- 


manity that  was  born  within  him.  A  republican 
may  be  born  in  an  absolute  monarchy,  as  we 
behold  royalists,  and  so  called  aristocrats,  in 
every  republic,  who  were  born  there. 

The  first  conditions  of  a  republic,  and  of  any 
republican,  are  :  respect  for  himself,  and  justice 
to  others  ! 

Know  ye,  that  it  will  signify  little,  if  ye  cry 
out :  "  We  are  free ;  no  king  and  no  emperor 
can  command  us  !  we  can  act  and  do  as  we 
please !  we  live  in  a  free  country  !  hurrah  for 
the  republic  !" 

Know  ye  what  the  word  republic  meaneth  .' 
whence  it  cometh  .'  If  there  should  be  those 
among  you  that  know  it  not,  I  will  explain  it  to 
you. 

The  word  republic  is  derived  from  the  Latin 
words  "  res,"  the  cause,  and  "  publica,"  public  ; 
therefore  "republic"  is  the  public  or  general 
cause,  the  general  welfare,  the  welfare  of  the 
people,  the  commonwealth. 

Republican  is,  consequently,  according  to  the 
original  signification  of  the  word,  a  man  that 
sacrificeth  his  own  personal  interest,  to  the 
public,  common  cause,  to  the  welfare  of  the 
people. 

Consider  ye  this,  and  call  ye  not  yourselves 
republican,  before  ye  recognise  the  spirit  of  the 
word,  and  fulfil  the  duties  which  the  term  im- 
plieth. 

Think  not  that  your  contest  is  ended,  when 
ye  have  succeeded  in  driving  the  hirelings  of 
the  enemy  beyond  your  borders,  who  did  not 
become  tiie  "  food  for  powder"  of  tlie  power  of 
your  people.  When  ye  shall  have  apparently 
obtained  your  political  freedom,  then  first  be- 
ginneth  your  contest  for  "moral  freedom,"  with- 
out which  the  other  will  be  worthless. 

When  ye  shall  have  disarmed  the  hirelings 
by  which  monarchy  endeavored  to  subjugate 
you,  ye  will  not  have  lilcewise  disarmed  the 
Prejudices  remaining  among  you,  after  tliey  liad 
taken  root  under  the  corrupting  influence  of  mo- 
narchy, and  its  ])rop — the  priesthood. 

Know  ye,  that  it  is  easier  to  obtain  a  brilliant 
victory  over  the  bayonets  of  despotism,  than  to 
eradicate  the  lurking  poison  of  prejudice  and 
hypocrisy,  after  it  hath  flown  through  the  vems 
and  nerves  of  a  people  for  centuries. 

It  is  easier  for  a  nation  to  free  itself  from  mo- 
narchical slavery  th  an  from  the  chains  of  moral 
slavery  under  the  mask  of  freedom. 

Freedom  consisteth  not  in  the  personal  liberty 
to  do,  and  to  omit,  what  ye  will,  to  live  for  your 
personal  and  frequently  very  sordid  interest, 
and  to  call  to  your  brother  :  "  Help  thyself 
do  as  I  do  ;  make  use  of  the  confidence  and  the 
stupidity  of  others  in  tliy  business :  make  mo- 
ney as  I  do  :  thou  art  free  !" 

Freedom  is  not  the  permission  to  wear  your 
hats  on  your  heads  before  every  body,  and  not  to 
be  obliged  to  salute  any  person  whom  ye  may 
chance  to  meet  in  the  dwelling  of  another,  and 
who  is  "  nothing  to  you,"  because  ye  do  no 
business  with  him. 

Freedom  consisteth  not  in  the  rude  indepen- 
dence sustained  by  credit,  nor  incivility  to  cred 
iters  and  foreigners,  nor  in  the  privilege  ol 
taking  your  ox  hides  and  horns  to  market  without 
excise,  and  to  export  them  without  duty  to  king 
or  emperor. 

Freedom  consisteth  not  in  your  Declaration  of 


240 


DOLORES 


Independence,  whereby  )e  aosolvc  yourselves 
from  the  statutes  of  the  crown. 

Frceiinm  is  3iinethinj»  else. 

Know  ye,  that  political  freedom  is  founded 
upon  your  fatherland,  and  moral  freedom  in 
your  hearts.  It  is  the  condition  in  which  ye 
are  hindered  by  no  external  subjugation  from 
developing  and  improving  your  moral  and  spir- 
itual powers,  from  fulfilling  your  duties  towards 
yourst-lves,  towards  your  nation,  and  towards 
mankind. 

Let  moral  freedom  abide  in  your  hearts;  it  is 
the  consciousness  of  your  dignity  as  men,  and  of 
your  power  of  will,  the  acknowledgement  of 
your  higher  destination;  with  the  renunciation 
of  all  prejudices,  which  circumscribe  it,  and 
prevent  you  from  attaining  it. 

Freedom  is  consequently  no  most  gracious 
present,  that  an  emperor,  or  a  king  or  queen  can 
grant  or  guarantee  by  a  sheet  of  paper,  called  a 
Constitution, 

Freedom  is  your  Birthright;  that  no  despot 
can  grant  unto  you,  no  tyrant  needeth  guarantee. 
It  is  not  a  gift,  for  which  men  should  beg  in 
servile  suppliant  petitions ;  it  is  their  most  sacred 
and  inviolable  Possession,  which  they  may  main- 
tain against  every  attack  in  battle,  for  life  ajid 
death. 

Moral  freedom  and  personal  liberty,  arc  found- 
ed on  equality.  The  violation  of  the  moral 
equality  of  a  fellow  man  is  a  violation  of  his 
liberty.  It  is  not  the  end  of  a  nation,  but  the 
means  for  the  fulfilment  of  all  the  duties  of 
humanity. 

Therefore,  when  ye  shall  have  laid  the  foim- 
dation  stone  of  your  political  freedom,  be  also 
morally  free,  and  make  use  of  the  element  of 
freedom  for  the  general  welfare,  in  honor  ol  the 
term  :  Republic. 

IVloral  freedem  can  prevail  in  the  heart  of  a 
slave  fettered  in  chains,  and  many  so  called  re- 
publicans do  not  know  even  what  is  moral  free- 
dom ! 

Think  not  that  ye  are  free,  while  ye  value 
your  wortli  by  oxen  and  ox  liides,  and  by  the 
money  tliat  ye  get  for  them !  for  ye  are  slaves 
unto  mammon. 

Think  not  that  ye  are  free,  while  your  priests 
lead  }ou  about  by  the  noses,  and  prohibit  you  to 
read  books  dictated  by  sound  reason  !  for  ye  are 
the  slaves  of  the  priesthood. 

Think  not  that  ye  are  free,  while  you  seelc 
after  offices  and  dignities  in  the  service  of  one  or 
the  other  party  of  your  state,  to  beg  for  your- 
selves (ondci  the  protection  of  the  Farcupilhas.or 
of  the  Moderados,  or  ol'  the  Caramuros)  comfort 
at  the  expense  of  your  nation.  Verily  I  say  unto 
you,  ye  arc  slaves  unto  your  selfishness. 

Think  not  that  the  freedom  of  a  future  ge- 
neration will  arise  from  the  stinlting  slovigh  of 
your  party  spirit,  from  revilings  and  defamatory 
speeches  against  persons  of  this  or  that  party  in 
your  state.  Freedom  recogniseth  no  person  ;  it 
is  a  principle;  it  recogniseth  no  popular  party, 
but  the  Peoijlc  only  ! 

Think  not  tliat  your  children  will  grow  up  to 
be  republicans,  as  a  palm  tree  groweth  up  to  be 
a  palm  tree,  and  a  thistle  a  thistle.  Bring  up 
your  children  to  be  Men,  and  you  fatherland  will 
bloom  as  a  republic. 

Ye  despise  the  "  mob"  of  your  nation  in  its 
rudeness    and   coarseness,  and  the  ruder  and 


coarser  is  your  mob,  the  greater  i.s  your  own 
shame  :  for  a  republic  knowcth  not  the  term, 
"  mob."  The  republic,  like  a  mother,  shall 
care  for  all  her  children,  with  equal  love,  and 
the  neglect  of  a  single  one  is  a  crime  against 
humanity mark  ye  that ! 

We  hear  much  said  about  the  rights  of  man 
and  the  rights  of  nations,  but  no  one  speaketh  of 
the  duties  of  man  tovs-ards  his  nation,  and  of  the 
duties  of  nations  towards  mankind. 

Know  ye,  a  ration  that  proclaimeth  its  free- 
dom, and  doth  not  at  the  same  time  recognise 
and  fulfil  its  duties  to  mankind,  is  a  selfish  na- 
tion, and  stands  very  low. 

The  duties  of  your  nation  to  mankind,  next, 
consist  in  this:  that  ye  make  laws  in  accordance 
with  the  progress  of  the  age,  for  the  improve- 
ment and  ennoblement  of  your  generation,  and 
as  an  example  fir  other  nations  ;  that  ye  reveal 
the  destination  of  man,  which  is  a  loftier  one  than 
the  anim-d  gratification  of  material  wants  ;  that 
ye  manifest  the  .spirit  of  freedom,  and  teach  it  in 
your  schools  ;  that  ye  as.semble  the  wise  men  of 
your  nation  in  universities,  and  otter  prizes  for 
the  honor  of  mankind,  as  ye  have,  hitherto, 
prizes  for  the  improvement  of  cattle.  For  verily 
I  say  unto  you,  mankind  hath  claims  on  every 
people,  and  every  people  hath  claims  upon  the 
last  of  its  sons  !  consider  ye  that ! 

Where  the  worth  of  man  is  only  reckoned  by 
money,  there  man  himself  is  a  saleable  creature 
purchasable  by  every  despot,  and  such  a  gener- 
ation serveth,  at  the  utmost,  as  manure  for  a 
future  one.  For  by  deceit  and  cheating  can  ye 
"  make  money,"  and  a  stupid  bloclchead  can  be 
rich. 

If  ye  as  a  people  recognise  no  loftier  aim  than 
the  misuse  of  liberty  "  to  make  money,"  it  were 
better  ye  should  remain  the  serfs  and  slaves  of 
an  emperor  or  of  a  queen  !  and  not  disgrace  the 
term  "  republic  :"  for  ye  are  unworthy  of  liberty, 
and  deserve  to  have  your  per  centage  of  trallic 

and  gain  counted  out  to  you  with  the  knout. 

Beware  of  the  mania  of  money-making,  lest 
the  negroes  spit  af'ter  you,  and  cry  after  you, 
"  money  I  money  !  sovereigns  !  gentlemen  !  res- 
pectable !  fishionable  !  money  !  money  !"  as  they 
do  after  the  English  in  the  Rua  Direita  at  Kio 
de  Janeiro,  where  I  have  seen  it,  and  can  there- 
fore pei'sonally  testify  thereto. 

Thcrctbre,  beware  of  those  gentlemen  who 
bleat,  "  God  save  the  king  !"  or,  "  God  save  the 
queen  '."  (God  save  the  queen,  and  let  us  shiioe 
the  people,)  and  come  to  you,  and  say  imto  you  : 

"  We  will  teach  you  civilization." Ye  must 

know  that  the  nation  of  these  gentlemen  has 
become  the  most  powerful  of  all  othei's,  by  theft, 
robbery,  and  fraud,  by  murder  and  incendiarisjn, 
committed  in  all  parts  of  the  world,  by  the  so 
called  cabinet  of  this  Christian  nation;  and  the 
rich  there  call  poverty  a  crime  ;  and  a  great  part 
of  the  people  are  maimed  and  starved  m  manu- 
factories, and  have  scarcely  strength  enough  to 
cry,  "  (lod  save  the  queen  ?"  and  tifty  thousand 
miserable  sinners  wander  about  in  the  capital 
of  this  gentleman  nation  in  privileged  misery, 
and  cannot  tell  where  or  how  they  live. 

When  such  gentlemen  ofl'eryou  their  "  civili- 
zation," thank  them  kindly,  and  place  them  un- 
der police  supervision,  and  watch  their  steps :  for 
their  business  is  to  shave  nations,  and  they  have 


DOLORES. 


Mi 


done  a  gvc:\t  business  with  razors,  and  races  of 
men  and  borses. 

Take  lieed  that  ye  be  not  like  the  aristocrats, 
in  splendor  and  luxury,  and  effeminacy,  for  that 
Bhoweth  the  enervation  of  your  republics,  and 
your  venality  to  every  despotism. 

Take  heed  that  ye  do  not  show  your  "  repub- 
lican principles"  out  of  ragged  elbows  and  dirty 
linen,  for  ye  only  manifest  therehy  the  ragged- 
ness  of  your  consequence  and  the  dirtiness  of 
your  inward  being. 

Take  heed  that  ye  do  not  hate  and  despise 
foreigner,^,  who,  after  being  disarmed  in  the 
contest  for  their  fatherland,  seek  a  refuge 
among  you,  and  sojourn  under  your  roofs,  tor 
(except  the  Caboclcs  and  Mamalocos)  your  fa- 
thers were  foreigners  tliemselvcs  in  your  land  ; 
and  if  ye  will  be  republicans,  pride  yourselves 
not  of  the  privilege  of  birth. 

Beware  of  the  "  Cosmopolites,"  who  come 
unto  you,  and  say  :  "We  know  nothing  of  fa- 
therland, and  need  no  fath.  rland,  only  land  ! 
we  come  among  you  to  do  our  business  under 
the  protection  of  your  laws. 

Beware  of  the  "  yardstick  people,"  who  come 
unto  you,  and  say  :  '■  We  will  not  become  citi- 
zens of  your  state,  for  we  '  do  not  meddle  with 
politics,'  but  we  want  only  t.  make  money,  and 
therefore  do  we  dwell  without  your  cities,  and 
thereby  save  the  taxes  we  would  have  to  pay  as 
citizens." 

Let  your  lasso  be  thrown  about  the  necks  of 
Buch  cosmopolite  rabble,  to  hang  them  on  the 
branchesof  ajacaranda,  where  they  are  highest. 
Beware  of  the  "  Philanthropists,"  who  come 
unto  you,  and  say  :  ■'  We  advise  you,  not  to  in- 
troduce any  social  improvements,  but  to  main- 
tain the  principles  of  prerogative,  that  your 
poorer  clas  es  may  remain  jioor,  and  we  "may 
have  opportunities  to  build  ponr-bouses,  and  to 
appoint  our  protegf's  as  poor-liouse  guardians, 
and  as  officers  of  all  kinds.  For  it  is  a  pity  to 
let  your  licef  bones  rot.  Let  the  poor  continue 
poor,  that  they  may  eat  our  bone  soups.  Let 
us  give  alms  publicly,  and  inscribe  our  names 
beside  the  emporer's  whom  you  have  dethroned, 
for  he  was  a  philanthropist,  and  ye  have  greatly 
misunderstood  him."  Cast  your  lassos  about 
the  necks  of  this  philanthropical  rabble,  to 
hang  them. 

Beware  of  the  Priests,  who  come  unto  to  you 
and  s.ay:  "We  are  sent  hither  by  our  most 
gracious  emperor,  or  by  our  most  gracious  good 
king,  or  from  our  most  graoi(ms  queen ,  to  preach 
Christianity  unto  your  people  after  the  text : 
•  Render  to  Caosar  the  things  that  are  Caisar's, 
that  nothing  remain  that  is  thejjeople's  ;'  allow 
yourselves  to  be  trodden  under  foot,  and  Hogged 
alive  on  earth,  and  let  the  '  wool  be  pulled'over 
your  eyes'  by  the  mighty  ones  of  the  earth,  in 
Christian  humility,  and  slavish  subjection;  for 
then  ye  will  die  happy  and  go  to  heaven,  and 
every  d.ay  secure  your  mock-turtle,  and  ale,  and 
plumb  pudding,  in  a  private  paradise,  separated 
from  your  rich,  (as  you  have  been  separated 
from  them  in  your  royal  churches,)  whose 
•'  protection  "  will  despise  you  even  there. 

fling  your  lassos  about  the  necks  of  such  a 
priestly  rabble,  and  hang  them. 

And  now  I  deliver  unto  you  the  little  book, 
without  title,  on  nation  and  government,  that  ye 
may  read  it,  and  multiply  it,  and  distribute  it. 
31 


among  your  people,  and  erect  schools  in  tho 
spirit  of  this  book,  in  honor  of  the  Kepublio. 
and  for  the  welfare  of  mankind.     Amen. 

Written  on  board  the  schooner  brig  Astral*, 
under  the  flag  of  Humanity. 
January  the  9th,  1839. 

Ormur   Or..4.FUB, 


CHAPTER    III. 

THE    BOOK    or   ORMUR. 

ON    PEOPLE    AND    GOVERNMENT. 

INTRODUCTION. 

A  nation  cut  up  in  powerless  parts,  governed 
to  its  own  ruin,  and  to  the  deNtruction  of  its 
nationality,  by  insolent  princes,  hostile  to  the  in- 
terests of  the  peaple,  mil  surely  one  day  awake, 
and  assert  its  independence  as  a  nation  It  will 
recognise  its  own  dignity,  and  feel  the  disgrao* 
of  slavery  ;  it  will  no  longer  endure  tyranny., 
but  shake  off  the  ignominious  yoke,  free  itself, 
and  represent  itself 

If  we  should  belong  to  a  nation,  that  had  at- 
tained its  freedom  after  a  decisive  contest,  w« 
would  take  the  liberty  of  submitting  the  follow- 
ing plan  for  a  national  representation,  with  th» 
motto:  "Prove  all  things;  hold  fast  that  which 
1  is  good." 

FORM    OF   A    NATIONAL.    REPRKSENT.^TION 
AND    GOVERNMENT. 

1.  A  large  country  must  of  necessity  be  di- 
vided into  seperate  paits,  (provinces  or  dis- 
tricts,) to  facilitate  the  administration  of  gov- 
ernment. Such  divisions  already  exist  in  almost 
every  country,  as  distinct  races  of  people  gen- 
erally maintain  their  original  character  in  all 
peculiarities,  and  distinguish  themselves  from 
each  other  accordingly,"  without  prejudice  to 
the  whole. 

These  Districts  generally  bear  the  name  of 
their  original  inhabitants.  Each  District  will 
consist  of  several  Shires,  the  boundaries  of  which 
may  be  determined  by  mountains,  rivers,  or 
other  accidental  circumstances. 

2.  The  inhabitants  of  each  shire  shall  elect 
by  a  m.ajority  of  votes  (without  distinction  of 
property)  a  Shire-man,  and  in  every  district  a 
District  Governor.  If  the  shire-man,  or  chief- 
man  in  the  shire,  should  be  advanced  to  th» 
office  of  district  governor,  his  place  shall  b« 
filled  by  a  new  election. 

3.  The  shire-men  shall  be,  at  the  same  time, 
district  deputies,  and  assemble  for  about  threa 
months  in  every  year,  as  a  District  Chamber, 
in  the  capital  of  the  district,  for  deliberation^ 
and  the  transaction  of  the  affairs  of  the  district. 

The  before  mentioned  org.anization  of  th« 
people  in  Temples*  (or  whatever  name  may  b« 
thought  appropriate)  shall  be  the  basis  of  ever/ 
election. 


*  .S(?e  the  document,  "  Organization  of  the  Union,"  &e„ 
Uolorca,  jjngo  187. 


242 


DOLORES. 


4.  A  District  Secretary  shall  be  elected  by  the 
people  for  the  term  of  five  years,  who  shall  take 
precedence,  in  the  deliberations,  and  at  the  same 
time  keep  tlie  archives  of  the  district. 

The  governor  shall  preside  in  the  district 
chamber,  and  have  two  votes. 

f).  After  their  general  deliberations  shall  be 
concluded,  the  deputies  will  return  to  their 
homes.  But  this  body  must  be  consituted  so  that 
one-fourth  of  their  number  are  retained  as  a  com- 
mittee for  deliberations  in  unforseen  emergencies. 
The  discharge  or  leave  of  absence  of  members 
(ihall  be  determined  by  lot. 

6.  The  President  of  the  Nation  shall  be 
elected  for  five  years.  He  must  first  have  been 
governor  of  a  district. 

7.  Every  district  shall  send  its  deputies  to 
the  capital.  These  deputies  will  form  a  Con- 
gress, over  which  the  president  shall  preside. 
The  election  shall  be  conducted  by  the  people  of 
the  districts,  the  number  to  be  determined  accord- 
ing to  the  population ;  their  term  of  office  to 
last  three  years. 

8.  The  congress  shall  transact  all  affairs  of 
the  state,  both  internal  and  external,  and  be  em- 
powered to  decide  upon  all  matters,  being,  how- 
ever, responsible  to  the  people  for  its  acts. 

9.  One-third  of  the  congress  shall  be  yearly 
replaced  by  other  deputies. 

10.  After  the  expiration  of  five  years,  the 
president  cannot  be  re-elected  for  the  next  five 
years,  unless  by  a  majority  of  four-fifths. 

11.  At  the  end  of  each  year,  a  commission 
ihall  be  nominated  by  congress  to  hear  all  com- 
plaints against  the  president,  and  to  lay  them 
before  congress  for  investigation. 

12.  The  president  shall  reside  in  the  capital. 

13.  The  governors  shall  reside  in  the  capitals 
of  their  respective  districts. 

II. 

MILITIA,    MIX-ITART,    ANB    ITAVT. 

1.  The  defence  of  the  country  shall  devolve 
upon  the  national  guard,  and  tlie  navy,  which 
are  to  be  divided  into  so  called  active  and  inac- 
tive corps. 

2.  Kvery  native  of  the  country,  from  the  age 
of  IS  to  the  age  of  40,  shall  belong  to  the  active 
guard.  Those  residing  on  the  coast  shall  belong 
to  the  navy. 

3.  Every  citizen,  on  passing  his  fortieth  year, 
will  enter  the  inactive  guard,  or  navy,  which, 
in  time  of  war,  is  to  remain  for  the  defence  of 
the  place,  and  is  not  to  take  tlie  field,  or  proceed 
to  sea,  as  does  the  active.  At  the  age  of  50,  the 
citizen  may  retire  from  service. 

4.  The  art  of  war,  navigation,  military  tac- 
tics, fortification,  etc.,  are  to  be  tauglit  in  the 
high  schools,  (universities.) 

5.  The  science  of  war  will  form  a  department 
in  the  high  schonls.  The  choice  of  study  shall 
be  free,  like  every  other. 

6.  Gymnastic  exercises  are  to  be  taught  and 
practised  as  a  necessary  part  of  education,  to 
prepare  for  military  service.  At  the  same  time, 
a  swimming  school  may  be  instituted. 

7.  A  fencing  school  shall  be  attached  to  the 
gymnastic  department,  at  which  there  are  to  be 
weekly  public  exhibitions. 

8.  Horsemanship  shall  likewise  be  made  a 
part  of  education  in  the  uatioual  schoob.     It 


shall  be  taught  by  experienced  teachers,  in  coiv 
nexion  with  instruction  concerning  the  struc- 
ture of  the  hnrse,  (anatomy,  etc.) 

9.  Tlie  nece.ssary  military  required  to  be  in 
service  for  tlie  maintenance  of  order,  shall  con- 
sist of  the  national  guard,  drawn  by  lot  for 
three  years,  (from  the  20th  to  the  23rd  year.) 

10.  The  o/hcers  of  the  guard  shall  be  elected 
by  the  latter,  but  they  must,  nevertheless,  pass 
the  necessary  examination  before  the  military 
examiners. 

11.  All  the  officers  of  the  active  guard  (ex- 
cept engineers)  shall  draw,  without  distinction, 
the  same  pay  from  the  treasury,  and  sliall  be 
named,  according  to  their  position,  without  pri- 
ority of  rank. 

12.  The  officers  of  the  corps  of  engineers,  and 
of  the  navy,  shall  draw  a  salary  proportionate  to 
the  extent  of  their  studies  and  attainments,  and 
when  not  in  service,  a  third  part  thereof. 

13.  The  number  of  engineers  and  oflicers  of 
the  navy  shall  be  regulated  by  the  condition  of 
the  active  guard  and  navy. 

14  Rank  and  title  in  the  guard  and  navy  will 
confer  no  distinction,  but,  nevertheless,  every 
subordinate  olficer  will  owe  unconditional  obe- 
dience to  his  superior  during  service. 

1.5.  In  particular  cases,  the  chief  of  a  division 
of  a  brigade,  or  of  a  regiment,  as  well  as  the 
commander  of  a  frigate,  corvette,  etc.,  can  be 
ordered  to  take  an  inferior  service  without  in- 
jury to  his  honor. 

16.  The  general  national  military  exercises  of 
the  national  guard  shall  take  place  every  year, 
at  the  close  of  the  harvest ;  but,  nevertheless,  in 
such  a  manner,  that  only  one-half  of  the  militia 
shall  be  assembled  at  once,  so  that  every  citizen 
will  be  exercised  about  three  weeks  every  other 
year,  in  a  camp. 

17.  No  superior  officer  will  be  authorized  to 
chastise  a  subordinate  for  any  oftence  that  he 
may  commit.  It  shall  be  his  duty  to  report  it 
to  his  superior. 

There  shall  be  in  every  division,  as  on  board 
of  every  man  of  war,  a  court  of  honor,  chosen 
by  election,  which  shall  hold  public  sessions. 
The  punishment  shall  be  determined  by  the  law 
applying  to  the  case. 

is.  Should  the  offence  of  an  officer  be  of  such 
a  nature  as  to  require  a  dismission  from  service, 
the  court  of  honor  shall  decide  whether  the 
criminal  shall  longer  remain  in  the  national 
guard  or  navy,  without  rank. 

19.  No  citizen  can,  even  after  having  passed 
an  examination,  become  an  officer,  until  he  shall 
have  served  three  years  in  the  national  guard  or 
navy.     (II.  §  9.) 

2ii.  The  war  and  naval  departments,  together 
with  the  topographical  bureau  connected  with 
them,  shall  be  stationary. 

The  members  thereof  shall  be  paid  by  the 
state,  like  other  officers. 

21.  The  active  cavalry  also  shall  draw,  when 
nut  of  service,  a  small  salary,  as  a  compensation 
for  the  keeping  of  the  horses,  in  case  the  num- 
ber of  cavalry  men  should  not  be  sufficient. 

III. 

ORGANIZATION    FOR    ARMING    VHE    PEOPLE. 

1.  The  leader  of  each  rock  shall  deliver  to 
the  foundation  the  list  of  names  of  those  youths 


DOLORES. 


243 


and  men  who,  in  case  of  war,  would  beJong  to 
Hie  active  corps.  (See  Organization  Act,  page 
387.) 

2.  Tile  secretary  of  the  foundation  shall  re- 
tain the  eleven  lists,  and  report  the  number  of 
warriors  to  the  secretary  of  the  hail. 

The  organization  of  the  army  shall  fake  place 
in  a  manner  similar  to  the  organization  of  the 
whole  nation. 

Ten  men  and  a  leader  will  form  a  band. 

Eleven  bands  (1'21  men)  shall  form  a  com- 
pany, or  scpiadron  of  cavalry. 

A  company  shall  keep  ten  bands  (110  men) 
in  the  line,  the  remaining  eleven  to  be  employed 
BIS  pioneers,  officers,  drummers,  mechanics,  and 
the  like. 

3.  Eleven  companies  (1,3.31  men)  will  form 
a  column,  but  as  eich  company  will  have  only 
UO  men  in  the  line,  the  line  of  the  column 
shall  consist  of  only  1,210  men,  the  remaining 
121  to  constitute  the  corps  of  officers,  musicians, 
officers  of  the  bureau,  stuff',  (itat  major,)  etc. 

Two  columns  will  form  a  battalion,  2,420 
men,  in  the  line. 

4.  The  orj^anization  of  the  people  is  not  to  be 
sffected  by  the  calling  out  of  the  army.  Every 
individual  will  keep  his  number  in  the  "  rock 
of  the  temple"  until  death,  unless  he  shall 
have  been  expelled  for  crime  or  misconduct,  etc. 

To  avoid  confusion,  every  pillar,  etc.,  can 
choose  some  suitable  name,  as,  for  exam.ple, 
rock  4  ;  pillar  Hope  ;  hall  7  ;  temple  Rio  Negro. 

5.  The  operation  of  this  organization  in  tem- 
ples is  three-fold  : 

(a.)  As  a  means  of  representing  the  state  in 
the  election  of  officers. 

(b.)  .*s  a  means  of  arming  the  inhabitants  of 
the  districts,  towns,  etc. 

(c.)  As  a  means  of  promoting  the  interests  of 
humanity,  as  liberty  is  thus  founded  on  the  ba- 
sis of  equality. 

The  two  first  affect  the  country:  the  last, 
mankind. 

IV. 

ItNTEB.NAI.     ADMINISTRATION. OFFICERS     OF 

GOVERNMENT, 

1.  The  president  and  governors  shall  draw 
a  fixed  salary  ;  the  senators  and  district  depu- 
ties an  allowance  per  diem,  for  the  time  they 
remain  together. 

2.  Officers  of  government  must  have  com- 
pleted a  course  of  legal  studies. 

3.  Every  nomination  of  officers  shall  pro- 
ceed from  the  choice  and  proposal  of  the  people 
residing  in  the  district  over  which  the  office  is 
exercised. 

4.  All  the  officers  of  the  general  govern- 
ment of  the  interior,  shall  draw  their  pay  from 
the  general  treasury,  and  not  from  the  district. 

5.  The  election  of  administrative  officers 
shall  take  place  viiia  voce.  The  district  candi- 
dates shall  send  their  certificates  to  the  adminis- 
trative departments,  or  personally  report  them- 
selves. The  five  best  shall  be  designated  from 
the  proposed  number,  of  whom  the  citizens  of 
the  district  shall  elect  one. 

6.  The  president  shall  have  no  right  to 
transfer  officers  from  one  district  to  the  other, 
unless  by  consent  of  the  heads  of  the  district. 

7.  Every    officer    may  appoint  his    deputies 


and  subordinates,  public  protestation  being  re- 
served to  the  people. 

8.  The  necessary  number  of  lawyers,  nota- 
ries, professors,  physicians,  surgeons,  etc.,  em- 
ployed in  the  public  institutions,  are  to  be  offi- 
cers of  government,  paid  by  the  state. 

9.  The  appointment  of  physicians  and  sur- 
geons, not  in  the  public  institutions,  may  take 
l>lace  according  to  the  requirements  of  the  num- 
ber of  inhabitants  ufa  place  or  district. 

10.  The  candidate  for  either  of  the  learned 
professions  must  undergo  a  public  examination. 

11.  Official  salaries  to  be  regulated  by  mode- 
ration, but  yet  so  that  a  subordinate  officer  sliall 
receive  an  adetiuate  support.  Whoever  does  not 
wish  to  serve  the  state  for  a  moderate  salary,  is 
not  compelled  to  seek  an  office. 

12.  The  appointment  of  the  officers  of  gov- 
ernment, in  regard  to  salary,  will  fall  into  three 
classes,  but  without  in  the  least  affecting  the 
rank  or  standing  of  the  officers.  All  officers  and 
citizens  of  the  government  will  stand  uiion  an 
equal  footing. 

13.  The  clerks,  etc.,  in  the  public  offices,  are 
to  be  selected  from  the  candidates  of  the  institu- 
tions of  learning,  (V.  §  2fi,)  and  paid  by  the  State. 


SOCIAI.   WORLD  LEGISLATION,      INSTITUTIONS 

OF  LEARNING,  PROMOTION  OF  THE  SCIENCES, 
ARTS,  AND  INDUSTRY. 

1.  There  will  be,  besides  the  legislative  and 
administrative,  a  Controlling,  or  Social  Power. 
The  legislative  power  will  be  represented  by  the 
congress,  to  whom  the  legislative  body  will  be 
subjected.  It  will  not  be  able  to  make  laws 
without  the  assent  of  the  congress. 

2.  The  legislative  body  will  consist  of  a  cer- 
tain number  of  worthy  men,  elected  by  the  peo- 
ple (as  officers  of  government)  for  ten  years,  and 
shall  assemble  in  the  capital.  All  propositions 
in  regard  to  laws,  are  to  be  laid  before  this  body 
for  deliberation,  and  the  chairman  thereof  shall 
submit  them  to  the  senate  (congress.) 

3.  The  administrative  or  executive  power 
will  be  composed  of  all  the  officers  of  govern- 
ment except  the  congress,  the  legislative  body, 
and  the  district  deputies. 

4.  No  district  deputy  nor  general  deputy  can 
be  appointed  to  an  administrative  office. 

.5.  The  third,  controlling,  or  social  power, 
will  consist  of  a  national  co\incil  of  a  proportion- 
ate number,  elected  frnin  the  people,  according 
to  the  before  mentioned  organization. 

6.  The  duties  of  the  national  council  will  be 
to  lighten  the  Labors  of  the  legislative  body,  to 
promote  the  intellectual  and  social  improvement 
of  the  people,  and  to  meliorate  their  social  con- 
dition. 

7.  No  member  of  the  national  council  can  at 
the  same  time  be  a  member  of  congress,  or  an 
officer  of  the  government,  but  may  be  a  shire- 
man  or  district  deputy.  A  building  shall  ba 
erected  for  the  council  in  the  capital,  to  be  Used 
as  a  bureau  for  archives,  a  library,  etc. 

6.  The  council  shall  elect  from  their  body 
a  president,  a  cashier,  and  a  general  secretary, 
who  are  to  be  paid  by  the  people,  from  contri- 
butions to  the  temple  fund,  without  resort  to  the 
state  treasury. 

9.  These  three  officers  shall  reside  in   the 


9^* 


DOLORES. 


capital.  The  national  council  shall  assemble 
three  months  in  every  year,  in  the  different  capi- 
tala  of  the  district,  alternately,  and  elect  a  chair- 
man from  their  body.  The  chairman  shall  direct 
the  propositions  and  labors,  with  the  help  of  the 
secretary.  The  council  will  deliberate  and 
decide. 

10.  The  destination  of  all  classes  of  the  peo- 
ple shall  be  regulated  by  the  council.  It  will 
not  only  represent,  what  is  properly  tlie  depart- 
ment of  education,  (as  far  a-s  its  propositions  shall 
be  submitted  to  the  congress,)  but  control  all 
public  institutions,  provide  for  the  infcllecfual 
development  of  the  laboring  classes,  and  promote 
mental  activity,  in  science,  literature,  and  the 
Bits. 

11.  While  men  may,  of  (heir  own  accord. 
End  from  inward  impulse,  be  busied  day  and 
eight  in  intellectual  emi)Ioyment,  mental  ac- 
tivity in  literature  and  the  arts,  let  it  be  provi- 
ded that  GO  one  of  the  so  called  laboring  classes 
^hall  be  employed  longer  than  eight  hours  a  day, 
that  he  may  devote  the  remainder  of  his  time  to 
^ecrealion  and  intellectual  improvement. 

12.  Every  laborer  shall  enjoy  a  proportronate 
part  of  the  profits  of  his  industry. 

13.  The  national  council  shall  control  the 
profits  of  laborers,  as  far  as  the  latter  can  bring 


mitted  to  the  people,  and  confirmed  bf  the  na- 
tional council. 

'24.  Considering  the  value  of  time,  instrnc- 
tion  in  the  living  languages  will  be  preferred  to 
the  study  of  the  dead,  as  only  those  persoiw 
require  the  latter,  who  intend  to  devote  them- 
selves to  one  of  the  learned  professions  (law, 
medicine,  and  divinity.*)  ,    .  •  t. 

2.'i.  Besides  the  country,  town,  and  high 
schools,  (universities,)  there  shall  be,  in  every 
shire,  a  general  house  of  education  for  the  male, 
and  another  for  the  female  youth. 

26.  In  the  general  hoise  of  education,  the 
male  youth  v/ill  obtain  a  fundamental  instruction 
in  all' the  departments  of  science,  and  receive  an 
education  in  accordance  with  his  natural  dispo- 
sition and  his  talents,  for  the  occupation  which 
lie  may  choose. 

•27.  Besides  teachers  of  science,  artists  and 
mechanics  of  all  kinds  ?hall  be  appointed  for  th«> 
necessary  instruction,  and  be  paid  by  the  state. 

2S.  Iti  the  houses  of  education  for  females, 
instruction  will  be  imparted  (besides  in  the 
necessary  sciences)  in  all  branches  reqirircd  in  a 
female  education. 

29.  All  children,  without  exception,  will  find 
in  this  institution  a  dwelling  and  support,  with- 
out distinction  of  condition  and  the  circumstances 


their  complaints  before  them,  whereupon  an  !  of  their  parents.  The  pupils  ol' the  female  sos 
inspector  (one  of  the  council)  shall  be  directed  j  are  to  remain  in  it  until  the  end  of  their  sixteenth 
to  institute  an  investigation  ..-.4  ti,^ 


14.  Associations  with  community  of  property 
can  exist.  They  shall  be  proposed  to  the  na- 
tional council,  who  shall  consider  the  proposi- 
tion, and,  in  case  of  approval,  shall  lay  the  same 
before  the  congress  for  confinnation. 

in.  The  property  or  possessions  of  every  asso- 
ciation shall  be  considered  private  property,  and 
as  such  shall  be  honored  with  the  property  tax, 
by  which  the  state  is  supported,  v/hich  protects 
the  association. 

16.  The  property  tax  shall  be  progressive. 
All  who  do  not  possess  a  certain  fixed  amount 
of  property  (to  be  determined  by  the  council) 
shall  not  be  obliged  to  pay  any  property  tax. 


year,  and  those  of  the  male  sex  until  the  end  ol 
their  eighteenth  vear. 

30.  Public  instruction  in  these  institutions,  as 
in  all  others,  shall  be  without  charge. 

;'l.  A  Bazaar  shaH  be  connected  with  the 
house  of  education,  for  the  exhibition  of  a!l 
work  delivered  by  the  pupils  in  the  arts  and 
trades,  and  female  work. 

Every  article  prepared  by  a  pupii,  shall  be 
conscieutiouslv  appraised,  and  the  amount,  afteJ 
a  deduction  of  the  material,  divided  into  three 
parts,  two  of  which  shall  be  deposited  in  the 
public  savings  bank,  as  the  property  of  the  pupil, 
and  the  other  shall  go  to  the  institution.  The 
pupil's  earnings  shall   bear  the  usual   national 


1^.  Personal  and  moral  freedom'is  the  funda-  per  centage,  and  be  reserved  for  him,  as  a  for^ 
mental  condition  of  all  development:  every  man  |  tu-ne.  Until  he  shall  arrive  at  his  tvTenty-ftfth 
has  a  rio-ht  »nd  claim  to  a  proportionate  result  year.    Tlie  female  pupils  may  receive  the  amount 


of  his  labor,  and  shall  also  be  required  to  con 
tribute  his  proportion  towards  the  .support  of  the 
state. 

IS.  Every  person  shall  be  at  liberty  to  convey 
l)is  property  to  an  association,  but  no  association 
^hall  have  the  right  to  violate  private  property. 

19.  The  first  and  most  sacred  property  be- 
stowed upon  man,  is  his  body.  Personal  free- 
dom is  (bunded  on  the  law  of  nature,  as  the 
condition  of  all  development. 

20.  Community  of  projjerty  can  naturally 
only  be  limited  to  an  association,  however  ex- 
tended it  may  be,  and  the  possessions  of  such  an 
association  will  consequently  always  rema.n  the 
property  of  the  association. 

21.  No  association  can  exempt  itself  from 
its  duties  towards  its  nation  and  fatherland. 
There  can  be  no  "  state  within  a  stale." 

?.■',.  Education,  as  the  most  sacred  duly  of 
govtmment,  shall  promote  the  development  ol 
8ie  physical,  as  well  as  intellectual  powers  and 
nkoral  ennoblement. 

23.  The  system  of  education  shall  be  planned 
\fj-  a  national  committee  of  education,  to  be  sub- 


of  their  earnings,  at  theii   ruarriage,  oi  at  the 
end  of  their  twentieth  year, 

32.  An  Academy  of  Fine  Arts,  (sculpture, 
painting,  architecture,)  and  an  Academy  of 
Music,  shall  be  established  at  the  capital. 

33.  The  products  of  art,  of  the  academy, 
are  to  be  bought  by  the  national  Art-union,  and 
disposed  of  to  its  members. 

34.  A  university  shall  be  established  in  every 
district  for  the  study  of  law,  medicine,  the- 
ology, philosophy,  etc. 

'JCx  As  an  indncement  to  effort,  medals  shall 
be  bestowed  for  the  most  excellent  works.  A 
travelling  stipend  for  three  years  will  be  given 
with  the  highest  medal. 

36.  The  erection  and  adornment  of  public  and 
private  edifices,  representations  from  the  history 
of  the  people,  in  statues  and  frejco,  will  offer  to 
talent  opportunity  for  activity  and  development. 

37.  It  shall  be'the  duty  of  the  congress  to  usfl 


•  No  sectarian  shall  be  allowed  to  preach,  until  h9 
shall  have  shown  his  acquaintaucc  wilh  ecclesiaflticul 
history,  etc.,  in  a  public  examiuation  before  the  univer* 

sit  jr. 


DOLORES. 


245 


tbna  Sjest  endeavors  to  promote  the  bloom  of  all 
sciences  and  arts,  and  of  industry,  and  not  to  neg- 
lect any  branch  of  education. 

38.  There  sliall  be  in  every  capita!  of  a  district, 
a3  well  as  in  the  cajjital  of  the  counti-y,  a  build- 
ing for  a  national  theatre.  The  company  be- 
longing to  the  former,  shall  change  their  locality 
every  tliree  months.  The  theatre  is  to  be  a 
school  of  improvement  for  the  people,  and  at  the 
«ame  time,  a  support  to  rising  poetic  talent. 
The  aim  of  all  the  arts  will  be  the  strengthening 
of  the  national  spirit  and  moral  ennoblement. 
The  dramatic  artists  shall  be  considered  officers 
of  government. 

VI. 

MARRIAGES,    AND   COURTS    OF    MARRIAGK. 

1.  Bad  marriages  are  an  essential  cause  of  the 
corruption  of  mankind,  for  the  greater  part  are 
contracted  for  pecuniary  purposes,  like  a  busi- 
ness transaction,  or  originate  from  base  motives. 

2.  So  called  "  reasonable"  and  heartless  mar- 
riages have  a  pernicious  influence  upon  the  next 
generation,  and  in  thein  lies  founded  the  greatest 
evil  of  the  present  and  the  future. 

3.  In  every  shire  there  shall  be  established 
courts  of  marriage,  chosen  by  the  inhabitants  of 
both  sexes,  co"".sisting  of  four  married  men  and 
six  married  women. 

4.  A  citizen  shall  preside,  who  ia  to  be  chosen 
by  lot,  and  shall  have  two  votes. 

5.  Thj  court  shall  hold  weekly  sessions,  gene- 
rally Sundays. 

6.  Females  shall  have  a  free  ch<)ice  of  mar- 
riage, as  well  as  males. 

7.  Every  couple  vvlsning  to  be  married  shall 
report  themselves  to  the  court,  and  be  approved 
for  their  coireet  moral  and  civil  conduct,  and  to 
declare  their  free  consent.  Their  marriage  can 
first  take  place  a  jear  afterwards,  should  they 
not  separate  before  that  time. 

8.  No  co\iple  can  contj-act  marriage,  the  differ- 
ence in  whose  age  is  more  than  thirty  years. 

9  No  young  man  or  woman  shall  be  forced 
into  marriage  of  speculation  by  their  relations. 
The  injured  party  can  complain  belore  the  court. 

10.  Marriage  shall  be  concluded  before  this 
court  by  contract,  and  then  confirmed  by  the  au- 
thority of  the  district,  and  the  clergyman  chosen 
by  the  couple. 

i  1 .  Divorces  can  at  any  time  be  granted  by  this 
court,  for  legal  grounds. 

12.  The  guilty  party,  whose  offence  shall 
have  given  a  cause  for  the  divorce,  shall  be  lia- 
ble to  damages  at  the  suit  of  the  injured  party. 

13.  The  children  of  divorced  persons,  shall  be 
brought  up  in  the  general  institution  of  educa- 
tion, for  the  security  of  their  morals,  without 
distinction  of  age  and  condition. 

14.  Adultery  shall  be  followed  by  divorce. 

1.5.  Diflerence  of  religion  shall  not  be  an  im- 
pediment to  m.irriage.  A  couple  resolved  upon 
marrying,  against  whom  there  is  no  other  ob- 
jection, can  have  recourse  to  this  court,  in  ca.se 
the  parents  give  this  as  a  ground  of  objection. 

VII. 

FaEEDOM    OF    CONSCIENCE. 

I.  Tliere  shall  be  no  predominant,  so  called 
EfiligioQ  of  State. 


2.  Every  form  of  %vor3hip  shall  be  permitted, 
unless  it  should  contradict  morality. 

3.  All  natives  of  the  country,  or  those  who  shall 
have  acquired  tlie  right  of  citizenship,  shall  be 
under  equal  obligations  to  the  state,  under  the 
protection  of  the  laws. 

4.  All  intrigue  of  proselytism,  of  whatever  na- 
ture, shall  be  prohibited,  and  be  punished  by 
law. 

5.  Religious  instruction  shall  first  commence 
at  the  twelfth  year,  when  youth  is  sufficiently 
matured  to  comprehend  the  sublimity  of  reve- 
lation. Every  sect  can  pay  their  particular  teach- 
er, who  will  be  allowed  tile  use  of  a  room  In  the 
schot.l  building,  an  hour  each  day,  under  the 
control  of  the  national  council. 

G.  Interments  in  churches  are  prohibited 
No  corpse  can  be  buried  within  the  city. 

vrii. 

UNIVERSAL   PRINCIPJ.es. 

I.  One  code  of  laws  shall  prevail  throughout 
the  whole  country,  designed  and  carried  out 
according  to  the  requirements  of  the  age,  and 
founded  upon  nature  and  reason. 

i.  There  shall  be  no  civil  oaths.  The  love 
of  country  in  the  heart  of  the  citizen  shall  ba 
his  obligation.  The  lost  idea  "  honor  "  shall  be 
restored  to  life. 

3.  Every  office  holder  shall  be  obliged  to  the 
people  faithfully  to  suj»port  the  law's,  without 
the   formula  of  an  oath.     Offences    against  the 
people  by  neglect  of  duty,  shall  be  grounds  of ' 
legal  complaint. 

4.  Every  foreigner  shall  be  under  the  pro- 
tection of  the  laws  as  soon  as  he  touches  land. 

5.  Government  shall  be  supported  by  pro- 
gressive taxes  upon  property. 

6.  There  shall  be  no  taxes  upon  necessaries, 
(indirect  taxes.) 

7.  There  shall  be  no  duties,  nor  excise,  etc. 

8.  Import  duties  upon  articles  of  luxury  will 
be  rendered  superfluous  by  the  progressive  pro- 
perty tax. 

9.  Highways  and  railroads  shall  be  under  th* 
care  of  the  state. 

10.  The  perfection  of  all  products  of  the 
country,  as  well  of  nature  as  of  industry  and  art, 
shall  be  encouraged  by  premiums. 

n.  The  state  shall  propose  yearly  prize  ques- 
tions in  all  the  sciences. 

12.  Universal  liberty  of  occupation.  Abolition 
of  all  compulsion  of  trade.  No  association,  witJi 
a  community  of  goods,  shall  enjoy  exclusive 
privileges. 

13.  Every  department  of  cultcre  and  industry 
shall  be  represented  and  promo'ed  by  especial 
district  councils  for  that  purpose. 

14.  Lotteries  and  stamps  on  paper  are  abol- 
ished. 

1.5.  Luxury  is  a  worm  at  the  foundation  of 
the  slate. 

16.  The  simplest  national  costume  shall  pre- 
vail among  all  clas.ses.  No  gold  or  silver  shall 
be  worn  on  military  uniforms. 

17.  All  foreign  fashions  are  infidelity  to  na- 
tionality. 

15.  Whoever  shall  accept  a  rank,  title  or  order 
from  any  foreign  monarchy,  shall  forfeit  the  bono? 
of  serving  in  the  natloiial  guard,  and  likewise 
claims  to  office  in  fatherland. 


246 


DOLORES. 


19.  Offences  against  morality  and  persons  by 
the  free  press,  shall,  like  all  others,  be  a  cause 
of  legal  complaint. 

20.  Capital  punishment  shall  only  be  inflicted 
in  cases  of  treason;  all  other  crimes  shall  be 
punished  by  confinement  in  the  house  of  cor- 
rection. 

21.  The  house  of  correction  for  criminals  will 
be  an  institution  of  industry,  in  which  they  are 
to  be  treated  as  suflerers.  A  third  of  the  pro- 
ceeds of  the  articles  produced  by  the  suflTiTcr  in 
the  house  of  correction,  shall  be  laid  iside  for 
him  in  the  "  national  savings  bank,"  to  be  given 
to  him  at  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  punish- 
ment. 

22.  Legislation  and  education  are  the  first 
duties  of  government.  In  education  lies  the 
germ  of  the  succeeding  generation :  legislation 
maintains  the  dignity  of  the  state. 

23.  All  male  and  female  teachers  shall  be 
regarded  as  officers  of  the  government  of  the 
noblest  railing.  Their  existence,  until  their  de- 
cease, shall  be  secured  by  an  especial  savings- 
bank,  under  the  protection  of  the  state. 

24.  Woman  will  be  revered  as  the  noblest 
work  of  creation.     To  woman   is  confided  the 


7.  As  long  as  it  is  no  disgrace  to  be  notfiiii* 
else  than  rich,  there  is  no  hope  for  mankind. 

8.  The  greatness  of  a  nation  does  not  consist 
in  the  motion  of  its  machines,  nor  in  the  exten- 
sion of  its  commerce,  nor  in  the  enlargement  )f 
its  boundaries,  bat  in  the  spirit  with  which  it 
represents  tlie  cause  of  humanity. 

9.  Private  institutions,  est,iblishments,  and 
found.itions  ;  what  noble  purpose  they  ever  may 
intend,  will  always  remain  "  private,"  without 
influence  of  the  development  and  progress  of  tho 
nation  as  a  moral  and  spiritual  power. 

10.  The  gi-eatness  of  a  st.ite  depends  not  on 
the  number  of  its  inhabitants,  but  upon  the 
spirit  that  animates  the  people  in  their  efforts 
after  ennoblement. 

11.  Millions  of  slaves  moulder  in  the  grave  ol 
oblivion.  A  single  man  may  raise  tlie  name  of 
his  nation  in  the  annals  of  mankind. 


THE    NATION    AND    HXTMANITY. 

1.  Eveiy  man  in  the  nation  shall  pay  a  fixed, 
or  a  voluntai7  tax,  for  the  promotion  of  humani- 
ty, which  the  treasurer  of  the  pillar  shrill  send  by 


improvement  of  the  people  to  an  elevated  degree,  the  treasurer  of  the  hall  to  the  tre.snr.>  of  the 
by  the  influence  of  females  upon  the  education  temple,'  The  directnrs  of  the  temple  shall  an- 
and  moral  perfection  of  mankind.  |  nually  deliver  a  public  accoun. 


25.  The  maiden  should  be  conscious  of  her  I 


2.  Every  temple  shall  establish  the  necessary 
dignity',  and'enhust  her  heart  to  no  one  who  j  printing  presses,  which  are  lo  be  conducted  by 
shall   not  have  shown   himself  a  man   in  the   chosen  officers 

3.  A  separate  printing  press  shall  be  estab- 


nation. 

2G.  The  mother  should  regard  her  children 
as  her  choicest  possession,  which  she  consecrates 
to  fatherland.  The  feeling  of  love  to  fatherland 
(patriotism)  should  be  nourished  and  strength- 
ened in  the  tender  heart  of  the  child,  as  the 
purest  and  holiest  after  faith  in  God. 

27.  The  highest  aim  of  a  maiden  should  be  to 
render  the  man  happy,  who  belongs  to  the  na- 
tion, as  if  to  thank  and  reward  him  for  his  efforts. 

23.  The  purest  endeavors  of  a  youth  should 
be  directed  towards  the  development  and  per- 
fection of  his  being,  as  a  man  in  his  nation,  which 
includes  all  virtues  in  itself. 

29.  A  man's  highest  and  noblest  aim  should 
be  to  live  and  die  for  fatherland. 

IX. 

SENTENCE'S. 

1.  Intellectual  activity  is  the  highest.  Hand- 
labor  stands  higher  than  capital.  Money  has 
no  value  in  itself,  but  only  as  the  means  to  a 
noble  end. 

2.  Property  and  possessions,  unaccompanied 
by  mind  and  heart,  are  the  brand  on  the  forehead 
of  a  criminal. 

3.  As  difficult  as  it  is  for  a  rich  man  "  to  enter  I 
the  kingdom  of  Heaven,"  so  difficult  is  it  for  a 
merchant    to    be   a   republican.      A   merchant 
recogniises   only  his   personal  interest ;  the   re- 
publican principle  requires  personal  sacrifice 

4.  "  There  is  no  friendship  in  business,"  and 
no  principle  on  'change. 

5.  A  repviblic  that  recognises  commerce  as 
the  highest  aim,  and  money  as  its  element,  is 
not  a  republic,  but  a  monarchy  of  the  venal 
slaves  of  mammon. 

tj  When  money  is  an  article  of  speculation, 
man  also  is  venal. 


lished  on  behalf  of  the  national  council,  in  their 
building.  (See  V.  §  7.1 

4.  A  popular  newspaper  shall  appear  every  five 
days,  as  the  organ  of  the  national  council,  at  the 
same  time  faithfully  translated  in  several  lan- 
guages. 

.'>.  As  soon  as  a  national  council  shall  be  or- 
ganized, it  shall  appoint  as  many  "  messengers  of 
communication"  for  other  nations,  as  shall  hav« 
organized  themselves  in  a  similar  manner,  and 
shall  have  joined  the  Humanita. 

6.  As  each  nation  reciigni-ses  but  one  national 
council,  it  requires  but  one  messenger  for  every 
neighboring  or  distant  nation. 

7.  National  hospitality  will  provide  for  the 
dwelling  and  subsistence  of  the  "  messengers  ol 
communication." 

8.  The  messengers  of  communication  shall 
draw  a  salary,  proportioned  to  their  necessities, 
from  the  treasuries  of  the  temples,  by  which  they 
were  api>ointed. 

9.  The  messengers  of  communication  (popu- 
lar ambassadors)  shall  endeavor  more  and  more 
to  strengthen  the  union  of  the  nations,  and  pro- 
mote great  enterprises  for  the  welfare  of  man- 
kind. 

10.  The  organ  of  the  national  council  (see  §  ■! 
above)  shall  e.s])ecially  endeavor  to  avoid  confu- 
sion in  their  necessary  labors,  and  particularly  to 
lighten  the  work  of  legislation. 

11.  There  shall  be  a  provisional  committee, 
on  laws  created  in  the  usual  mannei.  Members 
of  the  council,  of  the  government,  and  of  the 
chamber,  can  also  be  elected  to  the  committee 
on  laws. 

12.  The  committee  on  laws,  shall  prepare  an 

•  See  the  Organization  Act,  pi^ge  1S7,  Dolores.  In  cai« 
the  "  Bi.'Olt  of  Ormur"  slioiil.l  be  printcj  separately, llt« 
Organization  Act  must  precede  it,  as  aa  introJuQticn. 


DOLORES. 


247 


jdition  of  a  contlensed  extract  from  all  writings, 
of  all  natioiK,  in  all  ai?es,  which  relate  tolo,'isla- 
tion,  or  refer  to  useHil  laws.  The  form  of  these 
extracts  shall  be  limited  to  paragraphs.  The 
spirit  of  the  law,  and  not  the  mass  of  what  is 
written,  is  to  be  taken  into  consideration.  Every 
individual,  who  considers  himself  competent, 
can  take  part  in  this  compilation.  Each  extract 
shall  bear  the  name  of  the  original  author,  and 
shall  he  entitled  "  book,"  as,  for  instance :  The 
book  of  Moses,  Samuel,  Solon,  Socrates,  Plato, 
etc. ;  the  book  of  Jesus,  Muhammed,  Marcus  Au- 
relius,  Cicero,  Beccaria,  Montesquieu,  Volney, 
Rousseau,  David  Hume,  Locke,  etc.;  Herder, 
Seume,  etc.;  the  books  of  the  Chinese,  Persians, 
etc.,  etc.  The  whole  compilation  to  form  the 
"  Books  of  Humanity." 

13.  After  the  completion  of  these  labors, 
(about  a  year,)  tlie  melioration  of  the  laws  can 
be  proposed.  Until  thattirae,  the  statutes  of  the 
organization,  and  the  various  provisional  laws, 
shall  continue  in  force. 

14.  It  would  be  ingratitude  on  the  part  of 
mankind,  not  to  improve  the  treasures,  which 
have  been  bequeathed  to  them,  by  the  men  of  all 
times,  who  have  lived  and  died  for  tliem. 

15.  The  presses  of  the  temple  (of  the  nation) 
can  be  employed,  in  the  mean  time,  on  tlie  above 
Books  of  HuMianity.  The  nations  of  the  nine- 
teenth century  may  be  ashamed  that  they  do  not 
make  use  of  what  is  before  them  for  rational 
legislation. 

l(j.  As  a  temple  consists  of  14,f>41  men,  the 
distribution  of  the  editions  of  similar  works,  can 
be  arranged  accordingly,  apart  from  private 
orders.  It  is  of  course  understood,  that  liesides 
the  national  printing  presses,  there  may  be  as 
many  private  presses,  as  may  be  requisite. 

17.  The  regular  meetings  of  the  rocks  and 
pillars  among  themselves,  or  in  committee,  shall 
be  determined  by  the  stat\ites.  The  committee 
(council)  of  a  pillar  or  liall  can  appoint  popular 
meetings,  and  announce  the  time  and  place, 
through  the  national  newspaper. 

18.  These  popular  meetings  shall  be  designed 
to  animate  the  spirit  of  the  nation,  and  promote 
the  cause  of  humanity,  by  festive  military  exer- 
cises and  public  addresses.  Similar  national 
festivals  shall  take  place  for  the  yearly  distribu- 
tion of  prizes,  for  the  promotion  of  industry,  the 
arts  and  sciences,  agriculture,  improvement  in 
the  breed  of  cattle,  etc. 

We  believe  that  it  would  not  be  so  difficult  to 
promote  the  welfare  of  a  nation,  and  to  ellect  the 
deliverance  of  all  mankind,  if  man  would  mani- 
fest the  will  to  be  free.  We  deliver  these  words 
to  the  nations  of  the  earth,  and  hope  to  be  un- 
derstood, in  whole  and  in  part.  We  hope  that 
our  pure  intentions,  which  dictated  these  words, 
may  meet  with  the  spirit  of  sympathy  to  be  ex- 
pected in  the  nobler  nature  of  man. 

We  acknowledge,  at  the  same  time,  that  we 
have  to  contend  against  egotism,  and  that  our 
work,  which  would  be  so  simple  and  easy  of  ac- 
complishment, will  meet  with  all  the  difliculties 
which  selfishness  on  earth  opposes  to  virtue. 
But  we,  nevertheless,  do  not  despair  of  mankind. 

We  believe  in  nature  and  reason,  and  there- 
fore we  act.  May  the  nations  comprehend  the 
spirit  of  these  "  words  of  a  man,"  and  may  this 
spirit  .spread  among  every  people,  that  the  word 
maj'  become  deed.     Amen. 


CHAPTER    IV. 


THE   ESCOHT. 


It  was  two  o'clock,  one  afternoon,  when  the 
alfandega  was  closed,  and  the  saloon  of  the  ex- 
change was  gradjuUy  being  vacated. 

A  numerous  train  of  cofi'ee  negroes  trotted 
along  the  Rua  Direita,  towards  the  Largo  do  Pazo, 
to  receive,  before  some  door  there,  the  payment 
for  so  many  cotfee  sacks  sent,  whereby  each  ne- 
gro would,  perhaps,  obtain  for  himself  a  glass  of 
cachaz,  while  he  truly  and  honestly  delivered  tu 
his  master  every  vintem  that  he  received. 

The  train  was  a  brilliant  one  that  time.  A 
little  old  negro  danced  before,  with  a  parti-co- 
lored plaster  image  upon  his  gray  wool :  it  waj 
the  statue  of  Napoleon,  whose  head  was  (very 
naturally)  colored  black,  as  a  sort  of  Ethiopian 
divinity,  with  the  "little  corporal's"  hat,  and 
arms  crossed  over  each  other,  in  high  bottes  fortes 
— Napoleon  himself,  as  emperor  and  as  negro. 

Near  the  "  office  bearer"  ran  the  "  tambour 
minor,"  with  his  funnel  instrument  filled  with 
dry  coffee  beans,  and  bound  over  with  a  piece  of 
leather,  whose  rattle  sounded  afar,  in  the  tropi- 
cally clear  atmosphere,  more  noisily  than  a 
child's  ivory  rattle  in  a  small  family  room. 

Next  followed  the  "  chief  standard  bearer,"  & 
"  fine  fellow,"  big  as  a  small  Goliath,  with  an 
old  crownless  Hanoverian  infantry  shako  on  hi.i 
head,  ornamented  with  a  quantity  of  worthless 
ostrich  feathers,  wiiich  had  arrived  in  a  chest 
from  Rio  Negro,  and  had  been  swept  out  of  the 
alfandega  with  the  sand. 

In  the  right  hand  of  the  proud  quasi  giant, 
fluttered  a  ragged  old  handkerchief  upon  a 
rocket  stick,  and  a  half  hundred  of  sweating 
Ethiopians,  naked  as  the  wretchedness  of  their 
fate,  with  make-believe  "culottes"  on  their 
hips,  trotted  behind  the  three  principal  person- 
ages, and  sang  their  monotonously  melodious 
"  Doy-doyh  !  Doy-doyh  !"  half  out  of  breath, 
for  it  was  the  beginning  of  January,  and  the 
thermometer  pointed  to  above  a  hundred  degree* 
of    Fahrenheit. 

A  cavalcade  of  some  thirty  men,  in  uni- 
forms, rode  past  the  negro  train  ;  it  was  the 
lifeguard  of  the  prince,  Don  Pedro  Pecino. 
(the  little,)  as  the  negroes  usually  called  th« 
boy.  Behind  the  "  infantry  on  horseback," 
of  which  one  lost  a  chacot,  another  a  stirrup, 
and  another  even  a  sword,  (for  they  went  upoa 
the  full  gallop,)  rolled  the  carriage  of  the  future 
emperor,  Don  Pedro  the  Second.  The  stale  car- 
riage was  followed  by  two  others,  less  brilliant, 
filled  with  gold  bedecked  court  functionaries, 
while  a  train  of  galloping  "  infantry  on  horse- 
back "  endeavored  to  follow,  as  quickly  as  pos- 
sible ;  each  did  his  best,  to  go  as  well  as  ever  he 
could,  without  slipping  from  his  saddle. 

The  three  passengers  from  the  Nordstjernan, 
Hinango,  Alvarez,  and  Horatio,  had  agreed  t» 
meet  Dr.  Thorfin  at  the  Hotel  du  Nord,  t* 
make  arrangements  for  the  voyage  of  Alvarez 
to  Rio  Grande.  They  contemplated,  from  a 
balcony,  the  tumult  of  the  Rua  Direita,  the 
train  of  slavery,  and  the  train  of  the  empire. 

"  A  guard  of  cavalry  who  cannot  ride  !  hereim 
Brazil,  where  there  are  provinces  that  possess 
the  most  famous  riders  in  all  the  world  I'*  ex- 
claimed .\lvare7,  observing  the  fifing  stirrup*. 


e.jb8 


' I  can- 


end  t>ie  downfall  of  cfiacot  and  sword 
nor  cnmprehentl  that  I" 

"  We  miy  easily  comprehend  it,  my  dear  Mr. 
Daily,"  answered  Dr.  Thorfin,  employing  the 
name  of  Alvarez'  Titulo  de  Residencia,  (police 
iocunients  0  "  we  may  very  well  understand  it, 
when  we  reflect  that  the  cavalry  of  Rio  Grande 
and  St.  Paolo  are  famous  republicans,  to  whom, 
at  this  time,  the  little  person  of  the  future  em- 
peror would  hardly  be  entrusted." 

"  Tliere  comes  some  more  cavalry  !"  inter- 
rupted Horatio,  and  the  eyes  of  all  were  direct- 
ed to  a  third  train,  thai  entered  the  Rua  Direita 
from  the  Largo  do  Pazo. 

"  What  is  that !"  cried  some  of  the  four. 

"  Come  down !  we  most  see  that  nearer, 
ilown  below,"  observed  Hinango,  and  all  hasten- 
ed down  to  the  troop  in  front  of  the  hotel. 

It  was  a  train  of  captive  "  rebels,"  faroupilhas, 
from  the  interior  of  the  country,  arrived  from 
Porto  Seguro,  in  a  vessel  of  war,  landed  on  the 
place  in  front  of  the  Hotel  Faroux,  and  there 
taken  in  custody  by  permanentos  and  gens 
d'armes,  to  be  registered  before  the  command- 
ant, and  escorted  to  a  prison. 

The  "  peaceful  citizens"  of  the  principal 
streets  of  Rio  ventured  in  part  to  step  out  of 
their  doors,  or  upon  their  balconies,  to  contem- 
plate the  tiain,  which  was  certainly  as  interest- 
ing as  imposing. 

Slowly  and  gravely  rode  an  officer,  with  a  cor- 
poral and  twelve  men  in  advance,  casting  threat- 
ening glances  around,  as  if  he  would  say, 
•'  Look !  what  these  gentlemen  have  come  to, 
may  happen  to  you  also,  if  you  are  not  servile 
The  officer,  as  well  as  his  people,  were  white. 


DOLORES. 

and  tranquillity  of  soul.  He  wore  a  .sI.ito's  capote 
without  a  jjoutbo,  and  a  line  Minus  liat.  Next 
liira  walked  a  young  delicate  woman,  in  a  rich 
dress,  without  ornaments.  A  Mina.s  l>ea\or  liat 
covered  her  head,  whose  hair,  well  arranged, 
waved  in  the  breatli  of  the  gentle  wind  She 
raised  with  lier  right  hand  the  heavy  chain  whicli 
descended  from  the  left  arm  of  lior  husband  to 
tlie  ring  on  his  foot,  to  lighten  lii.s  bonds  for  liini 
Her  lovely  countenance,  formerly  of  Brazilian 
wliiteneps.'at  the  mercy  of  ■nind  and  storm  for 
months,  had  lost  its  blooming  complexion,  and 
the  legible  traces  of  suflering  and  despair  \ver9 
displayed  on  her  features  of  exalted  womanhood. 

All  eyes  lingered,  as  if  riveted  upon  this  pair, 
and  here  and  there,  on  a  higli  balcony,  a  feeling 
Brazilian  woman  pressed  her  handkerchief  to  her 
lips,  in  the  pain  of  sympathy,  and  turned  away 
from  this  picture  of  sacred  love  and  constancy. 

Hardly  had  .\lvarez  directed  his  :^lauce  upon 
this  lady,  than  a  ray  penetrated  him  like  light- 
ning when  it  si  ts  fire  to  a  palm  tree.  His  coun- 
tenance becami^  of  a  deadly  paleness,  he  leaned 
on  Hinango's  frm,  shrank  within  himself,  and 
then,  carried  quite  beside  himself,  exclaimed, 
"  It  is  she  !"  ha' f  aloud,  and  crossed  to  the  mid- 
dle of  the  street  where  the  train  walked  .dong. 

His  sister,  the  wife  of  Serafjni,  had  hitherto 
gazed,  from  time  to  time,  upon  the  countenance 
of  her  husband,  whose  glance  met  hei-s.  All 
that  surrounded  l.er  remained  strange,  and  ap- 
peared indifferent  to  her  ;  she  looked  not  around 
her. 

.Suddenly  a  young  man  stepped  into  the  path, 
and,  at  the  same  instant,  some  gens  d'armes  also, 
from  the  rear  guard,  came  up  to  them  both 


It  appeared  that  they  would  not  honor  any  mu- 
latto, or  negro,  with  the  bailifl''s  office,  for  fear 
that  their  uniform  might  cover  a  free  human 
heart,  and  endanger  the  state.  The  vanguard 
was  followed  by  the  captives,  with  heavy  chains 
on  their  hands,  that  were  fastened  to  one  foot 
en  a  ring. 

According  to  the  grade  of  criminality,  men 
walked  in  advance,  whose  countenances  bore 
the  impress  of  the  higher  classes  in  the  social 
world,  in  coarse  capotes,  partly  barefooted,  and 
partly  in  tamancas.  Some  yet  wore  their  valua- 
ble ponchos.  Broad  brimmed  Minas  hats,  of 
beaver  or  straw,  covered  their  heads,  which  most 
of  them,  in  the  consciousness  of  worth,  held 
proudly  upright,  while  others,  depressed  by 
grief  and  trouble,  looked  fixedly  before  them. 
As  if  m  irony,  a  half  naked  negro  was  thrust  into 
rank  with  his  former  master,  who  walked  as  a 
criminal  next  him,  because  he  had  given  free- 
dom to  him,  and  hundreds  of  other  slaves,  to  lay 
the  foundation  of  the  freedom  of  his  fatherland, 

A  strong  detachment  of  "  infantry  on  horse- 
hack"  closed  the  train,  which  numbered  some  six- 
ty captives,  among  whom  were  several  women 
and  children. 

The  stillness  of  death  reigned  in  the  whole 
street.  The  cabriolets,  and  c  rriages,  and  ri- 
ders, who  casually  came  into  the  neighbor- 
hood, halted ;  the  foot  passengers  remained 
standing :  all  contemplated  the  escort ;  no  one 
said  a  word.  Many  avoided  betraying  by  their 
looks,  what  they  thought  and  felt. 

Among  the  first  captives,  walked  a  tall,  nobly 
formed  young  man,  with  a  pale,  dignified  coun- 
tenance, whose  exnression  evinced  moral  force 


Angelica  !"  cried  Alvarez,  in  a  tone  that  she 
had  only  ever  heard  as  a  "  voice  of  home."  The 
lady  looked  at  the  stranger,  her  countenance  be- 
came rigid  with  an  inward  convulsion ;  all  at 
once,  however,  she  seemed  to  recognise  lier 
brother. 

"Alvarez!  is  it  you?  My  God!  Alvarez!" 
cried  she,  and  sank  senseless  into  his  arms. 

"Forward!"  commanded  a  corporal,  touch- 
ing with  his  sword  the  shoulder  of  Serafini, 
who  remained  standing  near  his  wife,  and  did 
not  obey  the  order. 

The  commanding  officer  of  the  vanguard  had 
remarked  the  so  called  tumult,  and  galloped 
back. 

"  Who  are  yon  ?"  inquired  he  of  the  refugee 
from  La  Plata,  with  a  brutal  mien  and  harsh 
voice. 

"  I  am  the  brother  of  this  lady,"  said  he, 
trembling,  as  his  sister  hung  upon  him.  bereft 
of  consciousness.  "Help!  help,"  exclaimed 
he,  without  troubling  himself  with  the  bailiff. 

Hinango  ai.d  Dr.  Thorfin  had  not  failed  to 
follow  the  steps  of  Alvarez,  and  now  hastened 
to  carry  the  lady  into  a  neighboring  apotheca- 
ry's shop. 

The  officer  ordered  her  brother,  with  a  con  - 
manding  voice  :  "  Remain  here  !" 

"  I  remain  here  ?  leave  my  sister  in  sncl  a 
situation  ?"  returned  Alvarez,  with  violence. 

"You  will  remain  here!  Who  are  y-.u  ? 
Where  is  your  police  certificate  ?"  inquireo  the 
other,  brieflv  and  dryly. 

We  must  recollect  that  Alvarez,  like  all  stran- 
gers, was  obliged  to  have  a  titiilo  de  residencia 
from  the  police,  that  he  might  not  be  exposed 


A 


DOLORES 


249 


to  tlie  danger  of  bein^  taken  up  as  a  vagabond, 
and  placed  amongst  tlie  permanentos.  In  con- 
seqnence  of  this  necessity,  Robert  Wallter  had 
given  him  tlie  pass  of  his  clerk,  Habakkuk 
Daily,  upon  whose  name  he  had  received  his 
certificate. 

"  What  is  your  name  .'  what  are  you  called  ? 
who  are  you  .'"'  inquired  the  officer,  as  Alvarez, 
in  the  singular  perplexity  in  which  he  found 
himself,  did  not  wish  to  show  his  police  certifi- 
cate, or  announce  its  existence. 

"  My  name  is  Alvarez  de  la  Barca,  from  Cor- 
rientes,  on  tlie  Parana.  1  am  the  brother  of  this 
lady,"  returned  he,  with  self-possession. 

"  And  you  have  no  titulo  de  residencia  .'"  in- 
terrupted the  officer. 

"  De  la  Barca  '."  cried  Serafini,  who  stood  at 
some  distance  in  his  rank,  separated  from  Alva- 
rez by  gens  d'armes. 

The  expression  of  this  exclamation,  which 
comprised  all  the  stormy  sensations  of  the  mo- 
ment, penetrated  the  brother's  heart,  who  had, 
as  yet,  received  no  answer  from  Bahia,  to  his 
manifold  inquiries  about  the  fate  of  his  sister. 

His  letter  from  Rio  had  arrived  there  simul- 
taneously with  the  intelligence  that  Sif;nore  Se- 
rafini had  been  arrested  at  his  plantation,  as  a 
faroupilha,  and  escorted  to  Porto  Seguro.  No 
one  dared  to  acknowledge,  in  a  letter,  that  he 
had  ever  heard  the  name  of  Madame  Serafini, 
or  been  in  correspondence  with  her  or  her  hus- 
band. He  was  a  prisoner,  a  state  criminal,  and 
most  correspondents  in  Bahia  loved  their  per- 
sonal safety. 

Notwithstanding  that  the  same  prudence  and 
fear  also  prevailed  in  many  of  the  "  peaceful" 
citizens  in  Rio,  a  crowd  had  collected  about  the 
group,  and  the  officer  appeared  to  feel  that  "  a 
storm  was  brewing,"  in  relation  to  the  security 
of  his  prisoners. 

With  sufficient  presence  of  mind,  therefore, 
he  commanded  a  corporal  to  bring  the  escort  in 
order,  and  hold  the  carbines  *'  ready  to  fire." 
He  then  turned  again  to  the  "  suspicious  fel- 
low," whi.  announced  himself  as  the  brother-in- 
law  of  the  most  culpable  criminal,  and  informed 
him  that  he  was  a  prisoner. 

At  the  same  instant,  a  young  Englishman 
pressed  through  the  crowd,  and  hastily  stepped 
up  to  the  officer.  It  was  Robert  Walker,  with 
a  disturbed  countenance,  already  vividly  irjte- 
rested  in  the  passage  of  the  train,  which  he  had 
been  gazing  at  from  under  the  porch  of  the  ex- 
change. He  was  now  afflicted  in  the  highest 
degree  by  the  group,  in  which  he  saw  his  friend 
from  the  Nordstjernan  involved. 

"  What's  the  matter  here  .'"  inquired  he  of 
the  bailiflT  on  horseback,  while  he  seized  the 
hand  of  Alvarez. 

"  Don't  you  touch  the  prisoner,  or "  cried 

the  other  to  him,  with  a  look  that  expressed  the 
conclusion  of  his  threat.  "  Who  are  you .'" 
said  he,  interrupting  himself 

"  My  name  is  Robert  Walker — Englisman." 

"  Go  home  !"  growled  the  gens  d'arme. 

"  You  have  no  right  to  order  me,"  replied  the 
young  Briton.  "  Why  have  you  seized  this  gen- 
tleman !" 

"  That's  no  concern  of  yours." 

"  That  ceriainly  is  my  concern,  because  I  am 
his  friend,  and  I  will  guaranty  for  him,  if  bail 
will  be  received  for  him,  on  his  account." 
32 


"  Then  attend  the  prisoner  to  Jur  bureau," 

growled  the  officer. 

"  No,"  cried  Alvarez,  "  I  beseech  you,  Seuor 
Roberto,  hasten  to  ray  sister,  she  is  there  at  the 
apothecary's." 

"  Your  sister  !"  cried  the  youth,  with  an  ex- 
pression of  amazement  that  bordered  on  terror. 

"  It  is  my  wife  !"  resounded  from  the  (rain  of 
captives.  "  It  is  Signora  Serafini,  my  wife  ;  I 
beseech  you  take  care  of  her." 

This  petition  of  the  unfortunate  was  evidenlly 
occasioned  by  the  explanation  of  the  young  En- 
glishman, as  that  revealed  in  him  the  upright 
character  of  a  noble  young  man,  who,  in  such  a 
strait,  was  ready  to  act  for  his  friend,  and  wa3 
favoreil  by  his  national  and  social  position. 

The  petition  was  not,  however,  requisite  to 
heighten  Robert's  sympathy,  who  now,  with 
equal  presence  of  mind,  gave  his  card  to  the 
officer,  and  said :  "  Here  is  my  name ;  our  count- 
ing house  is  well  known  ;  I  will  be  at  your 
bureau  in  a  moment."  With  the  same  despatch 
with  which  he  had  spoken  these  words,  he  once 
more  pressed  the  hand  of  Alvarez,  and  whispered 
in  his  ear  ;  "  I  will  hasten  to  your  sister,  and  then 
come  immediately  to  you."  He  then  pressed 
through  the  crowd  that  had  assembled  in  front 
of  the  apothecary's. 

An  officer  of  the  national  guard,  on  duty  in 
the  neighboring  guard  house,  had  approached 
theofRcer  of  gens  d'armes,  and  inquired  what  was 
passing.  He  learned  that  this  man  carried  no 
titulo  de  residencia,  and,  as  the  relative  of  a  state 
criminal,  stood  in  connexion  with  "  rebels,'"  and 
was  arrested  in  consequence. 

The  citizen  of  Rio  in  uniform  now  inquired 
of  the  Argentine  refugee  whether  he  had  ac- 
quaintance in  the  city. 

*'  No  !"  answered  Alvarez,  who  possessed  too 
much  discretion  to  name,  in  his  present  situa- 
tion, any  one  whom  his  acquaintance  would 
compromise. 

"  You  do  not  know  this  young  man,  then,  the 
young  Englishman,  Mr.  Walker?"  inquired  the 
gens  d'arme  officer,  looking  at  the  card  which 
the  latter  had  handed  to  him.. 

"  No  !"  replied  Alvarez,  briefly  and  dryly,  as 
before. 

The  citizen  heard  the  name  of  a  well  known 
English  house,  and  without  appearing  to  be  satis- 
fied, noted  the  name  of  the  prisoner. 

The  officer  of"  gens  d'armes  pushed  the  "  vaga- 
bond," Alvarez,  into  the  train  of  faroupilhas,  and 
ordered  some  soldiers  of  his  cavalcade  to  ride 
near  him. 

The  train  now  put  itself  in  motion.  The  cor- 
poral breathed  more  freely,  and  threw  out  his 
chesi  again,  since  his  olficer  was  again  in  the 
ascendant.  The  crowd  had  retreated  to  the 
sidewalk,  vvitliout  bringing  the  security  of  the 
faroupilhas  in  question. 

Angelica  had  accompanied  her  husband  from 
tlie  moment  when  they  left  Villa  Tasso.  The 
journey  led  through  inhospitable  campos  and 
densely  wooded  valleys,  through  ravines  and 
gullies  ;  over  trackh:ss  mountains,  whose  sum- 
mits occasionally  overhung  abysses,  the  view 
li'om  which,  alone,  was  sufficient  lo  make  a 
man's  head  swim,  while  the  hoi'se  or  mule,  lell 
to  itself,  found  the  way  in  an  inconceivable  man- 
ner, and  often  planted  its  four  hoo/s  on  a  ledgo 
of  rock,  whoso  surface   hardly   comprised  two 


230 


DOLORES. 


sqv.a-c  feet.  Exposed  by  day  to  the  burning 
heat  of  the  sun,  and  often  to  pouring  thundcr- 
sliovvnrs,  the  lady  passed  the  night  where  the 
prisoners  were  guarded,  sometimes  in  an  out- 
feuilding  of  a  venda,  chacara,  or  fa/.enda,  in  a 
ne>-ro  hut,  or  in  the  lonely,  desoLate  dwelling  ut  a 
"crimin-.sn,"  who  had  committed  murder  in  some 
place,  and,  not  being  politically  suspicious,  had 
evaded  justice,  betaken  himself  to  the  wilder- 
ness, and  there  established  a  fazenda,  recognised 
as  a  "  criminoso,"  but  not  further  molested. 

Brazilian  hospitality,  which,  as  a  national  cus- 
tom, st.inds  as  sreatlvto  the  honor  of  the  people 
as  to  the  convenience  of  travellers,  certamlv  af- 
f  uded  every  .ittention  to  the  delicate  lady,  where 
ti.e  escort  met  with  men,  and  she  encountered 
manv  tonchina  traits  of  heartfelt  sympathy 
where  she  could  have  hardly  expected  it.  But 
seldom,  almost  never,  did  she  quit  the  neighbor- 
hood of  the  idace  where  her  husband  was  guard- 
ed, and  positively  refused  to  occupy  a  conven- 
ient apntment,  when  he  w;«  obliged  to  repose 
his  grief  burdened  head  under  the  open  sky,  a 
rest'^that  seldom  strengthened  him.        ,     ,     „ 

In  the  town  which  the  escort  reached  alter 
some  days  journey,  more  captive  f"Oup.lhas 
were  added  to  tlie  planter  from  \  lUa  Ta=»o,  and 
their  number  increased,  until  they  arrived  a 
Porto  Seguro,  and  particul.irly  in  that  depot  ot 
rebels,  to  such  compass  as  we  have  remarked  in 
the  Rua  Direita.  ,_   ,     u     j     r 

A  man-of-war  transported  the  whole  band  of 
"scoundrels"  (as  the  royalists  contemptuously 
designated  them.)  towards  Riode  Janeiro,  where 
they  at  length  arrived,  after  full  two  months  of 
such  wearisome  and  troublesome  travel,  ine 
■vessel  was  anchored  near  the  fortress  of  V  il- 
ganhon,  where  the  prisoners  were  to  obtain 
"  free  onarters,"  so  soon  as  they  had  passed  the 
inspection  of  the  authorities  in  the  capital,  who 
were  constantly  occupied  with  criminal  in\  esti- 
mations against" the  rebels  of  all  the  provinces. 

Angelica  f.und  herself,  at  her  debarkation,  in 
a  nerv'.us  state  that  requires  no  turther  descrip- 
tion, when  we  look  back  upon  the  physical  ex- 
ertion and  endurance  of  such  a  J™'-n<^.v.  ^"^ 
upon  the  state  of  mind  which  must  undoubtedh 
have  overpowered  her.  ,  ,  .  •„  f„,. 
The  choice  was  afforded  her,  to  remain  foi 
the  present,  on  board  with  her  attendants,  and 
go  on  shore'alone  with  them,  or  to  separate  her- 
telf  from  her  people,  in  case  she  was  fe^'^l^d 
to  accompany  her  husb.md  into  the  city  as  there 
would  be  no  place  for  her  Ibur  servants  in  the 
"  prison  building,"  where  she  might  alone,  per- 
chance, find  a  cell. .„  !,„ 

Her  choice  was  soon  decided;  she  gave  her 
effects  to  the  charge  of  a  black  chambermaid, 
who  had,  with  touching  constancy  and  steadtast- 
.  ness,  borne  all  the  hardships  of  the  journey  at 
her  hxdv's  side,  and  she  appeared  with  her  hus- 
band in  the  escort,  where  we  have  ^'^enhev 

Alvarez  had  five  years  before  departed  toi  IJar- 
celona,  while  she  remained  in  Cornentes,  and 
after  their  ir.other-s  death,  sought  a  situation  as 
ec>-erness.  Her  talenU  and  character  were  a 
autlicient  rcc.mmendation  to  procure  her  sucli 
emwlovment  anyv,h?.-e.  It  happened  that  a 
rcUilive  of  Signore  Serari,.:,  from  Bahia,  on  a 
visit  in  Bu.nos  Ayres,  wanted  ^^  .V°"''S  '•';'>  .[" 
her  capacity  as  a  companion  ;  she  travelled  with 
Uia  family,  where  Signore  Serafini  became  ac- 


quainted with  her,  and  after  a  year  of  bw.I 
intercourse,  ofTered  her  his  hand.  Sheiued  in 
the  midst  of  domestic  happiness  at  Villa  Tasso, 
where  we  first  observed  her,  and  had  since  made 
every  endeavor  to  impart  the  intellisence  to  her 
brother  in  Europe,  and  invite  him  to  her  house. 

\lvarez  travelled  about  in  Spam  for  a  long 
time,  prosecuting  the  slightest  trace  of  his  uncle 
wherever  it  glimmered  upon  bun— but  soon  be- 
came an  object  of  attention  to  the  same  priestly 
parly,  who,  as  it  appeared,  still  well  remembered 
his  uncle.  ,. 

He  l.ibored  here  and  there  as  a  type  se  ter, 
and  occasionally  accepted  an  engagement  as 
chorus  singer  at  the  opera,  under  some  dramatic 

name  or  other.  .i,„r'K.;o 

The  uninterrupted  struggle  between  the  Chns- 
tinos  and  Carlisis,  separated  every  year  more 
and  more,  upon  the  Castilian  peninsula,  the 
principle  of  absolutism  from  its  opposite  one  of 
freedom  ;  and  it  is  well  known  that  a  republican 
partv  developed  itself,  in  whose  battalions  man> 
members  of  "  Young  Europe"  carried  arms,  who, 
after  the  failure  of  the  "  Expedition  of  S'J'oy- 
were  scattered  with  the  organization  of  the  Union 
into  all  parts  of  the  world.  . 

Alvarez  harmonized  with  the  spirit  of  the 
Union,  while  he  recognised  its  principles  as  hi3 
own. 


We  may  recall  to  ourselves  the  reminiscence 
of  Hinango  about  their  former  acquaintanc_e, 
and  so  the  more  easily  explain  to  ourselves  the 
circumstances  which  subjected  the  correspon- 
dence of  the  South  American  in  Spain  to  the 
control  of  the  police.  It  was  not  surprising  that 
no  letter  from  him  reached  his  sister,  and  that 
he  received  no  answer  from  Bah.a.  He  returned 
to  his  own  country,  and  with  respect  to  the 
secret  police,  came  "  out  of  the  frying  pan  into 

There  exists*  a  European  secret  police,  in  all 
parts  of  the  world,  which  controls,  with  the 
S^reatest  consistency,  the  movements,  travels, 
and  correspondenceof  proscribed  persons,  wliose 
character  and  consequence  is  sufficiently  known 
to  despotism  to  deserve  its  attention  , 

No  political  combination,  since  the  society  of 
Illuminati,  founded  in  Germany  by  Wcisshaupt, 
(and  bv  the  way,betraved  by  the  German  aulliol 
of  "  Solitude,""  Dr.  Zimmerman,  physician  o 
the  court  of  Hanover,)  has  been  persecuted  with 
such  strictness  and  watchfulness,  on  the  part  ol 
European    courts,   as   "Young    Europe,     and. 

nerhaps,  for  very  natural  reasons. 

DesDotism,  recognising  its  position  as  royalty, 
may  very  well  heap  curse  and  ban  upon  a  union 
(and  seii"tence  to  death  tliose  members  V'ho  sus- 
tain the  siiirit  of  the  union  in  their  individuality) 
whose  principles  are  plainly  and  clearly  spoken 
in  lit.-i^irv  works,  threatening  danger  to  Old 
Europe"  ind  to  the  principle  of  nation-devouring 
legitimacy;  especially  by  strujglii.g,  with  in  el- 
leanal  power,  against  ordinances  which  contra- 
dict nature  and  reason. 

.\lthou  'h  Hinanijo  had  given  to  his  associate, 
Bari'aldi;  on  board  the  Nordstjernan,  a  confi- 
dontial  report  concerning  the  "tension  of  the 
Union,  which,  strictly  speaking,  should  belong 


.  In  a  novel  of  our  epocb-the  author  it  obUged  t« 

■ueuk  in  present  li/ae. 


DOLORES 


951 


tc  (he  materials  of  this  work,  we  can,  neverthe- 
less, only  contemplate  these  documents  from  a 
distance,  since  it  would  Ije  difficult  to  force  our 
way  into  the  cabin  of  the  well  armed  Mazzini, 
and  revid  them  there.  We  may,  however,  inti- 
mate that  a  transatlantic  republic,  peopled  by 
Spaniards,  offered  to  the  committee  of  "  Young 
Europe"  a  loan  of  four  millions  of  French  francs, 
in  case  the  Union  would  again  rear  its  standard 
in  Europe,  and  enter  into  alliance  with  the  re- 
publics of  South  America,  as  the  Union  of 
Humanity. 

Through  what  medium  this  historically  me- 
morable offer  was  made,  and  what  hindrances  lay 
at  that  time  in  the  way  of  the  fulfilment  of  such 
a  plan,  must  remain  unknown,  until  perhaps 
future  events  shall  bring  about  a  similar  alliance 
of  humanity,  and  reveal  facts  which  will  tend 
to  the  honor  of  the  spirit  of  the  Union,  before 
friend  and  foe. 

Hundreds  of  the  proscribed  individuals  of 
"  Young  Europe,"  escorted  toward  England  from 
the  continent,  through  the  above  mentioned  con- 
sistent persecution  on  the  part  of  despotism,  dis- 
persed into  all  parts  of  the  world,  and  many 
separated  from  the  spirit  of  the  Union,  as  their 
fate  separated  them  from  their  associates.  Of 
course  these  could  no  more  be  dangerous  to  the 
enemy. 

Here  and  there,  however,  one  remained  true 
to  the  cause  for  wliich  he  had  declared  himself, 
and  wherever  fate  led  him — he  stood  under  the 
inspection  of  European  espionage. 

We  may  now,  all  the  more  readily,  explain  to 
ourselves  how  it  occurred,  that  neither  Angelica 
nor  her  brotlier  had  been  able  to  procure  that 
intelligence  of  each  other  which  each  so  earnest- 
ly desired. 

Signora  Serafini  had  valid  grounds  for  believ- 
ing her  brother  dead,  or  for  the  surmise  that  he 
was  in  chains,  in  a  similar  manner  with  her  hus- 
band. 

Dwelling  with  him  in  spirit  more  than  ever 
before,  during  the  journey  from  Villa  Tasso 
until  her  arrival  in  the  Rua  Direita,  in  Rio,  she 
had  cften  recalled  all  the  remembrances  of  her 
childhood  passed  at  his  side.  Suddenly  a  man 
appeared  to  her  there,  in  whose  features  she 
certainly  recognised  an  evident  family  resem- 
blance— whose  appearance,  however,  as  a  living 
creature,  in  the  principal  street  of  the  Brazilian 
imperial  city,  was  as  a  phantom  to  her.  Hardly 
had  her  name  sounded,  in  that  voice  which  com- 
prised in  one  single  tone  of  sorrow  all  the  remem- 
brances of  childhood,  than  her  physical  strength, 
Bulfering  and  shattered  by  the  circumstances  that 
surrounded  her,  sank  under  the  nameless  eSecl 
of  this  impression.  She  fell  senseless,  and  only 
regained  her  consciousness  in  the  loja  of  the 
apothecary,  where  she  now  remained  in  an  arm- 
chair, under  Dr.  Thorfin's  attendance. 

"  Where  is  Carlo?  where  is  my  husband?" 
inquired  she,  when  she  at  length  unclosed  her 
eyes,  and  saw  entirely  strange  faces,  as  she 
gazed  wildly  round  her. 

Hinango  and  Horatio,  with  Dr.  Thorfin,  who 
stood  nearest  to  her  of  the  sympathizing  group, 
looked  at  each  other,  as  if  consulting  how  they 
should  answer  the  question. 

"  -  Where  am  I  >"  how  came  I  here  ?"  in- 
quired the  sullijrer,  after  a   pause,   becoming 


more  and  more  conscious  of  the  objects  that 
surrounded  her.  "Have  we  arrived  in  Rio  de 
Janeiro?"  continued  she.  '*  Does  this  building 
belong  to  the  prison  where  my  husband  lies  iu 
chains  .'" 

Dr.  Thorfin  now  mildly  explained  to  her,  that 
she  had  been  seized  with  a  fainting  fit,  and  was 
separated  for  the  moment  from  her  husband, 
whom  she  would  see  again,  so  soon  as  her 
strength  would  permit. 

She  remained  silent,  and  appeared  absorbed  in 
the  contemplation  of  an  image  which  she  saw 
with  her  spiritual  eye.  All  partook  of  the  silence. 
"  1  recollect  now,  how  I  became  ill  here," 
continued  she,  after  a  long  pause.  **  We  have 
been  upon  the  journey  for  two  months — my 
streiigtii  has  been  overcome  by  manifold  hard- 
ships— and — and  I  have  been  obliged  to  leave 
my  two  children  behind,  at  home — -it  was  im- 
possible for  me  to  bring  them.  All  these  suf- 
ferings have  destroyed  my  nerves — a  fever 
seized  me — a  paroxysm  of  delirium,  there — out 
there — when  1  was — walking  along  beside  my 
husband.  I  thought  of  Alvarez,  my  brother — 
felt  what  a  consolation  it  would  be  i'or  me,  if  I 
knew  him  to  be  there  at  home  with  my  children 
while  I  was  here  with  Carlo,  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  his  prison — then  I  was  seized  with  a 
feverish  fancy,  and  it  seemed  to  me  as  if  I  saw  a 
man  before  me — so  like  my  deceased  mother — 

and  as  if  1  heard  the  voice  of  Alvarez 

"  But  it  was,  unhappily,  only  a  feverish  fan- 
cy !"  sighed  she,  sinking  back  in  her  armchair. 

Robert  now  entered,  and  Dr.  Thorfin  beckoned 
to  him  to  be  silent. 

"  Will  you  have  the  goodness  to  accompany 
me  to  my  husband  ?"  continued  she,  after  another 
pause. 

"  Your  husband  has  sent  me  to  you,"  said 
Robert,  now  speaking.  "  iVIy  name  is  Walker. 
I  am  an  Englishman,  lately  from  Buenos  Ayres, 
here  on  a  visit  to  my  uncle.  Honor  me  with 
some  commission.  May  I  conduct  you,  for  the 
present,  to  my  hotel,  just  here  in  the  neighbor- 
hood ?  Shall  1  take  your  efi'ects  from  on  board 
the  vessel,  and  bring  them  to  you  ?" 

"  From  Buenos  Ayres ?"  returned  Angel- 
ica, half  to  herself  "  From  La  Plata  river  ?" 
from  my  home  .' — I  thank  you — you  have  then 
spoken  to  my  husband?     Where  is  he  ?" 

"  He  lias  just  been  taken  into  the  bureau,  and 
will  soon  receive  permission  to  see  you." 

"  I  thank  you ;  I  will  avail  myself  of  your 
sympathy.  I  must  beg  you  to  send  some  one  on 
board  of  the  vessel  in  which  we  arrived  to-day 
from  Porto  Seguro.  I  must  order  my  servants — 
they  are  blacks — to  come  on  shore  with  my 
efl'ects — my  waiting-maid  is  named  Helena.  May 
I  trouble  you  with  these  requests  ?  Helena 
might — bring  some  linen  for  my  husband — if 
the  ellects  are  not  all  delivered.  I  hope  they 
will  allow  him  to  change  his  linen — this  even- 
ing—and his  bed,  his  mattress — Helena  must 
bring  that  on  shore  likewise.  May  I  troubla 
you  with  these  requests  !" 

Robert  protested  his  readiness  to  fulfil  her 
commissions,  and  repeated  his  wish  to  be  al- 
lowed first  to  conduct  her  to  a  hotel,  to  which 
the  lady  assented. 

A  Portuguese  cadeira  (an  old  fashioned  post- 
chaise,  with  curtains,  drawn  by  two  negroes) 
was  procured,  iu  which  the  lady  took  her  seat. 


252 


DOLORES, 


and  soon  arrived  in  front  of  the  neighboritiff 
Hotel  .Iv  Nord. 

Pr  1  hxruTi  iirorurcd  fen:ia]p  attp-nrlsnre  in  tlio 
aparhncnt  of  the  lady,  and  prescribed,  aa  phy- 
sician, the  necessary  means  for  refreshing  and 
Btrentcthenin^  her. 

Before  Robert  hurried  on  board,  the  doctor 
gave  him  a  hint  to  k-eep  the  existence  of  Alva- 
rez ill  Rio  secret  from  the  lady,  for  the  present, 
as  she  considered  the  encounter  a  feverish  fancv, 
and  the  intelligence  of  her  brother's  arrest 
would  only,  at  this  moment,  heighten  her  sor- 
row. 

The  friends  from  the  Nordstjernan  lingered  in 
a  saloon  of  the  hotel,  in  consaltation  concerning 
the  event  which  had  led  to  the  dangerous  arrest 
of  Alvarez. 

Tlie  Baron  de  Spandau,  "  everywhere  and 
nowliere,"  where  there  was  "  any  news,"  rushed 
into  the  saloon  where  they  were  sitting,  and  in- 
quired, with  great  animation,  after  the  health  of 
the  lady  of  whose  fainting  he  had  just  heard. 

The  friends  answered  him  as  coldly  as  the 
warm  climate  of  Brazil  permitted,  which  did 
not  seem  at  all  to  surprise  the  obtrusive  spy. 

"  And  your  friend,  I  hear,  has  also  been  ac- 
cidentally arrested,"'  said  he  to  the  doctor.  "The 
young  man  that  lives  with  you — Mr.  Daily,  or 
whatever  his  name  is — the  musician,  or  type 
setter,  or  whatever  he  is  .'" 

"  Arrested  !  I  do  not  believe  that  !"  replied 
the  other,  with  the  utmost  indifference.  "  I 
was  in  the  apothecary's  shop  when  the  escort 
went  off;  I  believe  he  only  followed  the  crowd. 
We  know  nothing  about  his  arrest." 

"  Indeed  !  you  did  not  know  that  he  had  been 
arrested  .'  but  you  know  that  he  recognised  the 
young  lady,  the  wife  of  a  faroupilha,  as  his  sis- 
ter, and  she  declared  him  to  be  her  brother .'" 

"  I  do  not  know  his  family  relations,"  replied 
the  other,  with  the  same  i.ndifl'ercnce  as  before. 
"  If  1  can  be  of  service  to  him,  through  my 
acquaintance  here,  perliaps  in  obtaining  his  re- 
lease, it  shall  be  done  with  pleasure.  You 
know,  doctor,  I  take  a  warm  interest  in  the  un- 
fortunate, especially  when  I  find  that  they  have 
respectable  connexions,  as,  for  example,  this 
young  Mr.  Daily,  your  guest." 

"  He  will  certainly  be  much  obliged  to  you 
for  your  sympathy,  Senhor  Baron.  Perhaps  you 
may  sooner  learn  his  relations  throu-jh  your  ac- 
quaintance than  through  us;  for,  although  he 
lives  with  me,  my  discretion  has  prohibited  me 
from  prying  into  his  secrets.  It  is  well  known, 
that  almost  every  man  has  his  own  peculiar  se- 
crets, or  family  affairs — affairs  of  the  heart,  and 
political  alTairs ;  and  there  are  people  in  our 
time  who  make  a  business  of  such  secrets." 

"  Certainly,  doctor,"  replied  the  baron,  a  lit- 
tle embarrassed,  for  he  had  remarked,  long 
since,  that  the  doctor  entertained  suspicion 
against  him;  "Certainly,  doctor!  every  diplo- 
matist even  makes  a  business  of  secrets." 

He  took  his  leave  in  all  haste,  to  inform  him- 
self, in  some  of  the  bureaux,  "  from  pure  sym- 
pathy," of  the  particulars  of  the  arrest,  in  the 
nope  uf  soon  seeing  Dr.  Thorfiii  again,  and  left 
the  hotel. 


CHAPTER    V 


THE    LOVING    HEART. 


Since  the  moment  in  which  a  sntiering  wif*s 
of  a  [iractical  man,  who  had  once  led  or  se- 
duced her  to  the  altar,  had  lost  in  Robert's  arms 
the  consciousness  of  the  world  of  sense,  and 
awaked  to  the  consciousness  of  love,  the  latter 
found  himself  in  the  circumstances  of  a  man 
who  has  received  his  sentence  of  death,  and 
looks  forward  to  the  hour  of  his  execution. 

Tlie  next  morning  after  that  memorable  night, 
he  left  his  [lavilion  very  early,  to  ride,  as  if 
seeking  at  a  distance  that  tranquiUily  of  soul 
which  was  now  for  ever  destroyed  within  him. 

Robert  had  never  been  beloved.  The  senti- 
ment of  love,  which,  in  our  material  century, 
is  ridiculed  as  "  sentimentality,"  (while  with- 
out this  sentiment,  every  social  connexion  of 
both  sexes  is  a  crime  against  nature,)  had  long 
ago  seized  him,  since,  in  daily  confidential  in- 
tercourse with  this  unfortunate  woman,  he  l.ad 
become  acquainted  with  her  mind,  and  attracted 
towards  her  by  mutual  sympathy  of  soul.  His 
love  was  pure. 

It  cipuld  never  be  to  his  I'eproach,  to  be  pene- 
trated by  a  feeling,  the  reciprocation  of  which 
might  lead  to  a  so  called  social  crime,  (in  so  far 
as  the  pure  love  of  Senhura  Gracia  pa,sscd  for 
such.)  Feeling  depends  not  on  our  will,  and  if 
the  will  is  able  to  extinguish  "  feeling,"  it  has 
never  been  feeling. 

It  remained  in  this,  as  in  a  thousand  similar 
cases,  difficult  to  decide  which  of  the  two  had 
the  most  to  reproach  themselves  with,  or  whe- 
ther both  did  not  stand  irreproachable  before 
their  own  consciences,  as  before  God, 

Gracia  recognised  in  Robert's  society,  in  the 
retrospect  upon  her  married  life,  that  she  had 
not  been  beloved,  that  she  had  never  loved. 
The  case  occurred  in  her,  which  Dr.  Thorfin, 
in  his  theory  of  "  conjugal  apathy,"  placed  in 
the  third  class,  among  thousands  and  thousands 
of  similar  cases,  in  the  Social  world  of  all  civil- 
ised countries. 

Both  loved  each  other.  Gracia's  love,  also, 
was  pure ;  so  pure  as  a  heart  was  able  to  love, 
under  destroying  influences  of  social  bonds — 
which  "  condemned  her  love  to  death,"  together 
with  her  inward  life — her  soul.  But  an  eternal 
labyrinth  of  contradictions  and  inquiries  of  ori- 
ginal womanhood  was  now  revealed  to  the  un- 
fortunate woman — while  the  question  arose 
whether  Robert's  love  was  not  ratlier  a  conse- 
quence of  her  inclination  to  him,  a  result  ot 
his  noble-minded  sympathy  in  her  misfortunes, 
tlian  original  aflinity  of  .soul.' 

Tllis  question,  perhaps  the  most  original  of 
female  orisinality,  (we  know  no  oilier  term  for 
tllis  inexplicable  weakness,)  now  created  in  her 
that  just  as  womanly  original  self-torture,  bjr 
which  she  ernbitleied,  for  herself  and  her  lover, 
a  life  tliat  had  already  become  wretched  enough 
through  her  love. 

Gracia  had  never  known  love — her  heart  had 
no  idea  of  love,  as  that  synipatliy  of  soul  which 
"  believeth  all  things,  endureth  all  tilings,  hupeth 
all  things"' — whilst  it,  as  love,  at  the  same  time, 
comprises  within  itself  religious  surrender — be- 
lief in  love. 

•\ud  that  is  iust  the  eflect  of  sympathy  of  soul. 


DOLORES. 


253 


to  elerafe  men  into  the  element  of  the  higher 
spiritual  existence. 

Materialism  denies  love,  because  it  denies  the 
Deity  ;  it  names  "  love"  sexiia!  instinct,  whicti  is 
proper  to  every  animal,  and  follows  the  instinct 
in  the  formation  of  social  connexions. 

But  wo  to  those  who  make  a  mistake  in  their 
choice,  Uniting  with  themselves  for  ever  a  beins; 
whose  inward  life  stands  as  rigidly  opposed  to 
them  as  love  is  to  instinct,  as  spirit  to  matter. 

It  is,  however,  a  remarkable  and  almost  inex- 
plicable phenomenon,  that  men,  by  their  abstract 
materialism  incapable  of  love,  in  thousands  of 
cases,  choose  to  form  a  social  connexion  with 
exactly  those  bein2;s  whose  individuality  stands 
as  rigidly  opposed  to  them  as  fire  to  water,  and 
that  such  beinfjs,  in  thousands  and  thousands  of 
cases,  allow  themselves  to  be  deceived,  con- 
founding love  with  instinct. 

According  to  the  ordinances  of  the  social 
world,  woman  is  robbed  of  her  personal  and 
moral  freedom.  As  a  maiden  with  property, 
nhe  is  exposed  to  the  speculations  of  a  man  who 
makes  advances  to  her  in  order  to  niarry  her 
property.  As  a  maiden  without  fortune,  she  is 
the  care  of  her  parents,  whose  so  called  social 
duty  consists  especially  in  providing  for  their 
(laughter— in  getting  her  well  married.  An  or- 
phan without  property,  like  Gracia,  is  the  most 
unfortunate  creature  that  can  exist  upon  any  one 
of  the  planets  for  a  higher  destination,  since  the 
despotism  of  social  regulations  robs  her  of  the 
right  of  maintaining  her  personal  and  moral  in- 
dependence by  a  free  choice  in  her  love,  and 
often  exposes  her,  besides,  to  the  ill  usage  of 
heartless  relatives. 

To  an  orphan  in  such  a  situation,  only  two 
ways  remain  open  :  either  as  soon  as  possible  to 
iell  her  body  for  life  to  sustain  her  outward  ex- 
istence;  or,  in  case  no  one  desires  in  all  haste 
to  purchase  her,  to  seek,  in  some  way  or  other, 
according  to  the  measure  of  her  cultivation  and 
her  talents,  a  more  worthy  situation,  provisionally 
renouncing  her  "  social  destination"  as  woman, 
to  maintain  her  moral  freedom  through  the  avails 
of  her  industry. 

In  the  latter  position,  a  female  Would  be  less 
likely  to  fall  into  the  possession  of  a  proprietor, 
as  an  article  of  merchandise,  if  social  regulations 
did  not  burden  her  with  the  absurd  contractions 
of  personal  freedom,  which  (apart  from  all  com- 
panionable intercourse)  even  refuses  her  the 
correspondence  with  any  youth  or  man,  or  re- 
gards it  as  a  social  offence  in  case  she  has  not 
already  proclaimed  herself  to  be  the  property  of 
the  correspondent. 

The  more  deeply  we  penetrate  into  the  ab- 
surdity of  similar  regulations  of  our  age,  so  much 
the  more  striking  appears  the  inexplicable  phe- 
nomenon that  an  intellectual  female,  in  thou- 
sands of  cases,  voluntarily  allows  herself  to  be 
deceived,  availing  herself  of  the  first  approaches 
of  a  man,  to  guaranty  her  '*  social  destiny  as  wo- 
man," since  she  at  least  binds  herself  by  a  pro- 
mise, if  the  social  union  at  the  altar  does  not 
take  place  until  years  after. 

Opposed  to  the  female  nature,  often  distin- 
guished by  a  touchingly  unpretending  modesty, 
we  see,  in  a  thousand  cases,  the  impudent  arro- 
gance of  selfishness  apparent  in  the  choice  of  the 
man ;  since,  let  him  be  aa  unintellectual  and 
•oulless  as  he  may,  he  takes  to  himself  a  female 


who  in  intellectual  respects  surprisinsl.v  exreeds 
him,  allhouRh  he  he  not  "  a  nran  of  quality," 
«ho  might  presume  to  make  pretentions  to  such 
a  woman  !  In  the  natural,  unpretending  mo- 
desty of  the  woman,  and  in  this  impudent  arro- 
g\nce  of  the  man,  is  not  only  to  be  found  in  part 
the  solution  of  this  inexplicable  phenomenon, 
but  unhappily,  also,  in  great  part,  the  evil  of 
social  incongruities,  the  source  from  which  mani- 
fold social  crimes  are  derived. 

Robert  had  ended  his  ride  on  that  morning, 
and  betook  himself  as  usual  to  his  counting  house, 
more  than  ever  oppressed  with  inward  disqui- 
etude, and  sti'uggling  against  the  impulse  which 
attracted  him  towards  home,  to  inquire  after 
the  health  of  his  friend.  He  was  about  to  leave 
the  city  earlier  than  usual,  as  he  stood,  after  two 
o'clock,  under  the  porch  of  the  exchange,  and 
perceived  the  tr.iin  of  arrested  faroupilhas,  and 
soon  after  the  crowd  around  the  group,  in  which 
he  recogni.sed  Alvarez  as  the  |)rincipal  person. 

Weknowtowhat  oilers  he  was  impelled  by 
his  noble  heart,  that  throbbed  more  warmly  and 
actively  than  ever  with  the  exalted  sentiments 
which  the  glance  of  his  beloved  had  consecrated 
within  him. 

Connected  with  all  the  other  circiimstances, 
there  were  two  negroes  and  negresseg  (whoso 
transportation  from  one  province  of  Brazil  into 
another  is  charged  with  duty  and  excise)  to  be 
landed  as  merchandise  from  on  board  the  vessel 
of  war.  Habituated  as  Robert  was  to  all  sorts 
of  business,  the  landing  and  visitation  of  the 
etlect.')  neverthtfless  demanded  time.  A  special 
permit  must  be  obtained  from  the  guarda  mor,  as 
the  oliices  of  the  alfandega  were  already  closed. 
He  had  to  run  and  to  explain,  and  hour  after  hour 
passed  over,  until  at  length,  towards  sundown, 
he  arrived  with  the  attendants  and  eflects  of 
.Scnhora  Serahni  at  the  hotel. 

With  more  eagerness  of  impatience  than  ever 
before,  and  with  such  inward  longing  as  perhaps 
a  woman  has  rarely  experienced  while  waiting 
for  her  friend,  Gracia  looked  forward  to  the  re- 
turn of  Robert,  as  the  hands  of  her  watch  had 
reached  the  hour  at  which  he  generally  appeared 
to  dinner. 

A  whole  hour  had  elapsed  beyond  the  usual 
time — and  yet  another — and  another — and  still 
Robert  did  not  appear. 

In  what  a  labyrinth  of  care,  of  fear,  and  of 
anxiety,  was  the  poor  unfortunate  woman  sunk, 
during  those  hours?  Robert  had  disappeared  in 
the  morning  without  greeting  her  after  breakfast, 
or  saying  adieu  to  her,  as  he  had  always  done 
before. 

What  had  passed  within  him  since  the  last 
eventful  meeting  ?  (which  she  remembered  with 
about  the  same  indistinctness,  as  did  Senhora 
Serafini  her  meeting  with  her  brother,)  which 
presented  itself  to  her  mind  like  a  dream  of  de- 
lirium. Had  he  formed  the  resolution  to  Ibrsako 
her,  to  part  from  her  for  ever  .'  Perhaps  be- 
cause she  now  appeared  unworthy  of  his  love? 
Perhaps  because  she  had  lost  his  respect  after 
she,  the  wife  of  another,  seized  with  faintiicss, 
had  lost  her  conciousness  on  his  breast .' 

Did  he  perhaps  love  her,  notwithstanding? 
Was  love  the  cause,  the  reason  of  his  resolution 
to  separate  from  her  ?  And  whither  had  he  fled  ? 
Whore  was  he  ;     Where  did  he  linger  ?    Who 


854 


DOLORES. 


now  shared  his  society,  which  always  wrought 
80  animatinsfly  upon  her  ?  Who  now,  in  con- 
versation with  him,  gazed  into  his  eye,  whose 
glance  had  obtained  such  a  mysterious  power 
over  her  ?  Perhaps  a  woman — perhaps  a  fe- 
male friend  ?  These,  and  similar  heartrending 
anxieties,  considerations,  and  questions,  tor- 
mented the  unfortunate  woman.  She  saw  the 
table  covered  for  three  hours,  and  soon  it  was 
three  and  a  half.  The  nesresses  came  with  a 
stupid  question  ;  whether  tiie  .Senhora  would  not 
dine  alone,  as  Senhor  Roberto  probably  would 
not  come .' 

"  Not  come  !"  resounded  in  her  sorrowful 
breast;  and  perhaps  she  would  not  have  seated 
herself  alone  at  tliis  table  foi  weeks ;  we  will  not 
say :  never,  for  .Senhora  Gracia  vi^as  a  woman, 
and  a  woman  is  more  strongly  supplied  with 
philosophical  selt'-control  than  man. 

There  lies  an  error  in  the  designation  :  the 
"  weaker  sex."  There  are  more  women  who 
declare  Werther  to  be  a  fool,  and  cannot  con- 
ceive why  he  shot  himself,  than  there  are  men 
who,  capable  of  such  love,  would  be  able  to  en- 
dure the  horrible  lot  of  knowing  the  woman  to 
whom  they  were  attached  by  love,  to  be  in  the 
ai'ms  of  another. 

The  sun  went  down  in  tropical  splendor  and 
magnificence.  A  purple  veil  was  thrown  over 
the  whole  chain  of  mountains,  behind  which  it 
disappeared.  Suddenly  tlie  glowing  red  of  the 
mountain  summits  faded  into  violet,  tiien  into  a 
dusky,  azure  blue,  which  became  even  more 
dusky;  and  the  mountain  ridges  now  glittered, 
like  a  sharp  "  silhoutte,"  upon  the  green  and 
yellowish  blue  horizon. 

Horse  hoofs  clattered  up  the  rock  upon  the 
terrace  on  which  the  pavilions  stood.  The  heart 
of  the  suHisrer  found  hardly  room  enough  in  her 
breast  for  its  violent  movement.  '*  It  is  he !" 
cried  she,  and  hurried  into  Robert's  pavilion, 
while  Maria  opened  the  gate,  through  which  a 
passing  confidant  of  the  tiaron  might  have  been 
able  to  see  her,  if  she  had  remained  in  the  gar- 
den. 

Robert  relinquished  the  bridle  of  his  horse  to 
the  negro  who  usually  attended  him,  and  hurry- 
ing through  the  garden  to  the  pavilion  of  his 
friend,  did  not  find  her,  but  beheld  her  through 
the  open  window  at  his  writing-desk.  He  flew 
over  the  space  tliat  divided  them,  and  found  him- 
eelf  immediately  in  the  presence  of  Madame 
Closting. 

Pale  as  a  marble  statue,  .Senhora  Gracia  rose 
from  her  seat.  With  downcast  eyes,  she  tot- 
tered to  her  friend,  moved  her  hand  tremblingly 
to  meet  tlie  pressure  of  his,  endeavored  to  speak, 
and  could  utter  nothing  but  the  low,  hardly 
audible  words :  "  Robert,  can  you  still  respect 
me  ?" 

"  My  God,  Gracia  !  respect  you  .'"  exclaimed 
Robert,  while  he  struggled  against  the  violent 
motion  which  this  question  of  feminine  innocence 
excited  witliin  him.  "How  came  you  by  this 
question  r  by  the  thought  which  lies  at  the  foun- 
dation of  this  apprehension  ?  poor,  dear,  noble 
woman  !"  he  sighed,  pressing  her  hand,  and 
(the  utmost  that  he  durst  permit  himself  in  his 
discreet  shyness)  imprinting  a  kiss  upon  her  fore- 
head, as  her  head  sank  upon  his  breast. 

"  Wliat  anxiety  have  I  endured  on  your  ac- 


count !"  began  now  the  tender  crenturt.  "Where 
were  you  so  long  .'     I  feared  that  you  Ijad " 

"Gone  away.'"'  said  Robert,  smiling;  "  nOi 
my  friend — wlien  I  am  going  away  I  will  take  a 
farewell  kiss  from  you  with  me,  and  leave  be- 
hind with  you,  instead,  what  will  do  you  no 
good — and  what  I  can  never  obtain  again  upon 
earth  ! — never  I" 

"  Horrible  !"  sighed  Grocia — and  Robert  found 
it  salutary  to  interrupt,  by  a  relation  of  the 
causes  which  had  prevented  him  from  appearing 
at  the  usual  time,  the  situation  in  which  both 
found  themselves.  So  soon  as  he  had  uttered 
the  words  "  the  arrival  of  a  lady,"  the  poor  wo- 
man shrank  back  convulsively. 

"  A  lady  has  arrived .'"  cried  she ;  "  a  lady  of 
your  acquaintance — a  female  friend  ?  How  long 
is  it  since  you  have  seen  her  .'"  inquired  she, 
hastily,  gazing  at  him  with  a  confused  glance. 

"  Come  to  dinner,  and  1  will  tell  you  all  about 
it  quietly.  How  could  you  be  so  terrified  at  the 
first  word  of  my  report  ?" 

Both  walked  into  the  dining-room  of  the 
"  Villa  Gracia,"  as  Robert  named  her  pavilion. 
He  bound  the  napkin  around  the  little  neck  of 
the  "  little  one,"  seated  her  upon  her  little  chair 
next  himself,  and  the  "  little  one  "  ate  her  soup, 
while  the  friend  of  her  mother  continued  :  "  A 
young  lady  from  the  interior  of  the  country " 

"  Young !  a  young  lady,  do  you  say  .' — you 
ought  not  to  look  at  a  young  lady  !"  interrupted 
the  amiable  Brazilian,  with  all  the  vivacity  of 
her  tropical  temperament. 

Robert  could  not  restrain  his  hearty  laughter, 
and  proposed  an  agreement  that  she  sliould  listen 
to  him  quietly,  until  he  had  arrived  at  a  pause 
in  his  relation. 

"  But  you  must  not  tell  a  long  story  about  the 
young  lady  ;  that  I  will  not  allow.  I  can  and  will 
hear  nothing  about  a  young  lady  for  whom  you 
ran  about  three  hours,  and — left  me  here  alone." 

"  Well,  then,  1  will  tell  you  quickly.  You 
know  what  a  persecution  prevails  in  the  interior 
of  the  country,  as  well  as  here,  against  the 
faroupilhas " 

"  Against  the  rebels  !  Yes,  I  know  that ;  they 
deserve  no  better." 

"  Then  you  are  a  royalist,  as  I  just  now  hear  !" 
inquired  Robert,  with  amazement.  "  Is  it  pos- 
sible !  I  did  not  know  that." 

"  My  husband  is "  she  was  just  finishing 

the  sentence  she  had  begun,  when  she  suddenly 
stopped,  and  with  a  crimson  blush  concealed 
her  face,  and  for  a  long  time  did  not  dare  to  look 
up  again. 

The  involuntary  allusion  to  her  social  positior 
shocked  Robert  not  less  than  it  startled  her.  The 
thought  that  a  man  existed,  to  whom  the  earthly 
covering  of  the  soul  that  loved  him  belonged  as 
lawful  property,  agitated  him  all  the  more  in 
contrast  with  the  emotion  in  the  mind  of  the  wo- 
man, which  the  slightest  suspicion  occasioned, 
that  he,  on  his  part,  had  only  spoken  to  a  female. 

"  Forgive  me  !"  repeated  Gracia,  offering  him 
her  little  hand,  "  I  was  over  hasty " 

"  Yes,  indeed,  you  were  over  hasty,"  interrupt- 
ed Robert,  taking  the  word  in  an  entirely  differ 
ent  signification,  with  reference  to  an  event 
that  accurred  five  years  before;  "you  certainly 
were  over  hasty,  and  might  as  well  have  waited 

until nevertheless,"    p\irsued   he,   "  I  will 

continue  my  relation.  The  arrests  in  the  interior 


DOLORES. 


255 


»re  going  forivard,  and  t.i-day  an  escort  arrived 
here  wit*!  faroupilhas.  The  greater  part  were 
from  the  hi^^her  classes  of  society  ;  among  others, 
a  Signore  Seraiini " 

"An  Italian,  then?"  interrupted  his  friend. 
"  I  cannot  bear  the  Italians — that  you  know." 

"  I  know  that  many,  besides  you,  cannot  bear 
them,"  remarked  Robert,  "  and  that  pains  me, 
for  1  feel  that  it  is  as  hard  for  a  nation  to  be  un- 
understood  as  it  is  for  a  man.  On  the  river  La 
Plata  there  are  many  Italians,  and  I  love  them 
as  I  do  their  nation,  apart  from  the  glory  of 
the  nation  in  science  and  arts.  Serafini  is,  be- 
sides, a  Brazilian,  born  in  Brazil,  like  thousands 
of  Portuguese — will  you  suppress,  for  a  moment, 
your  natural  antipathy,  you  little  Portu-guese  .'" 

"  I  Portuguese  ."'  exclaimed  the  young  lady, 
half  serious,  half  laughing.  "  That  I  deny  !  I 
am  a  Brazilian  !  and  you  may  see,  by  my  com- 
plexion, that  Indian  blood  flowed  in  my  ances- 
tors— genuine  Brazilian — and  I  am  proud  of  it." 

"  That  is  true,"  said  Robert,  laughing.  "  I 
have  long  since  made  the  observation  that  you 
were  proud — and  that  particularly  pleased  me, 
as  I,  also,  am  a  '  proud  Englishman,'  as  they  call 
us." 

"  And  you  appear  to  be  a  republican  !"  which 
they  are  not  generally — the  English — so  far  as  1 
have  heard. 

"  I  have  liad  a  tendency  to  republicanism,  since 
I  must  admire  the  struggles  of  the  Orientals 
against  Rosas,"  replied  the  "young  Englishman  ;" 
"  and  I  became  more  and  more  clear  upon  the 
voyage  and  since  I  have  been  here — especially 
by  manifold  contact  with  the  fugitives  from  La 

Plata  river — on  board  tlie  Nordstjernan and 

through  the  example of  my  sister." 

"  Sister  !"  interrupted  Gracia,  with  her  cus- 
tomary vivacity ;  "  then  you  have  a  sister — 
indeed  .'  who  came  with  you  from  Buenos 
Ayres  ?  I  read  her  name  in  the  Jornal  do 
Commercio,  in  an  old  number,  lately,  in  your 
pavilion,  as  I  arranged  the  flowers.  Is  "your 
sister  handsome .'" 

"  You  little  simpleton  !"  answered  Robert 
laughing  heartily,  "what  thought  led  you  to 
that  question  .'  You  cannot  surely  become  jeal- 
ous even  of  my  sister  ?" 

"  Become .'  become  ?"  said  Gracia  smiling,  "  as 
if  I  should  first '  become'  jealous  !  I  am  jealous  ! 
jealous  as  a  loving  Brazilian  woman — jealous  of 
every  being  that  meets  your  glance — even  of 
that  cat,  if  you  should  take  her  upon  jjour  lap — 
of  that  aloe,  out  there,  if  you  look  at  it  too  long! — 

and  I  should  not  be  jealous  of  your  sister ! 

Vou  often,  no  doubt,  give  her  your  hand and 

kiss  her  on  the  forehead  ! I  will  not  suffer 

that !  you  shall  no  more  press  the  hand  of  your 
sister  !" 

Robert  contemplated,  with  evident  involuntary 
satisfaction,  the  glowing  of  a  female  nature  that 
loved  him,  calmly  listened  to  her  remarks  and 
commands,  and  at  length  said,  slowly  and  with 
significance:   "  You  will  undoubtedly  give  your 

hand  to  some  man  beside  me,  and  kiss  him 

not  as  I  kiss  my  sister and  must  not  I  also 

be  jealous  !" 

A  long  pause  ensued. 

"  Pardon  me  I"  at  length  began  the  poor  wo- 
man, laying  down  her  fork  and  sinking  back  in 
iier  chair. 

"  Do  you  know  that  the  thought  has  occurred 


to  me:  never  to  see  him  again!  never!  since  I 
feel  that  you  love  me  and  that  I  love  you.  But 
[  would  also  live  apart  from  you.  I  T\"ould  not 
burden  your  name  with  the  disgrace  of  having 

dissolved  a  bond that  has  never  bound  my 

heart never  ! I  would  live  retired,  in 

solitude and  read  your  letters and  write 

to  you — and  work  as  I  do  now^to  be  indepen- 
dent by  my  industry -to  be  with  you  in  spirit 

to  accompany  you  in  spirit wherever  you 

may  abide  !" 

"  Mother  I  please  to  give  me  another  piece  of 
pigeon,"  sounded  the  voice  of  the  dear  little  one 
shrilly  in  her  ears.  She  shrank  back,  as  if  a 
stroke  of  lightning  had  darted  into  the  pavilion. 
She  again  covered  her  face  with  her  handker- 
chief, and  wept. 

Robert  had  heard  the  significant  revelation  of 
of  his  friend  with  surprise  and  sorrow,  as  it  inti- 
mated to  him  the  9()here  of  sympathy  in  which 
her  mind  dwelt.  He  had  prepared  himself  for 
a  reply  as  significant  and  decided  as  the  result 
of  the  impression  which  this  communication 
wrought  upon  him,  when  the  word  "  mother," 
although  uttered  in  a  soft  childish  voice,  also 
filled  his  soul  with  the  same  discord. 

The  impression  of  this  revelation  from  the 
heart  of  his  beloved,  in  relation  to  a  separation 
from  her  husband,  was  twofold. 

The  purpose  of  separation,  in  itself,  ap]>eared 
to  the  youth  on  the  one  hand  as  the  most  natural 
consequence  and  requisition  of  that  declaration 
in  which  the  unfortunate  woman  had  affirmed 
with  a  sacred  oath  her  love  to  him,  and  dedicated 
to  him  her  heart  "  for  eternity." 

The  mere  thought  that  Gracia  had  ever  lived 
in  private  connexion  with  a  man,  (which  the 
existence  of  the  little  one  unfortunately  but  too 
plainly  confirmed,)  always  wrought  such  bitler 
and  disgusting  sensations  in  the  heart  of  the 
deeply  loving  youth,  that  he,  for  this  very  reason, 
(as  we  long  ago  remarked,)  even  endeavored  to 
deny  the  reality.  But  so  much  the  more  horrible 
and  even  unheard  of,  must  the  thought  be  for  him, 
that  the  woman  who,  in  a  state  of  e.xalted  spiritual 
life,  had  avowed  her  love  for  him — given  him 
her  lieart  for  ever — shcjuld  demean  herself,  sooner 
or  later,  to  the  so  called  fulfilment  of  conjugal 
duty  in  the  arms  of  another — a  thought  that  he 
could  not  entertain — that  was  far  from  him — 
since  he  honored  in  his  beloved  the  dignity  of 
woman — and  woman  in  the  noblest  sense  of  the 
word. 

The  secondary  efTect  of  the  impression  of  the 
revelation  was  the  suddenly  awakened  care  for 
Gracia's  future,  in  case  she,  in  the  consciousness 
of  her  pure  love,  should  feel  herself  strong 
enough  to  despise  the  judgement  of  the  world,  as 
she  had  intimated  in  that  hour  with  such  de- 
termined decision. 

It  appeared  evident  to  him  that  a  third  person, 
whether  of  the  male  or  female  sex,  is  never  able 
to  dissolve  a  union,  if  an  inward  separation,  or 
dissolution  of  the  bond  to  which  the  sacrament 
of  marriage  was  perverted,  has  not  already  taken 
taken  place. 

If  the  element  of  separation  has  not  long  sinca 
carried  through  its  chemical  fermenting  and 
separating  process  in  the  interior  of  the  social 
relation,  (that  until  then  had  passed  for  mar- 
riage,) no  third  person  whatever  can  elTect  the 
disturbance  of  a  ui  ion,  much  less  a  separation. 


IhC 


DOLORES. 


The  cause  of  every  Jlvorce  lies  in  the  inferior 
of  marria'j^e  itself,  and  frequently  becomes,  as  it 
were,  the  germ  of  future  disturbance  and  disso- 
liition  inane  or  in  both  natures.  It  is  carried 
to  the  alt.ir  with  them,  as  far  as  it  lies  in  the 
ru2C^od  contrast  of  both  nafuri's,  which  a  sacra- 
ment of  the  church  can  as  little  bind  to  each 
other  as  water  and  fire  can  unite.  The  ^erm  of 
Buch  inward  .separation  unfolds  itself  the  more 
rapidly  into  blossom  and  fruit,  the  more  deeply 
the  feeliniis  glow  in  tlie  one  heart  that  discovers 
in  the  other,  instead  of  a  return  of  love,  the 
waste  desert  of  indifference. 

The  external  separation  of  such  a  compact  of 
propaa;ation,  wliich  never  existed  as  a  union  of 
souls,  is,  of  course,  only  a  natural  realization  of 
the  inward  dissolution  of  the  marriage,  which 
just  as  naturally  rejuires  no  dissolution,  since  it 
never  was  a  union  of  souls. 

If  it  were  even  possible  to  keep  a  register 
over  the  interior  relations  of  the  marriages  of 
our  civilized  era,  which  a  Parisian  Terneau  or 
cashmere  shawl  (instead  of  the  mantle  of  Chris- 
tian love)  generally  covers  in  the  most  discreet 
manner  possible,  it  might  occur  that  the  num- 
ber of  i'lternally  dissolved  unions  would  ex- 
ceed, at  least  a  hundred  fold,  the  number  of 
public  separations  frem  bed  and  board,  or  formal 
divorces. 

This  result  of  such  a  (certainly  difficult)  re- 
gistration may  appear  the  more  natural,  the 
more  we  observe  the  shameless  levity  or  dis- 
honorable speculation  which  marriage  involves 
on  the  one  liand,  as  a  guarantee  of  existence,  or 
a  satisfaction  of  sensual  demands ;  on  the  other 
hand,  as  a  money  concern,  without  regard  to 
sympathy  or  harmony  of  character — without 
love. 

As  certainly  as  "  no  steam  enaine  of  sixty  horse 
power"  is  able  to  carry  off  a  woman  when  she 
herself  does  not  determine  and  accomplish  the 
carrying  off  of  her  lover,  just  as  certainly  would 
a  third  person  never  occasion  a  separation,  if 
tiie  foundation  of  it  had  not,  as  above  intimated, 
long  ago  been  laid  in  the  grounds  of  the  union 
itself. 

Love  is  nourished  by  a  reciprocal  love.  No 
man  of  honor  will  ever  allow  a  woman  who  is 
fettered  by  social  bonds,  to  perceive  a  senti- 
ment that,  from  some  unfortunate  cause,  he  may 
experience  towards  her,  if  he  has  not  become 
convinced,  by  the  most  delicate  shades  of  inter- 
course, of  her  love  to  him  ;  and,  even  then,  the 
thought  of  an  influence  on  his  part  upon  the  dis- 
Bolution  of  the  social  bond  will  be  far  from  him. 

The  same  sense  of  honor,  however,  which 
in  such  a  case  prescribes  the  man's  duty  of  ac- 
tion— condemning  him  to  silence,  to  self  denial, 
a:sd  not  uufrequently,  to  death — demands  just 
as  uncondltion.iUy  from  the  unlbrtunate  woman, 
in  such  circumstances,  a  physical  separation 
from  her  husband,  apart  from  the  consideration 
whether  a  public  or  formal  divorce  can,  under 
existing  circumstances,  immediately  take  place. 

This  alternative  presents  itself  to  the  woman 
in  the  moment  of  her  declaration,  and  in  no 
manly  heart  can  the  sentiment  of  pure  love  ever 
be  more  sacredly,  profoundly,  powerfully,  and 
inalienably  aroused  and  nourished,  than  just 
through  such  a  declaration  of  mutual  love, 
The  love  of  a  man  of  honor  is  heightened  in 
euch  a  case,  by  the  accountability  with  which 


destiny  has  burdened  him,  in  llie  consciousness 
of  the  love  of  an  unfortunate  female,  who  re- 
cognised highly  valued  and  involuntary  love  in 
him,  the  man  of  honor,  and  to  the  man  of  honor 
revealed  her  love,  and  gave  herself  for  ever. 

Natural  as  the  physical  separation  of  Gracia 
from  her  present  possessor,  or  proprietor,  ap- 
peared to  the  noble  young  man,  he  yet  was,  for 
the  moment,  severely  shocked  by  the  thought 
of  becoming,  according  to  the  views  ol  the 
world,  the  proscribed  cause  or  occasion  of  a 
divorce.  Only  Gracia's  proud  contempt,  ex- 
pressed on  that  night,  for  the  world  and  its 
judgement,  could  have  so  suddenly  enabled  him 
to  soar  upwards  to  a  similar  elevation,  in  the 
consciousness  of  his  love  and  his  duty,  in  rela- 
tion to  the  future  of  the  female  who  had,  with 
such  confidence,  placed  herself  for  ever  in  hia 
heart. 

We  know  that  in  the  singular  contradiction  of 
his  sentiments,  Robert  souglit  constantly,  and 
with  determination,  to  banish  the  thoU','ht  that 
the  amiable  little  one  was  the  daughter  of  tiracia ; 
since  his  present  cognisance  of  the  past  night 
ho  was  less  than  ever  able  to  allow  its  natural 
rights  to  the  often  contradicted  reality. 

"  No  V  cried  he,  as  he  s\w  Gracia's  tears  flow- 
ing, and  sprang  from  his  seat ;  "  no  !  it  is  im- 
possible ! — it  cannot  be  !  One  lie  prevails  here, 
conceal  it  as  you  may.  Confirm  tlie  sentence  of 
death  that  seems  to  have  fallen  upon  me,  and  in 
my  last  hour,  1  cannot  and  will  not  believe  that 
ever  a  man  has  embraced  you — that  this,  or  any 
other  being  upon  earth  can  call  you — mother  ! 
You  are  yourself  but  a  child  !  a  child  whose  heart 
is  a  bud,  which  has  but  just  unfolded  itself  as 
a  flower  under  the  spirit-breath  of  love  !" 

"  That  you  should  ever  have  lost  your  con- 
sciousness in  the  arms  of  a  man  without  love ! 

Gracia,  you  have  led  me  to  the  brink  of  lunacy — 
no  ! — not  you — God  forgive  me  !  not  you — you 
are  innocent ;  and  not  m.yself,  for  my  heart  is 
pure,  and  conscious  of  no  guilt ;  but  if  ever  an 
hour  should  come,  in  which  you  shoultl  be  forced 
to  feign  love  for  a  man,  to  grant  him  that  which 
only  love  makes  sacred,  then — may  God  forgive 

you  what  you  have  done  to  me through  your 

oath  !" 

The  unfortunate  woman  held  out  her  hand  to 
him,  and  convulsively  pressed  his,  incapable  of 
returning  a  word. 

Some  one  knocked  at  the  gate,  and  a  negress 
opened  it.  It  was  a  confidant  of  old  IVliu'eto, 
in  the  Rua  dos  Ourives,  with  a  note  to  .Senhora 
Gracia.  The  messenger  departed  as  hastily  as 
he  came. 

She  broke  open  the  note  with  a  trembling 
hand,  cast  a  glance  on  the  first  lines  which  it 
contained,  and  her  hand  fell  into  her  lap,  as  if 
paralyzed.     The  note  lay  on  the  floor. 

Robert  took  it  up,  and  laid  it  near  his  friend 
upon  the  table. 

"  Read  it — 1  beseech  you,  read  it !"  said  she, 
with  a  broken  voice,  Robert  obeyed  her  request. 
It  contained  the  intelligence,  on  the  part  of 
Senhors  Forro  and  Moreto,  that  Senhor  Closting 
had  arrived  in  Porta  d'Estrela,  and  would  pro- 
bably be  in  Rio  on  the  ensuing  day. 

Robert  laid  the  note  again  beside  Madamo 
Closting,  and  would  have  left  the  roou.  "  G« 
to  Maria  and  tell  her  to  make  cotiee,"  whispered 
she  in  the  ear  of  the  little  one 


DOLORES, 


2SI 


Hardly  had  the  child  lefl  the  room  when  Gra- 
cia  S|)rung  up,  threw  herself  on  the  breast  of 
her  friend,  p;azed  into  his  eyes,  and  then  sank 
back  again  into  her  chair.  Robert,  who  could 
not  avoid  partaking  of  the  coffee  which  the  little 
one  had  ordered,  seated  himself  again  in  his 
place,  seized  the  hand  of  his  friend,  and  lingered, 
as  before,  in  her  society — banishing,  with  all  the 
power  of  his  will,  the  thought  that  the  paper  of 
the  note  just  received  was  paper,  and  that  the 
little  one  was  the  daughter  of  the  "child"  with 
whose  hand  he  played  as  if  it  never — had  been 
thown  away. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

BLUESTOCKING. 

Miss  Susan  Thomson  had  hitherto  developed 
as  little  talent  for  observation  and  perception  as 
any  English  young  lady  from  one  of  the  finish- 
ing schools,  wliere  she  is  impressed  with  the 
idea  that  she  must  not  notice  nor  observe  any 
thing,  in  order  not  to  compromise  her  respecta- 
bility by  taking  notice  of  an  object  not  belong- 
ing to  the  fashionable  world.  .She  had,  never- 
theless, in  the  first  week  that  she  was  in  the 
company  of  Miss  Fanny  from  Buenos  Ayres,  (or 
Senhora  Isabella,  as  she  was  generally  called 
there,)  made  the  observation  that  that  young 
lady  was  a  bluestocking — an  extravagant  blue- 
stocking. 

The  basis  of  the  English  social  relations  rests 
upon  the  massive  materialism  that  looks  upon 
every  intellectual  or  spiritual  tendency  as  super- 
fluous, every  talent,  no  matter  what,  as  a  subor- 
dinate object,  which  can  be  paid  for  with  money, 
and  consequently  is,  in  itself,  a  branch  of  indus- 
try, like  any  other  manufacturing  or  productive 
labor. 

A  man  or  youth  in  England,  who  is  distin- 
guished for  any  talent,  or  a  desire  for  intellectual 
development,  is  on  that  account  a  "  misfortune  to 
his  family,"  whicii,  in  proportion  to  the  degree  ot 
its  "  respectability,"  becomes  the  more  sensitive, 
the  more  such  a  talent  asserts  its  intellectual 
originality. 

in  consequence  of  these  laws  of  English  pre- 
judice, the  English  author,  on  appearing  before 
the  public,  wraps  himself  in  the  strict  incognito 
of  anonymousness,  and  often  hides  from  his  near- 
est relatives,  the  mental  activity  that  inspires 
him. 

Only  in  particular  cases,  when  extraordinary 
Buccess  crowns  hi*  efibrts,  or  his  personal  in- 
dependence witli  rank  and  title  enable  him  to 
overcome  the  judgement  of  his  family,  does  he 
appear  in  his  true  name.  His  posiition  then  be- 
comes an  object  of  curiosity,  tor  the  world  only 
tolerates  him  at  most,  and  treats  him  in  his  pres- 
ence as  one  suffering  under  a  nervous  disease, 
but  by  anonymous  attacks,  and  when  his  back  is 
turned,  mercilessly  treads  him  into  the  dust 
where  he  belongs. 

If  an  author  in  England,  without  fortune,  is 

placed  on  the  same  footing  with  a  servant,  and 

fitands  proscribed,  it  is  no  wonder  that  a  woman 

in  England,  whether  poor  or  rich,  fashionable  or 

3a 


not,  finds  a  hell  upon  earth  when  she  manifests 
any  intellectual  or  spiritual  tendency,  or  occu- 
pies herself  with  literature. 

In  accordance  with  the  above  prerogatives  of 
condition,  rank,  and  title,  a  Lady  Morgan,  Lady 
Blessington,  etc.,  is  merely  tolerated,  because 
she  may  defy,  in  her  social  position,  the  world 
that  fawns  about  her;  but  such  a  spirit,  never- 
theless, remains  subjected  by  the  "  rigid  su- 
pervision" of  the  absolute  despotism  of  British 
regulations,  to  the  condition  of  not  rising  by  any 
literary  step  or  mental  flight  above  the  barrierg 
which  prejudice  and  fashion  have  placed  thera 
as  British, 

These  barriers  of  British  prejudice  and  fash- 
ion are  a  Chinese  wall,  by  which  every  English- 
man is  constantly  surrounded,  wherever  ha 
transports  his  home. 

An  Englishman,  impelled  by  "  unfortunate 
inclination"  to  scientific,  intellellcctual,  or  lite- 
rary labors,  (however  they  may  he  named,)  if 
regarded  by  his  relatives  as  a  patient,  and  they 
consider  it  to  be  their  duty  to  make  every  en- 
deavor to  cure  his  disease,  in  which,  alas  !  they 
do  not  always  succeed.  The  undeniable  "  British 
consequence"  with  which  the  Englishman  car- 
ries about  with  him,  to  all  parts  of  the  world,  the 
element  of  his  British  existence,  (as  if  it  were  a 
portable  atmosphere,)  stamps  the  Englishman  aa 
"  English,"  and  as  such  he  lives  and  moves  every- 
where, whether  as  a  travelling  gentleman,  or  at 
a  man  of  business,  in  the  fast  bound  Chinese  bar- 
riers of  British  prejudices. 

Dolores,  besides  her  many  prominent  quali- 
ties, (which  we  have  occasionally  before  spoke* 
of,)  possessed  a  certain  unity  of  being,  such  as  few 
men  have,  which  consists  in  clearness  of  self- 
knowledge,  in  the  consciousness  of  moral  and 
spiritual  strength,  and  in  the  strong  necessity  of 
making  our  actions  and  course  of  lite  correspond 
with  our  convictions  and  our  knowledge. 

This  unity  of  being  is  a  rarity,  and  is  generally 
misunderstood,  as  refractoriness  and  exaggera- 
tion ;  for  social  despotism  desires  a  general  level- 
ling, above  which  no  moral  independence  shall 
elevate  itself  in  contradiction  to  the  universal 
prescriptions  of  fashion  and  prejudice. 

This  spiritual  unity  of  being  is  the  strict  re- 
verse of  "  British  originality."  The  first  rest* 
upon  moral  freedom,  the  last  is  founded  on  moral 
and  social  slavery.  The  former  acknowledge* 
the  intellectual  as  the  basis  of  existence ;  th» 
latter  form  :  fashion. 

As  "  original"  as  the  personal  originality  of  am 
Englishman  may  appear,  it  is,  neverthelesa, 
characterized  by  the  unconditional  slavish  ob- 
servance of  form — British  fashion. 

The  spiritual  unity  of  being  is  manifested  ia 
the  moral  strength  of  conviction,  in  the  con- 
sciousness of  moral  freedom,  which  directs  all 
its  actions  in  accordance  with  nature  and  rea- 
son :  British  originality  acknowledges  no  moral 
freedom,  much  less  its  power  ;  and  all  the  law* 
of  nature  and  of  reason,  all  freedom  of  will  and 
action,  are  subjected  to  the  laws  of  British 
fashion,  the  violation  of  which  is  the  crime  of 
all  crimes. 

Should  a  being  possessing  such  spiritual  unity 
come  in  contact  with  the  British  social  world, 
they  would  judge  it  according  to  the  first  law  of 
human  judgement,  (which  we  have  mentioned 
before,)  after  him  or  herself,  and,  consequently. 


258 


DOLORES 


entirely  fabely,  because  the  Briton,  influenced  in 
■his  judgement  by  his  British  element,  remains 
ijways :  a  Briton.  .  ,  •   j 

Therefore  moral  freedom  and  mental  inde- 
pendence appear  to  the  Briton,  wherever  he 
finds  them,  as  prejudice  ;  for,  m  his  British  pre- 
occupation, he  is  incapable  ot  a  logical  con- 
clusion. He  draws  his  conclusions  m  regard  to 
others  after  himself,  and  in  case  he  meets  with 
an  individuality  which  he  (with  thebest  wi  1  in 
the  world)  does  not  understand  ;  he  regards  it 
as  a  "  queer  originality  "—a  result  of  spleen. 

Dolores  was  considered  by  the  Thomsons  as  a 
Toun"  lady  who,  taken  up  with  prejudicf^,  suf- 
fered from  "  spleen,"  which  Miss  Susan  Thom- 
son wished,  by  some   means,  "  to  drive  out  ol 

her  head."  .     ,  ,■    ,  ,11 

But   alas!  Miss  Susan  soon  perceived  that  all 

her  eflbrts  were  lost  on  Miss  Isabella,  and  that 
«he  was  the  most  extravagant  bluestocking  that 
ever  took  a  worldly  book  or  pen  and  ink  m 
hand  Such  a  "misfortune  in  Miss  Susans 
family,"  appeared  to  her  greater  every  day,  es- 
pecially as  the  bluestocking  was  to  marry  her 
nephew  She  even  remarked,  when  she  quite 
unintentionally  went  into  Miss  Isabella's  room, 
that  she  sometimes  wrote  verses  without  having 
Bvrou's  Childe  Harold  before  her,  and  conse- 
nuentlv  must,  indeed,  be  an  intellectual  produc- 
Sve  pcitess.  It  was  almost  incredible,  but  alas  ! 
it  was  true ;  Miss  Susan  had  seen  it  with  her 
own  light  gray  eyes.  . 

SeSora  Isabella  had  become  an  abomination 
to  the  mistress  of  the  heart  of  the  Baron  de 
Spandau  ;  she  wished  her  out  of  the  house,  in 
short  and  good.  If  this  "  strange  person"  was  to 
marry  her  nephew,  it  should  only  take  place 
upon  the  condition  that  the  baron  should  marry 
her— herself— Miss  Susan  Thomson.  That  was 
her  resolution  ;  that  was  the  rule  of  all  her  ac- 
tions tovrards  the  "  strange  person,"  as  well  as 
towards  the  amiable  baron  ;  and  she  hoped,  alter 
prudent  and  clever  reflection,  to  break  a  way 
for  her  own  marriage  by  promoting  that  or 
Isabella. 


CHAPTER    VII, 

THE   DECLARATION. 


One  day  the  baron  visited  the  lady  of  his 
heart.  She  sat  in  her  myrtle  bower  on  the  gar- 
den terrace,  and  hastened,  as  usual,  as  joytully 
to  meet  the  object  ol  her  longing  as  the  laws  ot 
fashion  permitted.  It  was  towards  evening,  and, 
in  fact,  not  so  oppressively  warm  as  it  had  been 
some  hours  before  in  that  same  day  ;  but  the 
baron  found  it  "  very  warm"  in  the  arbor,  and 
proposed  to  accompany  the  lady  into  the  house. 
He  seemed  to  "  have  something  upon  his  mind, 
from  which  he  would  certainly  prefer  to  unbur- 
den himself  between  four  walls,  rather  than  in 
a  transparent  myrtle  bower.  The  baron  was  a 
man  of  feeling-of  soul-and  there  are  conler- 
ences  which  excite  the  feelings,  agitate  the 
■oul,  and  can  bring  tears  into  a  man  s  eyes. 
Which  the  black  gardener  and  other  negroes 


did  not  need  to  see.  The  baron  said  but  little 
until  they  entered  the  green  parlor;  he  walkeJ 
silently  along  by  the  side  of  Miss  Thomson  :  his 
silence  only  spoke  the  more.  He  evidently  had 
something  on  his  mind  that  must  now  come  out 
-must  come  out  at  last-at  last-for  he  had  now 
been  her  brother's  "intimate  family  Iriend 
long  enough,  and  if  he  really  "had  a  design  up- 
on his  sister,"  it  was  at  last  time  to  declare  him- 
self. The  laws  of  the  social  world  required  a 
declaration.  u„,..: 

Miss  Susan's  countenance  expressed  a  heavi- 
ness of  heart,  as  she  stepped  by  the  side  of  Mon- 
sieur le  Baron,  and  into  the  green  parlour ;  she 
then  sank  upon  the  sofa.  At  the  same  time 
he  found  the  warm  draught  of  air  a  little  too 
cool,  and  shut  to  the  side  doors  which  ofiereda 
view  of  the  famous  platform  scales. 

All  was  then  right ;  the  adorer  of  Miss  Thom- 
son was  now  about  to  come  to  the  point,  and  to 
make  his  declaration.  . 

If  this  is  a  case  that  takes  place  a  million 
times  a  vear,  in  difTerent  parts  of  the  world, 
and,  of  course,  may  seem  quite  an  ordinary  oc- 
currence, this  case  was,  nevertheless,  no  ordi- 
nary occurrence  to  the  young  lady— who  was 
driving  from  the  quarantine  of  her  maidenly  con- 
dition into  the  open  roads  of  hopelessness  Un 
the  contrary,  it  was  to  her  the  most  novel  and 
strange  event  that  could  ever  happen  to  her  ;  it 
never  had  occurred  to  her-no,  never,  in  the 
wh.le  course  of  her  life— and  she  had  lived  long 
enough  to  have  had  time  for  such  a  case  to 
arrive.  .  . , 

These  thoughts  or  considerations  were  sub- 
stantially those   which  were  unconsciously  ex- 
pressed "in  Miss  Thomson's  thin,  but,   lor   all 
I  that,  (according  to  her  own   conviction,)  very 
handsome  face.  , 

'  The  baron  had  closed  the  doors,  and  at  her 
very  hospitable  invitation,  had  seated  himsell  by 
her"  side;  in  a  very  wide  armchair,  close  by  the 
end  of  the  sofa,  upon  which  her  lei^t  arm  rested 
She  had,  quite  accidentally,  so  placed  herself 
that  her  right  hand  remained  free,  m  case  that 
in  any  particular  result  of  the  conhdential  con- 
ference politeness  should  require  her  to  give  her 
hand  to  the  baron.  .   ,     .   , 

"  Miss  Thomson,"  the  baron  at  last  be^nn, 
and  turned,  quite  accidentally,  a  ring  which  he 
'  wore,  among  others,  on  the  little  finger  of  his 
left  hand,  and  which  she  had  never  observed 
there  before  ;  "  Miss  Thomson,  I  have  had  the 
honor,  for  more  than  a  year,  of  being  con- 
sidered as  the  friend  of  your  brother,  and  as  a 
friend  of  your  family,  and  1  can  partly  ascribe 
it  to  the  respectability  of  my  family  relations  in 
Europe,  that  I  am  allowed  to  visit  at  your  house, 
a  position  which  I  can  appreciate  as  it  deserves. 

The  baron  had  brought  forth  this  ma^'l^':'/' 
rhetorical  introduction  with  so  much  ability, 
that  he  could  not  help  admiring  himself,  and  for 
that  purpose,  paused  a  moment.  Miss  busan  a 
fraise,  or  chemisette,  over  that  flat  portion  of 
her  body  which  generally  (somewhat  more 
rounding)  covers  the  female  heart,  moved  It 
was  evidently  some  inward  emotion,  which  had 
penetrated  into  Miss  Thomson's  being,  some 
agitation  of  feeling,  (what  she  was  never  before 
conscious  of  possessing,)  or  a  physical  emotion 
of  the  heart,  in  consequence  of  a  strange  op- 
pressiveness and  anxiety  ;  or,  be  it  what  it  may 


DOLORES 


259 


the  emotion  wag  tliere.  Tiie  snow  white  mus- 
lin, about  a  span  below  tlie  iiollow  of  the  neck, 
moved  and  moved,  in  such  a  manner  that  it  was 
plainly  to  be  seen  that  she  was  laboring  under 
some  anxiety.  She  was  anxious  that  the  baron 
would  not  turn  about  when  he  got  half  way,  but 
safely  arrive  at  his  destination,  and  "  propose." 
"  You  are  sufficiently  well  acquainted  with 
me,  Miss  Thomson,  with  my  character  as  a  gen- 
tleman, with  my  behavior  as  a  man  of  honor, 
and  with  my  respectability,  which  alone  gave 
me  courage  to  approach  you  with  a  revelation, 
or  rather  a  declaration,  which  my  character  as 
man  requires  of  me,  and  which.  Miss  Thomson, 
can  neither  surprise  nor  offend  you.  If  you  con- 
sider the  impression  that  you  have  never  failed 
to  make  upon  me." 

At  the  second  period  of  this  rhetorical  proposal, 
the  muslin  moved  more  violently  than  before. 
The  face  of  the  young  lady  was  suffused  by  a  deep 
red,  which  is  only  to  be  seen  in  Brazil'  in  the 
reflection  of  sunset  upon  the  horizon,  (without 
any  allusion  to  the  approaching  evening  of  life 
of  the  young  lady  on  the  sofa  near  the  baron.) 
_  "  Miss  Thomson,"  he  at  last  continued,  "  I 
like,  as  a  man,  to  pursue  a  straightforward 
course,  and  therefore  take  the  liberty  of  disclo- 
sing to  you,  in  all  brevity,  that  my  adoration  for 
you,  of  which  you  have  long  been  aware,  was 
connected  with  a  feeling  that  no  language  can 
express,  but  which  has  brought  me  to  the  reso- 
lution of  placing  ray  future  life  in  your  hands, 
to  choose  you  to  judge  me  and  this  step,  while  I 
declare  to  you,  that  I  would  consider  it  as  my 
greatest  happiness  to  offer  to  vou,  Miss  Thom- 
son, my  future  existence,  my  life,  my  fortune,  my 
Self;  to  lead  at  your  side  a  quiet,  peaceable,  re- 
tired life ;  to  prepare  such  a  life  for  you,  to  enjoy 
It  with  you,  under  the  protection  of  Providence, 
which  knows  the  purity  of  my  heart,  and  in  its 
my.sterious  ways  has  conducted  me  into  your 
presence."  The  baron  had  happilv  completed 
this  third  and  concluding  period  of  his  rhetorical 
composition,  fetched  along  breath,  seemed  much 
affected,  and  wiped  his  eyes— as  if  that  was 
necessary. 

Miss  Susan  likewise  drew  a  long,  long  breath, 
and  the  eyes  of  both  met. 

Far  be  it  from  us  to  say  that  an  expression  of 
reply,  or  of  inward  emotion,  was  apparent  in 
Miss  Susan's  look,  as  it  met  that  of  the  baron. 
Miss  Susan's  muslin  was  moved;  she  suffered 
anguish— the  anguish  of  death  ;  but  merely  from 
uncertamty  in  her  highly  wrought  expectation. 
Her  anguish  was  passed  ;  the  sum  of  sums, 
the  addition  of  all  the  rhetorical  forms  with 
which  Monsieur  le  Baron  decorated  his  proposal, 
satisfied  her  calculation.  Miss  Thomson  now 
knew  where  she  stood  ;  but  it  would  have  been 
contrary  to  all  tact  and  ton,  to  let  the  baron 
know  where  he  stood.  She  therefore  took  a 
long,  long  breath,  looked  upon  the  baron  with 
the  most  maidenly  timidity  and  embarrassment 
that  was  at  her  command,  since  she  had  sys- 
tematically learned  in  the  last  lessons  of  her 
finishing  school  (to  be  sure  a  very  long  time 
before)  what  behavior  was  proper  for  such  an 
occasion,  which,  sooner  or  later,  must  present 
Itself  at  least  once  in  the  life  of  every  young 
lady,  unless  the  devil  should  have  entered  the 
family  papers  instead  of  the  swine. 
She  replied  with  a  kindness  and  mildness,  but 


with  a  seriousness  and  dignify  that  no  one  but  a 
lady  of  such  respectability  would  be  capable  of 
expressing: 

"  I  thank  you,  baron — for  the  confidence  with 
which— you  have  just  honored — me,  and  will  en-     j 
deavor  to — consult  with  my  God  and — with  my      ; 
self  about  this  step  of — my  life,  so  important  for    " 
you  as  for  me,  and  I  shall — take  the  liberty  to 
in.brm— my  brother  of  this  affair,  and  will  give 
you — my  answer  through — through  Mr.  Thom- 
son— to-morrow — if  possible." 

The  baron,  from  his  business  knowledge  in 
such  matters,  had  not  anticipated  any  other 
answer,  and  had  prudently  informed  his  friend, 
Mr.  Thomson,  of  his  resolution,  some  hours 
before,  at  their  common  dinner  in  the  Hotel 
Faroux.  Mr.  Thomson,  as  a  man  of  experience 
in  this  department  of  social  business,  received 
the  preliminary  communication  of  his  future 
brother-in-law  as  one  which  he  had  long  ex- 
pected, and  wished  the  baron  "  success  in  the 
result  of  his  visit  at  Bota  Fogo." 

However,  he  did  fail  to  ask  him,  incidentally, 
to  be  allowed  to  inspect  his  family  documents, 
from  which  it  might  be  seen  that  his  mother 
had  been  a  countess  so  and  so,  his  aunt  a  mar- 
chioness so  and  so,  his  father  the  Baronet  de 
Spandau,  Knight  of  the  Order  of  the  Black 
Eagle,  of  the  Order  of  Wladimir  of  the  first 
class,  and  of  the  Order  of  the  Danish  Elephant 
and  the  Austrian  Rhinoceros;  and  as  to  his 
fortune,  Mr.  Thomson  could  inquire  at  the 
Russian  Consul's,  who  "  knew  his  circum- 
stances," and  would  at  any  time  give  the  neces- 
sary information  respecting  him,  in  person,  to 
such  a  man  as  Mr.  Thomson. 

The  importance  and  originality  of  the  baron's 
visit,  in  itself,  did  not  allow  him,  for  this  time, 
to  remain  longer  in  Miss  Susan's  bewitching 
society.  He  took  his  leave  with  all  the  ceremony 
that  had  become  a  second  nature  to  him  as  a 
former  ensign  of  the  royal  Prussian  infantry, 
and  which  is  universally  acknowledged  as  the 
mark  of  a  "  refined  education." 

It  was  well  known  that  Miss  Thomson  was  an 
English  woman,  and  had  passed  through  the  first 
years  of  youthful  levity.  Long  consideration, 
reflection,  deliberation,  viewing  the  matter  on 
this  side  and  that,  consultation  with  herself,  her 
brother,  and  her  God,  was  not  so  requisite  as 
the  formal  betrothal  at  the  expiration  of  the 
stated  time,  and  the  "to-morrow"  which  she 
had  appointed— (for,  alas  !  she  could  not  consis- 
tently set  a  shorter  term). 

As  it  is  much  more  difficult  in  England  for  a 
female  to  get  a  husband  than  in  any  other  country 
in  the  world,  an  English  woman  can  appreciate 
the  act  of  betrothal;  and  only  in  England,  and 
among  people  of  English  descent,  are  "  suits 
for  breach  of  promise  of  marriage"  ever  thought 
of,  which  would  offend  the  feelings  of  delicacy 
of  the  women  of  other  nations. 


-'-'•'♦♦♦^^./N^^^^Nr.W 


CHAPTER   Vlll. 

"  AU,    RIGHT." 


Mr.  George  Thompson  returned   nome  to 
tea,  and    found    Miss  Fanny  and  Miss  Siisaa 


260 


DOLORES. 


walking  in  the  garden,  arm  in  arm,  a  thinp;  fJiat 
had  never  happened  before.  Miss  Susan  appeared 
anusnally  cheerful. 

"How  are  you.  Miss  Thomson?"  the  old 
widower  called  out  to  her,  smiling  mischievous- 
ly ;  "I  congratulate  you." 

The  most  maidenly  blush  that  ever  suffused 
Miss  Susan's  cheeks,  "  since  the  memory  of 
man,"  rose  close  up  under  her  lisht  gray  eyes. 
Jt  was  the  first  blush  of  maidenly  self-satisfac- 
tion that  she  had  ever  experienced;  the  blush 
of  a  virgin  whose  virginity  was  embellished  by 
that  social  solidity  which  time  alone  can  give, 
mid  which  we  find  in  Old  England  indicated  in 
large  letters  and  figures  on  adairy  (milk  shop) 
or  other  "  institute,"  where  we  read  : 
"  Established  1787." 

As  little  expression  as  Miss  Sosan  manifested 
in  her  look  when  the  baron  had  completed  his 
proposal,  so  much  expression  now  appeared 
about  the  corners  of  her  mouth,  aa  she,  with  an 
ineffably  naive  smile,  gave  her  brother  to  un- 
derstand, that  he  should  not  be  indiscreet,  and 
betray,  before  Seiiora  Isabella,  that  she  was,  so 
to  say,  "  a  bride." 

"  Can  1  invite  the  barcn  to  dinner  to-morrow, 
with  a  few  friends  ?  say  Dr.  Thoifin,  and  His 
Excellency  the  .\mba9sadnr  of  His  Highness  of 
Kniphausen  ?"  Mr.  George  asked,  after  he  had 
heartily  shaken  the  hands  of  both  ladies,  and 
played  a  moment  with  Miss  Fanny's  hand. 

That  was  a  delicate  question  ;  Miss  Susan  now 
had  to  give  a  decisive  yes  or  no.  She  consider- 
ed, as  long  as  her  inward  impatience  was  able 
to  keep  itself  down,  (to  avoid  the  least  appear- 
ance of  youthful  levity,)  and  at  last  lisped: 
"  Yes." 

Mr.  Thomson  now  introduced  his  sister  to 
Miss  Fanny,  "  as  the  betrothed  of  the  Baron  de 
Spandau,"  just  as  RobL-rt  entered  the  garden; 
the  old  wiilower  then  informed  him,  in  his  live- 
liest manner,  and  with  tlie  greatest  formality,  of 
the  betrothal,  which  was  to  be  celebrated  the 
next  day. 

Robert's  face  suddenly  lost  its  color,  and  then 
became  overspread  witli  the  manly  red  of  the 
ebullition  of  suppressed  bitterness.  He  looked 
back  upon  Senhora  Gracia'g  communication,  as 
well  as  the  many  remarks  of  Dr.  Thorfin,  con- 
cerning the  future  member  of  the  family — the 
•py,  in  whose  hands  lay  the  fate  of  Dolores  ;  and 
lliis  last  circumstance  enforced  upon  him — 
silence. 

We  have  long  since  obsor\'ed  that  Mr.  George 
Thomson  was  a"  man  of  business,"  who  usually 
carried  out  what  he  undertook  or  had  resolved 
upon.  He  had,  as  is  -well  known,  resolved  to 
marry  Seiiora  Dolores,  and  now  resolved  that 
three  weddings  should  be  celebrated  on  one 
day,  somewhere  in  common,  on  board  of  some 
,  vessel — namely,  his,  the  baron's,  and  Robert's 
wedding.  Robert  had  this  evening  happened 
there  very  opportunely,  as  he  wished  to  speak 
with  him  about  this  business,  as  far  as  Mr. 
Robert  Walker  was  personally  interested  in  it. 

The  young  Englishman  had  drank  his  coffee 
after  dinner  in  Senhora  Gracia's  company,  as 
usual,  and  had  smoked  a  Manilla  segar,  the 
scent  of  which  was  very  agreeable  to  her  when 
a  part  of  it  came  from  Robert's  mouth.  He  had 
left  his  friend,  in  order  to  pay  a  hasty  visit  to  his 
relatives. 


"  Bob  !"  cried  his  old  tmcle  to  h'sm,  as  tbe  !«• 

dies  went  into  the  green  parlor,  where  the  tea 
was  ready.     "  Bob,  T  have  a  word  to  say  to  yotj 

in  haste !  We  will  come  to  tea  in  a  moment," 

he  interrupted  himself,  calling  to  the  ladies 
through  the  open  window. 

Robert  remarked  that  what  his  uncle  had  to 
say  to  him  must  be  something  important,  be- 
cause he  wished  to  despatch  it  in  a  hurry,  and 
because  he  had  placed  both  hands  behind  hifl 
back— -an  evidence  of  deep  ret?cction  on  his  part. 

"  Why  do  you  not  bestow  your  confidence 
upon  me.'"  he  commenced,  after  Robert  had 
stepped  upon  the  terrace,  where  nobody  heard 
them. 

*'  How  so.  Uncle  George  .'" 

"  I  mean  why  do  you  not  confide  to  me  what 
yoa  carry  in  year  heart  ?  for  you  need  the  advice 
of  a  friend." 

"  I  carry  something  in  my  heart .'  What  makes 
you  think  so  .'" 

"  Well,  now,  there  is  no  need  of  shooting 
around  the  corner ;  we  might  as  well  fire  at  the 
mark  at  once.  You  are  in  love,  and  must  gel 
married." 

Robert  stared  at  his  good  old  uncle  with  un- 
feigned astonishment. 

"  Well,  indeed  !  you  need  not  wonder  at  my 
second  sight ;  I  have  long  known  that  ycu  ars 
in  love,  and,  if  1  am  not  mistaken,  are  loved  in 
return.  All  right;  there  is  nothing  in  the  way. 
1  have  tniiuired  about  her,  unknown  to  you.  She 
is  an  excellent  woman,  of  good  family,  of  suHi- 
cient  respectability  ;  she  has  been  circumvented 
and  seduced  into  marriage  by  a  man  whose 
baseness  she  found  out  after  it  was  too  late ;  she 
has  separated  from  him,  can  procure  a  divorce, 
and  then,  after  a  few  months,  you  can  marr? 
her.  If  you  need  mortey  until  that  time,  if  she 
should  need  money  to  arrange  matters  with  her 
previous  husband,  who  knows  how  to  value 
money— <ion't  hesitate  to  take  what  you  may  re- 
quire, a  couple  of  thousand  pounds  or  so,  to  buy 
her  off.  Don't  hesitate  in  the  least.  I  will  ad- 
vance to  you  from  my  private  funds ;  it  will  have 
nothing  "to  do  with  our  ho'use,  nor  your  father. 
But  endeavor  to  bring  it  about  soon.  Hark  ye, 
Bob  '.  lose  no  time.  Be  quick  about  it.  And 
now  come  to  tea." 

The  decided,  dry  exchange  manner  with 
which  Mr.  Thomson  treated  this  "  business," 
proved  to  him  but  too  plainly  that  the  whole 
affair  was  sober  earnest. 

Robert  had  become  more  and  more  surprised 
at  every  word  he  heard ;  and  was  about  to  utter 
the  most  solemn  protestation,  tliat  he  was  not  ia 
love  with  any  woman  who  was  the  lawful  pro- 
perty of  another,  when  his  uncle  ;tdded  the  in- 
vitation, "  come  to  tea,"  and  hastily  left  him. 
The  thought  that  his  relation  to  Madame  Closi- 
ing  had  been  discovered  by  some  to  him  incon- 
ceivable means,  and  as  it  seemed  had  already 
been  spoken  of  somewhere,  startled  the  noblo 
youth,  whose  delicacy  equalled  his  love.  But 
as  soon  as  he  came  to  himself  again  after  such  a 
surprise,  his  uncle's  conduct  did  not  appear  at 
all  strange  to  him.  He  knew  the  old  man,  and 
his  way  of  doing  business  ;  be  might  be  assured 
that  he  had  conducted  himself  in  this  atlair 
with  the  greatest  prudence,  for  he  regarded  it  as 
a  matter  of  business,  and  nobody  could  keep  a 
business  secret  better  than  Mr.  George  Thomson 


DOLORES, 


261 


Robert  was  aware  of  this  characteristic  of  his 
uncle,  and  remained  self-absorbed,  standing  upon 
the  terrace,  until  he  was  again  called  to  tea. 

Uncle  George  had  awakened  a  thought  in 
him  that  was  not  entirely  new  to  him,  since 
Senhora  Oracia  liad  informed  liim  of  iiev  inten- 
tions in  that  regard — the  thought  of  realizing 
his  spiritual  connexioH  with  Gracia  by  a  social 
tie.  He  enclosed  the  whole  train  of  ideas  iuthe 
sanctuary  of  his  heart,  and  walked  towards  the 
green  parlor  to  tea. 

"  1  hear  that  one  of  your  travelling  compan- 
ions of  the  Nonlsfjernan,  has  been  arrested  to- 
day," remarked  i\lr.  Thomson,  continuing  his 
relation  of  the  news  of  the  day,  as  Robert  en- 
tered the  room. 

Dolores,  to  w"hom  tliese  words  were  directed, 
grew  pale.  **  One  of  my  travelling  companions 
of  the  Nordsfjernan  .'  not  Hinango  ?"  she  asked, 
with  involuntary  animation. 

Robert  felt  that  it  was  too  late  to  give  his  un- 
suspecting uncle  a  criticising  look,  who,  besides, 
had  not  the  least  idea  of  a  spiritual  connexion 
between  the  passengers  of  the  Nordstjernan. 

"  Oh  I  no  !"  replied  the  old  nian,  in  answer 
to  Dolores"  question,  "  by  no  means;  Captaiii 
Hinango  is  w'ell,  and  at  liberty  ;  I  spoke  to  him 
to-day  in  Mr.  Vernon's  company.  The  music- 
teacher  has  been  arrested — Alvai'ez.  He  has 
found  his  sister  here,  the  wife  of  a  \cry  rich 
fazendeiro,  who  was  brought  here  as  a  prisoner 
of  state  from  Porto  Seguro.  He  is  a  very  re- 
spectable man — very  rich — but  he  has  unfortu- 
nately "  meddled  with  politics."  He  is  repub- 
lican, and  is  in  chains.  And  his  wife  must  be 
a  noble  woman — an  excellent  woman — a  pattern 
of  a  woman  ;  she  accompanied  him  two  whole 
months  upon  the  journey,  in  the  greatest  misery. 
I  have  made  inquiries;  there  are  houses  here 
from  Bahia  that  know  what  he  is  worth — Sen- 
bor  LSeralitini,  or  whatever  is  his  name." 

Women,  no  malter  of  how  contracted  a  mind, 
have  a  })ecnliai'  '*  instinct  "  to  control  the  afiairs 
oi  the  heart  of  others,  and  of  getting  hold  of 
this  or  that  secret;  a  quality  in  wliich  they 
miglit  put  to  sliame  many  an  agent  of  the  secret 
police,  in  respect  to  men's  secrets. 

Dolores  had  no  sooner  uttered  the  word  Hi- 
nango, in  tlie  above  question,  than  Miss  Susan 
Would  have  bet  her  head  that  she  was  in  secret 
conne.xion  with  no  one  else  than  Hinango.  How 
and  by  what  means  she  arrived  at  this  certainty, 
can  more  easily  be  illustrated  by  the  example  of 
the  most  narrow-minded  woman  in  a  similar 
instance,  than  we  can  explain. 

it  love  makes  tolerant,  (as  we  have  before  re- 
marked in  relation  to  Miss  Fanny  and  the  reli- 
gious ditierences  of  those  around  lier,)  tlie  eve 
of  a  betrothal  makes  a  liberal  philantliropi.st  of 
a  selfish  old  maid,  and  an  obliging,  magnani- 
mous friend  of  a  suspicious  aunt.  Doloi-es  be- 
came lost  in  rellection  at  this  detached  relation 
of  her  old  Iriend,  and  im.agined  herself  in  the 
position  of  Alvarez'  sister. 

The  tirst  and  most  natural  consequence  of 
her  thoughts,  was  to  wish  nothing  more  ardent- 
ly than  to  visit  that  lady,  to  seek  her  Iriendship, 
and  console  her.  Before  she  found  words  to 
reply  to  the  old  man's  communication.  Miss 
Susan  took  up  another  thread  ot'  the  discourse, 
and  turned  to  her  brother  with  peculiar  good 
suture: 


"  Then  you  saw  Captain  Hinango  to-day  in 
company  with  Mr.  Vernon.'  will  you  not  invite 
him  with  Dr.  Thorfin  }  it  seem.s  that  they  are 
very  intimate  friends." 

"  Who  ?"  replied  the  old  widower,  who  had 
received  this  "ast  remark  in  an  entirely  different 
sense  from  that  in  which  it  was  intended ;  "  who 
are  intimate  friends  .■*" 

"  I  mean  Dr.  Thorfin  and  Captain  Hinango.'^ 

"  That  may  be,"  replied  Mr.  (5eorge,  very 
coolly,  with  a  glance  at  Dolores,  who,  likewise 
a  woman,  had  as  readily  remarked  "  what  quar- 
ter the  wind  came  from,"  that  now  so  sudderdy 
filled  the  sails  of  hospitality  of  the  "young 
lady"  who  poured  out  the  tea. 

"  I  have  iona  designed  to  request  you,  uncle, 
to  invite  Mr.  Hinango  here,"  interposed  Robert, 
"  for  he  was  very  polite  to  Miss  Fanny  and  me — 
as  attentive  as  a  gentlemin  could  be." 

"  So  !"  remarked  the  old  man,  with  a  pecu- 
liar intonation,  turning  to  Miss  Fanny;  "so  he 
was  '-ery  polite  to  you — very  attentive,  indeed  !" 

"  He  does  his  nation  honor  as  a  gentlemarj 
on  his  travels,"  replied  Miss  Fanny,  with  in- 
ditference.  "  I  hear  that  he  is  a  Russian,  and 
the  Russian  gentlemen  are  universally  known  by 
a  certain  savolr  viore.^'' 

"  That  must  be  admitted  ;  they  are  almost  as 
well  bred  and  polished  as  our  Englishmen," 
aiBrmed  Mr.  Thomson. 

"  In  otiier  respects,"  continued  Miss  Fanny, 
"Hinango  is  a  visionary,  one  who  is  always 
soarinii  in  the  upper  regions,  and  often  becomes 
rather  tiresome  to  u?  here  on  earth." 

"  So  1  hear,  so  I  hear,  just  as  you  say,"  inter- 
rupted the  old  man,  while  Robert  endeavored 
to  keep  from  smiling,  and  Miss  Susan  did 
jiot  allow  herself  to  be  in  the  least  deceived  by 
Miss  Fanny's  tactics. 

"  That  is  the  very  reason  vi-hy  I  will  not  in- 
vite him  here  to-morrow,"  continued  Mr.  Thom- 
son ;  "  otherwise  it  would  not  be  inadvisable,  for 
there  cannot  be  too  many  witnesses  at  such  a 
ceremony,  and  because  Captain  Hinango  haa 
done  business  with  us  to-day.  He  bought  some 
cannons  of  us,  six  twelve  pounders,  some  Scotch 
sail-clath,  and  a  chest  of  small  arms,  and  the 
like,  for  his  Vesta.  He  is  going  to  the  coast  of 
Africa  for  negroes,  and  will  load  for  St.  Joao  de 
Macalie;  we  will  then,  probably,  have  other 
business  to  do  with  him." 

"  Don't  let  me  stand  in  the  way  of  your  invi- 
ting the  Russian  Captain,"  observed  the  neice 
from  La  Plata;  "  on  the  contrary,  I  cannot  only 
endure  his  society,  but  I  find  him  at  times 
quite  suH'erablc,  and  he  even  amuses-me." 

"  Well,  then,  he  shall  amuse  you  to-morrow," 
said  Mr.  Thomson,  smiling,  who  for  the  last 
two  months  had  not  had  the  least  cause  to  be 
jeakius  of  Hinango. 

"  So,  then,  to-morrow .'"  itdded  Robert,  and 
arose  to  go  home.  "  I  can  call  at  Dr.  Thorfiu's, 
i;i  iiiy  neighborhood,  this  very  evening, and  invite 
him  and  Hinango  to  dine  with  us  to-morrow." 

"  And  I  will  invito  the  baron  myself,"  re- 
joined Mr.  Thomson,  with  a  significant  glance 
at  his  sister;  "and  I  will  likewise  personally 
invite  the  ambassador  from  Kniphausen." 

"  Let  him  stay  away,  uncle,"  observed  Robert, 
"  he  is  so  strange  to  us." 

"  But  he  is  a  diplomatic  person,  and  the  whole 
IS  to  be  a  diplomatic  dinner,"  said  Mr.  Thoia- 


263 


DOLORES. 


son,  smiling;  "and  besides,  we  shall  do  his 
excellency  of  Knipiiausen  a  service,  for  he 
lives  at  the  hotel,  and  selects  his  dishes  from  a 
bill  of  fare.  He  siives  every  dinner  that  he  is 
invited  to  eat.  If  his  position  woul  •  allow  it, 
he  would  invite  himself  to  dine  at  a  diflerent 
place  every  d:iy  ;  bnt  the  clerics  here  eat  at  the 
same  table  with  their  principals,  and  that  in- 
commodes him  ;  and  wlien  he  has  to  go  in  the 
country,  the  carriage  or  boat  hire  costs  more 
than  his  dinner  at  the  Faroux,  and  that  he  will 
be  glad  to  save  to-morrow  by  our  invitation." 

"  Well,  then,  to-morrow  at  four  o'clock  .'" 
Robert  again  asked,  as  he  took  his  hat — but  he 
suddenly  remained  a  moment,  simk  in  deep 
thought.  It  occurred  to  him,  that  Mr.  Ctosting 
would  probably  return,  while  he  would  be  as- 
sisting at  the  baron's  betrothal.  He  pressed  his 
sister  Fanny's  hand  with  unusual  agitation,  and 
she  remarked  that  his  trembled  violently,  and 
was  of  a  feverish  heat. 

"  What  is  the  matter  with  you,  Robert .'"  she 
asked,  with  a  tone  in  which  wos  mingled  sisterly 
affection  and  love.     "  What  ails  you  .'" 

"  Nothing — nothing,"  he  exclaimed,  and  har- 
ried away. 

**  Strange  !"  said  Miss  Susan,  looking  after  her 
Dejdiew  for  some  time ;  "  I  never  saw  him  so 
before — never !" 

"  He'll  soon  get  over  that ;  I  know  what  ails 
him  !"  exclaimed  Mr.  Thomsom  ;  '*  it  is  your 
betrothal  to-morrow,  and  no  letter  yet  from 
Buenos  Ayres.  Why  should  that  not  make  a 
little  impression  on  him  ?" 

"  If  news  and  consent  do  not  come  soon,"  re- 
marked Dolores,  in  her  character  of  runaway 
betrothed,  "  we  will  make  short  work,  and  follow 
your  example.  Miss  Thomson." 

"  Yes,  that  we  will,  indeed  !"  cried  the  old 
widower,  "  that  we  will !  pity  that  it  cannot 
take  place  to-morrow  !" 

"  Do  not  forget  to  invite  his  Reverence  for  to- 
morrow, whispered  Miss  Thomson ;"  "  you  ride 
directly  by  his  door." 

"  That's  very  true  !"  replied  he,  "  an  ecclesi- 
astic must  be  present  at  the  betrothal  !  that  is 
an  old  Anglo-Sa.xon  custom."  And  the  tea  ses- 
sion was  raised. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

THE   CAST-AWAY. 

It  was  about  ten  o'clock,  on  the  evening  of  the 
same  day,  when  the  Baron  de  Spandau  was 
seated  at  supper  with  his  friend  Fortuna,  in  the 
old  garden  house,  not  far  from  the  Campo  da 
Santa  .^nna  This  friend  was  likewise  an  En- 
glish woman Miss  Sarah  *  *  •  *,  who  at  that 

time  bore  in  Brazil  the  name  of  Fortuna.  She 
tiad  sailed  from  England  in  a  vessel  with  full 
three  hundred  passengers,  bound  for  Sydney  ; 
tlicy  had  arrived  at  about  21)'^  south  lal  itudo,  when 
a  fire  broke  out  on  board,  and  nothing  but  the 
young  captain's  presence  of  mind  saved  the  ship 
and  the  pas.sengers,  of  whom  two  young  girls 
had  already  thrown  themselves  overboard  in  the 
first  moment  of  terror.     The  ship  was  still  four 


hundred  miles  from  the  coast  of  Brazil  TIio 
captain  resolved,  if  possible,  to  go  into  the  hai- 
bor  of  Rio,  and  happily  succeeded.  The  case  was 
examined,  and  it  was  discovered  that  some  of  the 
outer  planks  were  burnt  in  many  places  to  the 
depth  of  half  an  inch. 

Snrah  had  not  thrown  herself  overboard.  .She 
tbund  in  Rio  a  friend  of  old  acquaintance  from 
Em'opc,  who  solemnly  promised  her  marriage, 
which  induced  her  to  remain  there  when  the 
ship  set  forlh  on  its  voyage.  Hers  was  the 
everlasting  old  story  of  a  poor  betrayed  girl. 
Sarah,  who  could  find  no  emphiyinent  where 
negro  slaves  were  preferred  to  white  people, 
threw  herself  into  the  arms  of  another  friend,  who 
had  compassion  on  her,  and  remained  her 
"  friend"  until  he  left  her.  She  then  became 
the   friend  of  a  man  who  called   himself  Mr. 

Albert ,  and  gave  her  for  a  residence  the 

garden  house,  in  which  he  transacted  his  private 
business  with  all  sorts  of  agents. 

Sarah  was  very  pretty,  she  passed  for  beautiful, 
and  was  noticed  for  her  gracefulness  in  Rio.  She 
was  a  blonde,  tall  and  slender,  with  a  dazzlingly 
fair  complexion,  and  stron?  and  rapid  in  her 
manner  and  movement.  Her  real  English  na- 
tional countenance  was  adorned  by  a  peculiarly 
mild,  good  hearted  expression. 

Senhora  Fortuna  sat  next  her  friend,  on  a  well 
stuffed  sofa,  in  lighest  neglige,  though  with  well 
arranged  hair ;  she  ate  oysters,  and  ananas,  and 
turtle  soup,  and  confectionery,  and  drank  ona 
glass  of  champagne  after  another,  and  was  verj 
talkative. 

Besides  some  lithographs  from  Walter  Scotfs 
"Heart  of  Mid-Lothian"  and  "Pirate,"  a  well 
toned  guitar  hung  on  the  wall.  As  a  Suabian 
once  answered,  who  was  asked  :  *■  Can  you  play 
on  the  Violin  ? "  "  I  don't  know,  really — 1  have 
never  tried  !" — so  had  Sally  been  musical  before 
she  learnt  any  instrument,  and  after  a  few  hours 
of  instruction,  accompanied  her  natural  voice 
very  harmoniously  with  the  guitar. 

"  You  need  only  say,"  continued  the  Baron 
in  conversation,  "  that  you  accidentally  learned 
her  address — when  slie  comes  to  you  in  the 
morning  ;  but  if  you  ever  let  it  be  perceived  that 
you  know  me,  or  are  in  communication  with 
me,  then  we  are  two  !  mark  that !" 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  mark  that !"  replied  the  poor 
creature  ;  "  and  her  name  is  Pusy,  and  she's  an 
Irish  woman  ? " 

"  Lucy  is  her  name,  not  Pusy  !  and  she  is  a 
daughter  of  the   "ever  green   Erin" — and   her 

friend  is  called  Patrick  Gentleboy a  boatman 

on  the  bay.  And  because  I  want  to  know  what 
is  in  the  fellow — you  understand  me  ? — I  find  i( 
necessary  that  you  shouhl  spy  him  out  a  little." 

"  Spy  him  out  !"  said  Miss  Salty,  laughing 
loudly  ;  "  what  may  not  a  passably  handsome 
English  woman  become,  when  the  ves.sel  gets 
on  fire  under  her  in  the  midst  of  the  ocean  .'— 
now  I  am  to  become  a  spy  at  length  !  that  is  a 
neat  office  ! —  Drink  !  spy  I — drink  1 — you  are  a 
spy!  are  you  not?  there, take  your  glass  !  long 
life  to  espionage  !  I  don't  want  to  know  who  yotl 
spy  for." 

"  How  came  you  by  the  idea  t^iat  I  might  be 
a  spy  ? "  inquired  the  Baron  with  evident  sur- 
prise. 

"  Ho.v  did  I  come  by  the  idea  ?  I  smelt  it. 
You  have  often  admired  my  fine  nose,  and  said 


DOLORES. 


263 


it  was  Grecian ! —  whether  it  is  Grecian  or 
Turkish — -it  is  all  the  same!  but  fine  it  is! 
Drinl<  then  !  Albert ! — my  Prince  Albert ! — ^oh 
how  you  please  me  to  day  ! —  long  lite  to  you. 
Prince  Albert,  diink  !  don't  be  a  fool !  how  can 
you  think  tliat  I  take  you  for  a  spy  ?  you  don't 
appear  clever  enough  to  me  for  that  ! —  and  if 
yon  were  one,  and  wanted  to  engage  me  to  spy 
with  you  and  for  you,  you  would  have  come  to 
the   right    person  ! —  but  1   do   nothing   gratis  ! 

that  you  know  ! Drink  !  and  don't  be  a  fool ! 

Do  you  want  me  to  believe  that  you  are  a  spy  or 
that  you  are  not  a  spy  ?  I  will  believe  whatever 
suits  you,  so  long  as  I  suit  you  !  and  so  long  as 
you  have  money  and  provide  me  with  cham- 
pagne !     Drinlc,  spy  or  no  spy  !" — 

"  I3ehida !"  cried  she  with  a  high  intonation, 
and  ringing  at  the  same  time  her  table  bell. 
The  waiting  woman  appeared  in  her  cotfee  sack, 
with  a  smilingly  grinning  countenance,  murmur- 
ing her  "  Senhora Dabedikadcmlefedanalafi 

— hi-hi-hi  !  Vinho  ?  Senhora,  vinho  .'"  inquired 
she,  as  Sarah  pointed  out  to  her  the  empty  bottle. 

"  Senhor  de  Montevideo  is   waiting  below 

Senhor Dabedikademlienla " 

"  Let  him  wait !  and  bring  wine  !  of  the  same 
sort!"   Shame-pain. ' 

"  Yes,  .Senhora,  S/tame-pain  .'"  grinned  Be- 
bida,  and  turning  Inwards  the  door,  stuck  the 
neck  of  tlie  empty  bottle  into  her  little  mouth, 
and  let  the  last  drops  tall  upon  her  tongue. 

"  There,  drink  the  glass  out  !  and  bring  an- 
other up  with  you  I"  cried  Fortuna  to  her, 
handing  her  the  glass  she  had  just  filled. 

"  I  wish  I  had  always  been  a  woman  like  Be- 
bida  I"  said  she,  half  aside  ;  "  just  like  Bebi- 
da — as  ugly  as  night,  and  dry  and  dwarfish  like 
Bebida." 

"  How  so  ?  for  what  ?" 

**  Then  I  should  not  be  here  in  your  arms  and 
should   need   no  champagne  that  I   might  fulfil 

my  service — and  forget 1" 

"  The  devil  take  me-lan-clxo-ly," 

interrupted  she  herself,  singing  with  a  melo- 
diously clear  voice  : 

"  Tte  devil  take  me  me-Ian-cho-ly  j 
Only  one  lile  un  earth  is  allowed  us 
And  wben  for  the  grave  they  enshroud  us. 
Too  early  it  ever  will  be,  will  be  ? 
Too  early  it  ever  wiil  be  1" 

repeated  she,  throwing  herself  back  on  the  sofa. 

"  Then  you  are  not  willing  to  be  in  my  arms  ? 
I  did  not  know  that,"  said  the  baron. 

"  Have  1  not  said  '  that  you  were  not  famous 
for  wit  in  your  own  country  !'  If  I  am  only  in 
your  arms,  wheher  willing  or  unwilling,  it  is 
all  the  same  to  you,  as  it  is  to  every  man  who 
only  wants  to  have  a  woman  in  his  arms  !  Swig  I 
Bwig  !  I  tell  you,  and  hide  your  stupidity  !  You 
know  that  I  am  yours  because  you  give  me  what 
I  reijuire,  and  many  thousands  of  women  partake 
of  my  lot !   but  they  are  more  clever   than  I  was 

and  not  so  open   hearted  as  I. Have  1  ever 

teased  you  to  marry  me  to  give  nie  a  living,  to 
secure  my  future  ?  Since  Que  man  deceived  and 
circumvented  me,  I  love  you  all,  as  cannibals  ! 
My  Scot,  who  took  possession  of  me  here  on 
board  the  vessel  as  an  old  friend,  that  was  a  gen- 
tleman !  who  deceived  me,  like  a  gentleman — and 
1  shall  never  allow  myself  to  be  deceivetl  again." 

Kebida  came  in  with  a  bottle,  and  handed  the 


Senhora  at  the  same  time  the  guitar  also.  While 
the  Baron  started  the  cork,  Sarah  sang,  with  pe- 
culiar expression  : 

"  A  health  then,  to  true  sym-pa-thy  ' 
You  may  purchase  or  sell  what  is  human, 
Making— Heaven  knows  what,  of  a  woman — 
But  a  tratHc  in  liearts  cannot  be."  :[[: 

Bedida  laughed  loudly,  as  if  the  song  vra* 
given  for  her  particular  entei-tainment.  "  Sen- 
hora— sing — bonito — sing  ! —  vinho,  more  vinho 

— more  sing   bonito  !   dabedikadem lapitafi- 

kadeinhedi — hi-hi-hi !"  murmured  and  laughed 
she  and  withdrew. 

The  spy  had  opened  the  bottle  with  masterly 
ability.  Fortuna  held  forth  the  glass,  and  the 
medicine  which  is  recommended  to  mai'ried  wo- 
men by  so  many  physicians  pearled  and  foamed. 

"  Had  you  ever  a  mother  ?"  inquired  Sarah  of 
the  Karc^n,  without  looking  at  him,  as  she  carried 
the  glass  to  her  burning  lips. 

"  How  so,  you  little  fool  ?" 

"  Oh,  because  !  I  only  think  she  must  have 
been  a  sigular  woman  !" 

"  How  so  ?  " 

"  Because  she  had  a  son  who  cannot  love." 

"  How  do  you  know  that  I  cannot  love  ?" 

*'  Because  you  would  then  olTer  a  woman 
something  else  besides  money  and  champagne. 

'The  devil  take  me-lan-cho-lyl' " 
continued  she,  suddenly  singing  out,  and  striking 
powerfully  on  the  strings. 

"  The  devil  take  me-Un-cho-ly —  ! 
What's  the  use  of  the  'holy  alliance  V 
I'll  rather  set  forms  at  defiance, 
Than  be  sold  out  of  hy-po-cri-sy  I  :[]: 

The  devil  take  hy-po-cri-sy — I 
Whoever  herself  is  deceiving, 
Or  Hatters  a  man  for  a  living, 
Soon  or  late  very  wretched  will  be." 

"  Drink  spy !  and  go  down  to  your  deputy 
spy,  and  send  Lucy  to  me  to-morrow,  and  I  will 
spy  for  you  so  that  you  shall  never  forget  me. 
But  you  must  send  me  tlie  shawl  that  I  saw  to- 
day in  the  Rua  do  Ouvidor  !  for  I  am  a  woman, 
and  will  do  any  thing  for  a  shawl.  It  is  only  two 
hundred  millreis.  You  know  I'm  modest.  You 
know  the  shop  ;  the  shop  under  my  |)atrnnage  ! 
The  shawl  hung  right  at  the  entrance — with  a 
sky  blue  gi-ound — and  a  million  colors — in  the 
border  and  centre  !  I  will  use  it  for  the  present 
as  a  bed  covering,  because  it  is  too  hot  here  t» 
wear  a  shawl ;  but  1  will  not  live  forever  in  this 
land  of  lizards  !  Your  health  spy  !  and  now  g« 
down  stairs  and  come  again  soon." 

The  baron  withdrew,  seeming  not  exactly  t» 
understand  his  confidante.  He  was  almost  sor- 
I'y  that  he  had  recommended  Lucy  to  her  through 
a  third  person  as  seamstress.  But  he  had  re- 
marked that  Patrick  resorted  in  the  evening  t* 
the  house  where  she  w(u*ked,  and  had  seen  her 
one  evening  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  chacara 
where  Dr.  Thorfin  lived. 

"  If  it  does  no  good,  it  can  do  no  harm," 
thought  he,  as  he  went  to  Seiior  Prole  in  his 
audience  chamber. 

Although  it  is  well  known  that  the  secret 
policy  of  the  state,  as  well  as  of  the  church,  ia 
all  countries  where  they  organize  their  web, 
seek  the  particular  co-operation  of  a  certain 
class  of  the  female  sex,  and  menials  of  all  class- 
es, yet  experience  shows  that  many  mistakes 
are  nevertheless  made  in  this  manner. 


20-1 


DOLORES. 


Tl  we  conKiiler  tlie  element  of  female  nature 
as  the  bayis  of  all  social  relations,  (as  we  have 
formerly  explained  the  influence  of  woman  upon 
every  age,)  the  duty  of  humanity  would  lead 
OS  to  lighten  a  degradation  of  the  female  sex, 
whose  guilt  is  not  borne  by  the  woman  alone 
a3  an  individual,  but  will  fall  upon  the  con- 
science of  the  whole  social  world,  if  it  have  a 
conscience  in  our  age. 

We  behold  woman  robbed  of  all  social  inde- 
pendence, as  the  slave  of  the  regulations  which 
restrift  her  moral  fi-cedom,  robbed  of  the  right 
•f  a  free  choice  with  respect  to  the  most  sacred 
connexion,  and  all  these  regulations  and  restric- 
tions springing  from  the  livpocritical  pretence 
cf  the  *'  promotion  of  morality." 

A  girl  in  .Sarah's  circumstances  leaves  hev 
country  with  a  hundred  other  families,  that  they 
may  not  starve  there  on  the  threshold  of  an  epis- 
copal palace,  which  is  sustained  by  a  yearly  in- 
come of  from  fifty  to  sixty  thousand  pounds 
cteiling.  She  seeks  some  honest  existence  afar 
«ff,  instead  of  falling  a  prey  to  poverty  in  Lon- 
don, wliere  the  Statistics  number  from  eighty  to 
a  hundred  tliousand  publicly  degraded  females, 
in  a  population  of  about  a  million  and  a  half,  in- 
dependently of  the  hundred  thousand  degraded 
in  priv.ite. 

This  [irompts  the  searching  question  for  hu- 
manity: Did  a  single  one  of  these  unfortunate 
creatures  choose  degradation  voluntarily  .'  did  a 
eingle  one  cast  herself  voluntarily  upon  such 
moral  wretchedness,  without  gliding  down,  step 
by  step,  (through  shameful  seduction  and  breach 
•f  faith  in  man,  or  moral  destruction  by  educa- 
tion and  example,)  into  the  abyss  of  ruin,  in 
which  the  heartless  condemnatory  sentence  of 
the  world  loads  her  with  contempt  and  scorn  .' 

Where  Dr.  Thorfin  maintains  as  a  psychologist, 
•*  married  women  seduce,  maidens  are  seduced," 
every  Ueen  observer  will  not  only  agree  with 
him,  but  will  recognise  the  logical  conclusion 
that  the  demoralization  of  our  epoch  lies  found- 
ed in  the  immorality  of  the  man,  since  no  fe- 
male would  become  degraded  if  she  were  not 
■educed,  and  then,  being  forsaken  by  the  man, 
left  a  prey  to  open  disgrace  and  wretchedness. 

On  the  other  hand,  we  venture  to  affirm  that 
no  wile  would  intentionally  seduce  a  youth  or 
man,  if  she  had  always  been  allowed  the  right 
•f  moral  independence  and  free  choice  for  the 
most  sacred  of  all  bonds.  But  always,  and  above 
all,  however,  the  guilt  falls  upon  the  man  who 
seduces  a  (emale  without  love,  whether  it  be  with 
«r  without  the  permission  of  the  church. 

It  would  be  a  painful  subject  of  psychological 
research,  to  decide  whether  the  moral  wretch- 
edness of  a  woman,  the  suffering  of  her  heart, 
be  more  keen,  more  terrible  in  the  openly  de- 
graded woman,  in  whom  feeling  more  or  le-^s  is 
blunted,  or  in  the  unfortunate  wife,  who,  retain- 
ing the  profoundly  delicate  sentiment  of  noble 
womanhood,  is,  without  love,  placed  by  social 
Tegulations  at  the  disposition  of  a  man  whom 
she  can  neither  love  nor  respect. 

Is  not  every  physical  surrender  cf  woman 
■without  love.  Prostitution,  whether  the  rights  of 
the  man  are  secured  by  ordinances  or  not .' 

These  are  questions  which  we  Lay  before  all 
mankind,  whose  sanctuary  they  concern. 

We  inquire  further,  whetlier,  among  thou- 
sands of  these  unfortunate,  seduced  beings,  who 


are  now  a  prey  to  pjblic  disgrace,  there  would 
not  be  many  who  would  immediately  leave  their 
horrible  position,  if  the  social  world  would  per- 
mit them  to  re-enter  the  element  of  morality  .' 

Altliougli  exceptions  may  be  found  here,  as  to 
all  other  rules,  yet  at  least  many  credible  reports 
of  the  British  administration  otthe  criminal  (|)o!o- 
ny  of  Botany  Bay,  bear  witness  that  not  only  hun- 
dreds of  such  cast-away  creatures  become,  un- 
der wise  measures,  not  only  morally  improved, 
bttt  exemplary  wives  and  mothei'S. 

It  may  be  true  that  a  second  generation  of  such 
a  population  may  not  only  he  particularly  dis- 
tinguished for  morality,  but  the  social  world  oi 
England  itself,  affords  not  a  few  examples  that 
such  unfortunate  beings  become,  through  the 
sympathy,  confidence,  respect,  and  love  of  a. 
man,  virtuous  wives  and  happy  mothers. 

The  position  of  woman  obtained  a  humane  re- 
cognition, first  through  the  legislation  of  Moses  ; 
and  tlie  principle  of  love  first  developed'itself, 
manifested  fur  the  protection  of  women,  in  Jesus 
In  all  earlier  and  later  religious  codes,  woman 
appears  robbed  of  all  dignily,  more  or  less  con- 
sidered as  a  being  without  a  soul,  (as  in  the  code 
of  Muhammed)  in  adegree  of  abject  degradation 
which  delicacy  forbids  us  closely  to  describe. 

If  we  read  with  attention  the  memoires  of  the 
Evangelists,  which  have  come  down  to  us  in  the 
four  Gospels,  and  the  histories,  and  epistles  of 
the  Apostles  of  Jesus,  we  shall  perceive,  run- 
ning through  them,  a  delicate  thread  of  the  love 
and  sympathy  which  woman  displayed  for  the 
Nazarene  in  so  many  eventful  moments  of  his 
ministry — in  accordance  with  the  sympathy  with 
which  he  himself  received  woman — when  the 
Scribes  and  Pharisees  brouglit  the  fiUen  one  to 
him  that  he  should  judge  her.  Not  less  touch- 
ing and  significant,  as  the  answer  of  Jesus  in 
this  case,  are  the  important  and  elevating  histo- 
rical facts  which  appear  in  so  many  places  in  the 
letters  of  the  Apostles,  with  relation  to  the 
sympathy  and  co-operation  of  the  female  sex  for 
the  dissimination  of  the  pei-secuted  and  despised 
doctrines  of  primitive  Christianity. 

But  as  the  spirit  of  the  doctrine  of  Jesus  has 
become  more  and  more  dissolved,  and  has  dis- 
appeared, by  degrees,  in  the  forms  and  formali- 
ties of  the  church,  and  as  the  church,  (as  an  in- 
strument of  absolutism)  has  gradnally  renounced 
the  spirit  of  Christianity  ;  so  has  the  principle 
of  humanity  also  disappeared  from  the  social 
regulations  which  church  and  state  have  es- 
tablished. 

Woman  not  only  loses  the  original  sacred  pro- 
tection of  the  religion  of  Jesus,  under  the  "  po- 
lice institulion  of  the  church,"  but  is  subjected 
to  the  moral  intolerance  of  the  social  world  ol 
such  a  Christendom. 

The  church,  as  an  absolute,  despotic  power, 
degrafles  the  sacrament  of  m.irriage  into  a  cheap 
article  of  traffic,  to  bind  human  Ix'ings  indisso- 
lubly,  for  ever,  by  an  outwai'd  form,  whose  in- 
ward life  is  often  more  or  lessin  rigid  opposition, 
and  whose  so  called  choice,  in  thousands  of  oa- 
ses, recognised  as  an  *'  unfortunate  error,"  often 
leads  to  crime,  which  the  church  does  not  by 
any  means  judge  as  Jesus  considered  it,  in  the 
spirit  of  humanity. 

Here  as  there  we  find  the  w  oman,  as  a  pur- 
chased slave,  the  property  of  a  man  whose  pre- 


DOLORES 


sence  often  works,  in  lime,  with  repulsion  upon 
her;  or,  as  the  despised  cast-away,  judged  and 
condemned  the  most  strictly  and  uncharitably 
by  her  own  sex,  and  cast  out  from  the  social 
world. 

We  behold  woman  in  our  age  in  a  state  of  op- 
pression, of  despair,  from  wiiich  only  a  rational 
legislation,  and  a  general  system  of  popular  edu- 
cation, m  tlie  spirit  of  humanity,  will  ever  be 
able  to  produce  help  and  deliverance. 


h't-^**^**'- 


CHAPTER    X. 


THE    ALCOVli! 


Monsieur  le  Bason  de  Spandau  was  pri- 
vate agent  to  several  governments  of  the  Europe- 
an continent,  in  a  similar  position  with  the  Baron 
von  Schweizer,  from  Frankfort,  for  Russia  ;  Mr. 
Malten,  in  .\arau,  and  a  Mr.  Adam  Kuszkowski, 
(called  Anton  Kuberski,)  for  Prussia  ;  Mr.  Fran- 
cis Napoleon  Szostakowski,  for  Russia ;  a  General 
Ramorino,  for  France,  Austria  and  Sardinia;  a 
Monsieur  le  Comte  de  George  de  Bertola,  for 
Austria  and  France ;  a  Monsieur  Conseil,  for 
France;  a  Signore  Partesotti,  for  Austria;  a 
Mr.  Lessing  for  Prussia,  and  hundreds  of  others 
whose  position  is  not  revealed  and  unmasked 
like  these,  partly  through  their  own  awkward- 
ness, partly  through  the  energy  of  those  whom 
they  observe,  pursue,  and  occasionally  would 
deliver  to  the  torture. 

Many  of  the  papers  of  these  spies  have  fallen 
into  the  hands  of  the  persecuted,  and  have  been 
here  and  there  published.  Similar  engagements 
ofTered  a  rich  and  splendid  remuneration  to  in- 
dustry, (especially  since  the  political  crisis  in 
Europe,  in  consequence  of  the  July  revolution,) 
to  many  ex-diplomatists,  literary  gentlemen, 
chevaliers  d'iudustrie,  and  penitentiary  cul- 
prits.' 

A  new  faculty  of  study  has  been  in  a  mea- 
sure revealed  in  the  progress  of  our  civilization, 
for  whose  examinations  the  greatest  proportion 
of  "  legitimate  proofs "  of  the  lowest  crimes 
serve  as  a  recommendation,  and  whose  sphere  of 
operation  enjoys  of  itself  the  privilege  of  sus- 
taining by  demoralization  the  monarchial  prin- 
ciple, which  has  established  itself  upon  demo- 
ralization. 

Monsieur  le  Baron  de  .Spandau  had  found  the 
opportunity  toavailhimself  in  the"  high  places" 
of  Buenos  Ayres  as  well  as  of  Rio  de  Janeiro,  of 
his  talent  as  a  bloodhound,  and  had,  it  appears, 
been  recognised  as  serviceable.  While  he  was 
commissioned  in  the  pay  of  some  European 
governments  to  observe  the  interior  state  of  the 
political  movements  of  South  America,  the  am- 
bassadors of  the  courts,  whose  ministerial  au- 
thorities had  despatched  him,  were  placed  under 
his  espionage,  as  well  as  the  Argentine  charge 


*  The  above  designated  "  Anton  Kuberski,"  who  was 
lent  10  France  as  a  Prussian  spy,  in  January,  1332,  liaii 
oeen,  for  example,  condemned  to  twelve  years  contine- 
ment  in  a  penitentiary  for  forgery,  but  was  set  at  li- 
berty as  a  useful  subject  of  the  Prussian  government, 
and  was  sent  to  Strasbourg  with  compreliensive  instruc- 
tions, where  he  played  his  part  with  ability,  until  he 
ft'a.s  seen  through 

33 


d'affaires  in  Rio  de  Janeiro,  to  whom  his  position 
as  spy  in  the  service  of  the  cabinet  of  Rosas  re- 
mained unknown. 

The  important  agent  des  deux  mondes  had 
despatched  his  report  to  his  secret  authorities  in 
Buenos  Ayres  soon  after  the  arrival  of  the 
Nordstjernan  in  Rio,  and,  as  it  appeared,  received 
copious  instructions  for  private  proceedings,  ac- 
cording to  which  he  had  acted  hitherto. 

He  found  his  factotum  in  the  desigjiated  au- 
dience chamber,  almost  impatient  from  his  long 
attendance,  with  dry  mouth.  The  condescending 
chief  remarked  his  ill  humour,  and  immediately 
called  out  to  Behida,  over  the  threshold,  to  bring 
wine  and  two  glasses. 

"Si  Senhor  !  vinho!  vinho!"  croaked  she, 
somewhere  in  the  background,  where  she  was 
smoking  her  little  pipe. 

The  Baron  took  his  seat  at  the  round  table, 
and  cast  a  glance  upon  the  letters  which  Senhor 
Prole  had  brought. 

" A  vessel  arrived  from  Buenos  Ayres.'"  in- 
quired he,  as  he  began  to  open  the  envelope. 

"  Not  direct  from  Buenos  Ayres.  An  Argen- 
tine man  of  war  lies  before  Santos — these  letters 
were  forwarded  from  there." 

"  What,  the  devil !  not  the  Caza  ?" 

"  I  believe  the  brig  is  called  La  Caza,  if  I  am 
not  mistaken." 

The  Baron  read  with  increasing  attention  one 
of  the  beforementioned  letters,  sunk,  from  time 
to  time,  in  consideration  and  reflection  ;  then 
read  again,  and  said,  half  to  himself:  "  that  may 
all  be  arranged,  and  we  shall  see  an  end  of  the 
whole  affair. 

" Difficult — very  difficult,  that  I  ad- 
mit, but  so  much  the  more  interesting,  and  the 
consequences,  also,  so  much  the  moi'e  brilliant." 
He  read  again,  half  aloud  :  "  As  concerns  that, 
I  beseech  you  not  to  be  over  hasty  ;  you  may  go 
more  surely  to  work,  to  allow  her  time,  but  in 
that  case,  not  only  to  possess  yourself  of  her  pa- 
pers, but  especially  her  person,  since  from  to- 
day, M.  le  Baron,  I  hold  you  responsible  in  this 
respect." 

"  An  unheard  of  responsibility,  which  forces 
the  sweat  from  my  brow  !  said  he,  in  the  above 
mentioned  tone,  with  a  breath  that  almost  re- 
sembled a  sigh. 

"Dabedicademlafodunicalafi — hi-hi-hi!  Vinho! 
do  Rhino  ! — not  shame-pain  !"  muttered  Behida, 
who  came  in  with  two  bottles  of  Rhenish  wine, 
and  four  glasses. 

"  Out,  out,  old  hag !"  grumbled  the  baron  to 
her,  too  much  occupied  with  Dolores  to  be  able 
at  this  time  to  pay  her  the  smallest  attention. 

Bebida,  however,  remained  standing  there, 
with  a  glass  in  each  hand,  like  a  Babylonian 
Belus,  or  dragon  cast  in  bronze,  with  a  short 
candle  in  the  right  claw.  Senhor  Prole,  as  an 
"  intimate  friend  of  the  house,"  gently  uncorked 
a  bottle,  poured  out  some  wine,  without  dis- 
turbing the  meditations  of  his  master,  (bur- 
dened from  this  hour  with  so  heavy  a  respon- 
sibility,) and  the  bronze  Belle  also  received  the 
balsam  of  life. 

She  whispered  then,  very  low,  and  hardly 
audibly,  her  "  Dabedicademlofimago,  hi-hi-hi," 
and  disappeared  trippingly  from  the  scene. 

The  baron  looked  again  into  the  letter,  and 
read  .  "  Should  it  be  impossible  fur  you  to  es- 
cort the  condemned  in  safe  custody  to  Argentina 


266 


DOLORES. 


ground,  and  sTinuld  the  danger  occur  of  loosino;| 
her  out  of  your  power,  it  remains  with  you,  in 
such  a  case,  to  take  your  measures."  He  shrank 
back,  severely  shocked,  and  his  countenance 
lost  Its  color.'  Prole  seized  a  glass  and  bottle, 
helped  himself  a';ain,  and  acted  as  if  he  had  not 
observed  his  employer. 

According  to  the  formerly  described  construc- 
tion of  Brazilian  dwellinss,  like  the  one  in 
which  we  now  find  ourselves  in  spirit,  a  little 
door  led  from  the  alcove  under  the  stairs, 
through  into  the  alcove  of  the  back  room. 

In  an  entirely  peculiar  state  of  mind  in  which 
we  have  already  contemplated  her,  Sarah  had 
li-ft  h-T  tamancas  st.anding  where  they  were 
when  she  lay,  with  naked  feet,  accordini;  to 
Brazilian  custom,  on  the  wide  sofa,  and  had 
slipped  down  stairs  slowly  and  softly,  while 
Bebida  brou^jht  the  wine.  For  the  case  that 
she  might  beobsorved,  she  had  taken  her  guitar 
with  her,  that  she  might,  as  before,  sing  her 
favorite  song  there,  as  if  she  had  wished  to 
surprise  the  baron.  She  arrived  at  the  door  of 
the  alcove,  whose  antiquated  keyhole  afforded 
a  conveaient  view  of  the  baron,  who  sat  oppo- 
site to  the  alcove,  at  the  designated  round  table, 
on  which  stood  the  wax  candles,  by  whose 
light  he  re.id  the  letter,  .\lthough  he  mur- 
mured very  low,  and  the  letter  was  written  in 
French,  in  which  language  he  likewise  also  con- 
versed with  Prole,  Sarah  attained  her  design — 
of  spying  for  the  present  the  spy  himself 

A  gii-1  in  Sarah's  situation  would  be  likely  to 
trouble  lierself  little  about  what  her  friend  or 
owner  does  when  he  is  away  from  her;  still, 
ft  certain  female  curiosity  might,  in  the  begin- 
liing,  have  turned  her  attention  to  the  secret 
meetings  of  the  baron  with  the  amigalhao,  who, 
according  to  appearances,  might  be  less  his 
friend  than  his  servant.  Abstractly  from  the 
contracted  education  of  a  common  English  coun- 
try girl,  she  had,  nevertheless,  developed  a  cer- 
tain natural  understanding,  which  is  at  times 
riglitly  designated  by  the  name  of  "  mother 
wit,"  insomuch  as  it  embraces  hereditary  or  na- 
tive talent. 

As  little  capable  as  a  young  girl,  transplanted 
from  an  English  village  into  the  capital  of  a 
foreign  cou.itry,  might  be  to  form  an  idea  of  the 
political  and  religious  struggles,  or  of  the  posi- 
tions and  sacrifices  of  parties,  she  had,  notwith- 
etaadlng,  as  an  English  woman,  so  much  notion 
of  the  people's  party,  and  of  their  oppression 
by  the  ■''  powerful  of  tlie  earth,"  of  radicals,  and 
v/higs,  and  lories,  as.  every  English  country  girl 
has,  who,  Irom  her  cluidhood,  hoars  politics 
talked  .ab.iul,  and  regularly,  even  if  only  from 
curiosity,  runs  through  a  weekly  or  daily  paper. 
The  word  "  traitor"  embraces  in  England,  to 
the  honor  of  the  English  national  character, 
an  idea  so  decidedly  contemptible,  that  it  is 
difficult,  especially  among  the  middle  classes,  to 
find  a  man  who  does  not  partake  of  the  above 
feeling  of  contempt. 

This  undeniable  sentiment  of  rectitude,  which 
abhors  all  treachery,  and  rouses  the  heart  against 
the  traitor,  is  a  characteristic  of  the  British 
people,  that  the  nxmarchial  government  which 
there,  as  everywhere,  stands  rigidly  opposed  to 
the  people)  does  not  always  partake  of 

Sally  would  probably  have  been  as  little  likely 
ou  that  evening,  as   hitherto,  to  take  into  her 


head  to  trouble  herself  with  the  business  of  h(ir 
"  friend,"  if  his  suggestion,  that  she  should  take  a 
personal  share  in  his  espionage,  had  not  brought 
her  to  the  resolution  to  observe  him,  to  ascertain 
his  position. 

In  the  hiding  place  above  mentioned,  she 
could  not  only  contemplate  at  her  ease  every 
expression  upon  the  countenance,  but  under- 
stand, for  the  most  part  the  meaning  of  those 
passages  in  the  letter  which  he  read  in  frag- 
ments. 

.'\  superficial  knowledge  of  the  French,  (for 
which  her  second  acquaintance  had  afforded  an 
opportunity,)  as  well  as  the  analogy  of  the  two 
languages  in  many  important  words,  enabled 
her  to  presume,  if  not  thoroughly  to  perceive, 
beyond  all  expectation,  circumstances  and  rela- 
tions whose  effect  and  impression  were  from 
time  to  time  vividly  expressed  on  the  fully 
lighted  countenance  of  the  baron. 

Sally  had  perceived  that  the  affair  concerned 
a  she — that  it  was  about  a  female.  The  poor 
creature  might  be  whatever  men  and  her  fate 
had  made  of  her  ;  still  she  was,  and  ever  re- 
mained, a  woman.  As  woman,  she  took  as 
lively  an  interest  in  one  of  her  sex,  as  yet  en- 
tirely unknown  to  her,  as  many  protected  by  the 
favor  of  fortune,  and  by  a  misimprudence  in 
their  intercourse  with  men,  would  perhaps  have 
shown  for  her. 

Sally  was  unfortunate — despairingly  unfortu- 
nate ;  and  in  such  a  situation  a  lively  interest  in 
the  danger  and  sufferings  of  others  is  often  les!) 
foreign  to  the  female  heart  than  in  the  giddiness 
of  pleasure  and  the  lap  of  comfort.  She  heard 
the  word  Buenos  Ayres,  and  had  been  sufficient- 
ly long  in  Brazil  to  be  aware  of  the  war  and 
struggle  for  life  and  death,  which  went  on  upon 
the  river  La  Plata. 

The  baron  who  appeared  to  have  recovered 
from  the  first  shock,  and  to  have  found  himself 
again  in  the  consciousnes  of  his  executioner's 
office,  cast  another  glance  upon  the  letter  and 
read: 

"  As  relates  to  Hinangn,  it  will  be  of  little 
avail  to  arrest  him  so  long  as  he  does  not  take  an 
active  part  in  the  events  in  Brazil,  or  here  with 
us,  since  as  yet  we  possess  no  testimony  against 
him.  If  you  are  able  to  obtain  such,  and  will 
t,ike  the  consequences  of  the  arrest  upon  your- 
self, then  do  what  you  think  proper— it  is  your 
affair." 

"  I  thank  you  exceedingly  .'"  said  he,  tolerably 
loud ;  "  it  is  my  afTair,  certainly.  My  life  is  also 
my  afTair  and  I  am  not  the  least  inclined  at  pre- 
sent to  hazard  it  against  a  '  Young  European.' 
1  will  here  have  noting  to  do  personally  with  a 
'  Young  European,'  who  may  belong  to  the  cen- 
tral committee  and  have  his  associates  here.  The 
suspicion  of  an  accusation  would  fall  upon  me— 
it  would  then  come  to  light,  and  my  game  would 
then  be  ruined  here  forever  !  No,  your  excellen- 
cy, 1  am  no  fool ;  I  will  keep  watch  of  him,  and 
take  care  that  he  shall  be  put  out  of  the  way  be- 
fore he,  with  his  Astrala,  shall  Sire  upon  the  Bra- 
zilian or  Argentine  Hag — bul  so  long  as  he  is  in 
the  neighborhood  and  commands  a  vessel,  even 
as  a  privateer,  1  cannot  accomplish  my  work 
here — that  is  very  evident." 

Sally  was  shocked— a  man  was  then  to  be  put 
out  of  the  way— a  "  Young  European  "—who  ap- 
peared to  maintain  a  peculiar  position- -whom 


DOLORES. 


the  baron  feared — he  was  to  be  murdered  if  she 
had  rightly  understood. 

"  The  Astrala  will  take  cannon  on  board,  and 
small  arms,"  remarked  Prole,  who  heard  the 
name. 

"  I  know  that  already;  thank  you,  neverthe- 
less, for  your  heedfulness,"  rejoined  the  other, 
filling  his  glass. 

"  The  young  man,  Senhor  Horatio  de  P , 

visits  the  negro  from  Goa  in  the  Rua  do  Va- 
longo ;  Dr.  Thorfin  too.  Both  still  live  on  the 
Gloria,"  continued  Prole. 

"  Do  many  Brazilians  go  in  and  out  at  Dr. 
Thorfin's  ?" 

"  But  few  ;  according  to  appearances  patients, 
under  his  treatment." 

Sally  was  all  ear — not  a  word  escaped  her, 
and  the  simple  sentences  were  very  intelligable 
to  her.  Then  Dr.  Thorfin,  a  physician — lives  on 
the  Gloria.  She  noted  this  address  without 
knowing  yet  whether  some  other  would  not  fol- 
low that  might  serve  in  case  of  need. 

"  Young  Mr.  Walker  goes  very  often  to  Dr. 
Thorfin's " 

"  I  know  that;  'tis  well,  however,  that  you 
know  it  also.  He  is  very  dangerous  to  us,"  con- 
tinued he,  half  to  himself,  "  especially  if  the 
embarkation  should  take  place  ;  he  would  then 
accompany  the  condemned,  and  that  would  be 
bad — that  must  not  be ;  and  to  put  him  out  of 
the  way,  that  would  not  answer,  he  is  an  Eng- 
lishman, and  I  will  not  meddle  with  the  English, 
for  the  future  less  than  ever." 

Sally  heard  the  mention  of  a  young  English- 
tnan — who  stood  in  the  way  of  the  plot — which 
still,  to  be  sure,  remained  obscure  to  her — but 
she  heard,  also,  for  the  second  time,  the  words 
"  for  the  future,"  what  might  they  signify .' 

"  Young  Mr.  Kossbriick  has  sailed  for  Europe 
again." 

"  That's  no  concern  of  ours — you  knew  that 
long  ago,  he  may  go,  and  attend  to  his  business 
better  in  Europe  than  he  did  here  !" 

"  Your  Patrick  appears  to  watch  the  Vesta  or 
Astrala,  as  she  is  called,  very  attentively.  I  see 
him  very  often  upon  the  island  of  Cobras." 

"  I  don't  trust  the  fellow,  I  have  made  arrange- 
ments to  have  him  watched — he  is  not  so  stupid 
as  he  appears,  and  I  am  more  clever  than  he 
probably  believes  me.  But  nothing  can  be  done 
to  that  fellow  either ;  he  is  only  a  sailor  to  be 
sure,  but  an  English  subject,  and  has  his  ambas- 
sador and  consul  here — and  if  I  were  to  have 
him  arrested  to  send  him  to  Buenos  Ayres,  he 
would  be  set  at  liberty  right  away  again.  I  had 
hoped  that  the  fellow  was  dissipated, and  thought 
I  had  found  in  him  the  right  person,  but  it  was 
a  great  mistake.  He  drinks,  to  be  sure,  his 
glass  of  grog  like  any  other  Irishman,  but  he  is 
not  a  drunkard,  de  does  not  revel  nor  steal,  and 
will  deceive  nobody  but  me.  I  must  see  and 
get  him  aboard  of  some  vessel  for  a  long  voyage 
— that  he  may  be  out  of  our  way.  I  do  not  trust 
the  fellow." 

Sally  had  again  heard  much,  and  understood  a 
great  deal — Patrick  was  then  the  subject — whom 
she  was  to  spy  through  Lucy  !  She  had  heard 
that  Patrick  was  an  honest  fellow;  well,  per- 
haps she  could  employ  him  directly  to  take  some 
step,  as  soon  as  she  should  have  formed  any  re- 
solution. 

"  Thase    are    all    our  passengers  from  the 


Nordstjernan,"  continued  Prole,  "  for  you  know 
already  that  Alvarez  is  arrested." 

"  I  know  that ;  his  sister  is  Madame  Serafini. 
I  knew  that  long  ago,  through  Mr.  Closting,  but 
I  was  obliged  to  wait  for  the  arrival.  It  was  to 
be  foreseen  that  he  would  compromise  himself 
then.  The  name  of  Daily  has  hitherto  availed 
him  merely  upon  his  ticket  of  residence.  I  had 
respect  for  him — on  account  of  Walker  and 
Thomson — and  must  for  the  future  have  still 
more." 

Sally  heard  again  the  words  "  for  the  future," 
what  did  he  mean  by  that .'  Had  they  reference 
to  the  contents  of  a  letter  which  he  had  just 
named  ?     How  should  she  find  out .' 

"About  the  lady  who  came  in  the  Nordstjernan. 
I  need,  also,  make  no  report  to  you  ?"  asked  Prole, 
with  a  significant  glance,  "  as  you  ordered  me." 

"  Thank  you,  I  will  observe  her  myself"  ^ 

"  But  to  convince  you  that  I  am  more  service- 
able than  you  usually  believe,  I  will  tell  you  who 
she  is." 

"  Indeed,"  cried  the  chief,  with  a  smiling 
mien  ;  "  then  you,  also,  have  found  that  out  ?" 

"  It  is  Seiiora  Dolores — the  author  of  the 
famous  Elegies,  condemned  to  death  in  Buenos 
Ayres — whom  you,  Monsieur  le  Baron,  are  to 
produce  alive  upon  Argentine  ground,"  said  tha 
deputy  spy,  slowly,  and  very  significantly. 

Sally  trembled  and  shuddered.  The  matter 
concerned,  also,  the  delivery  of  a  lady  who  was 
condemned  to  death — a  poetess  who  had  arrived 
with  the  Nordstjernan. 

"  What  more  did  the  poor  girl  require  to 
know,  to  confirm  in  her  the  resolution  to  do  her 
best  for  the  deliverance  of  the  condemned." 

"  Bravo  !"  exclaimed  the  baron,  when  Prole 
had  revealed  his  mystery,  "  that  does  you  honor  ; 
I  will  render  a  brilliant  report  about  you,  to 
Buenos  Ayres — about  you,  Senhor  Prole,  I  say  : 
you  shall  receive  an  appointment  there  as  soon 
as  you  return.  But  you  must  go,  at  present,  to 
Santos,  on  board  the  man-of-war  that  lies  there 
— you  must  hold  personal  communication  with 
the  captain.  It  is  the  brig  La  Caza — the  same 
for  which  Patrick  was  impressed — the  same  that 
was  sent  after  the  Swedish  brig.  The  captain's 
name  is  Tumble.  This  letter  here  is  from  him, 
he  has  claims  upon  the  reward  that  is  set  on  tha 
head  of  Dolores.  He  has  had  a  fellow  on  board 
who  knew  nearly  as  much  as  I,  and  who  was 
thrown  overboard  from  the  cutter.  Captain 
Tumble  liad  found  out  a  great  deal  in  Buenos 
Ayres,  had  conceived  similar  suspicions  of 
Dolores,  when  it  came  out  that  she  had  gone 
away  with  Mr.  Walker  as  his  sister.  He  only 
lays  claim  to  half  the  reward,  and  has  received 
orders  to  be  helpful  to  me — that  is  the  commis- 
sion !  But  Dolores  is  guarded  and  protected  on 
all  sides,  surrounded  by  attendants,  and  armed. 
How  to  bring  her  from  Bota  Fogo — on  board  tiie 
Caza — that,  Senhor  Prole — that  is  a  problem  that 
you  truly  cannot  solve." 

Sally  trembled  more  violently  than  before. 
The  whole  affair  became  clearer  and  clearer — at 
the  same  time,  however,  she  found  re-assurance 
and  consolation  in  the  difficulties  which  the  be- 
trayer himself  recognized. 

"  You  must  then  go  to-morrow  to  Santos — no, 
the  day  after  to-morrow — to-morrow  I  have  no 
time  to  send  you.  To-morrow  I  celebrate  my 
betrothal." 


268 


DOLORES. 


"  With  Miss  Thomson,  if  I  may  inquire  .'" 
"  With  Miss  Thomson,"  replied  the   baron 
"  and  tlierefore  I  cannut  go  mjself  to  Santos  at 
present." 

Sally  was  near  fainting;  not  that  she  by  any 
means  had  ever  conceived  the  idea  that  the 
baron  wonid  marry  her.  She  had  never  thought 
of  that,  and  would  now  have  hardly  accepted 
such  a  proposal.  But  this  man  was  about  to 
celebrate  his  betrothal  on  the  morrow — to  unite 
himself  with  a  female,  who  (let  her  be  who  she 

mi{;ht)  would  marry  a  rudcal  in  him. She 

had  now  learned  enough,  and  her  resolution  was 
more  than  ever  confirmed.  But  she  must  put 
lier  hand  to  the  work.  She  must,  if  possible,  ob- 
tain ])Ossession  of  this  letter  from  Buenos  Ayres, 
for  some  hours,  to  em|)loy  it  at  the  risk  of  her 
own  life.  How  and  in  what  manner.'  that  also 
she  had  already  planned  out.  She  left  her  post 
quickly  but  softly,  slipped  back  up  tlie  >tairs, 
made  a  noise  there  as  if  she  came  from  above, 
and  sang,  with  a  loud  voice  : 

■'  I'he  Devil  take  nio-laii-cho-ly — ! 
I'll  not  live  on  so  lonely  feu-  ert-r — 
Myself  to  a  man  TU  drlivrr, 
Anil  not  love  liim  unless  kc  loves  mc  "  :11 : 

Without  having  altered  her  toilet  (which  was 
properly  less  than  a  toilet)  she  flew  into  the  room, 
seized  the  Baron  around  the  neck,  and  cried 
"  Bebida  !  bring  some  champagne,  the  Dutch 
wine  does  not  suit  Sally  !  Where  are  you  stay- 
ing this  evening.  Prince  Albert.'  my  Albert! 
I've  dreamed  charmingly,  God  knows  how  long, 
up  there,  upon  the  elastic  divan.  I  dreamed  I  was 
Queen  Victortj,  and  you  were  the  real  Prince 
Albert,  and  that  all  England  belonged  to  us  two, 
and  Scotland  and  IreUmd  !  and  Robert  Peel  was 
our  chamberlain  and  O'Connell  our  coachman, 
and  Lord  Melbourne  was  our  pensioned  groitm 
out  of  service,  and  Lord  Palmerston  was  a 
Chassetu'  on  the  bo.x  in  a  Russian  green  livery, 
and  Great  Britain  was  a  well  stufied  armchair 
like  that  in  which  you  are  sitting.  Come,  let 
me  sit  by  you,  or  upon  you  ! —  so — now  I  sit  well ! 
Now,  Bebida  !  where  does  it  stay .'  that  forlorn 

oyster  without  a  shell .' How  are  you  Senhor 

Prole  ?  what  is  your  wife  doing  in  Monte  Video  .' 
and  your  children  .'  I  mean  your  wife's  children, 
that's  true  !  you  don't  understand  much  English. 
Albert,  he  my  interpreter ;  I  will  pay  you  for  it 
as  honestly  as  an  interpreter  would  be  paid  by 
Queen  Victoria  when  the  Turkish  ambassador 
tells  her  about  his  three  hundred  wives  in  Con- 
stantinople.   Albert  its  a  pity  you  are  not  Sul- 
tan— you  have  a  talent  for  .Sultanhood  ! —  There's 
Bebida !  Now,  Prince  Albert,  knock  off  the  head 
of  a  bottle — be  an  executioner  for  once  I" 

"  Dabedicadem — vinho — ahame-pain  !  hi-hi- 
hi — vinho  bonito  !"  grinned  Bebida,  placing  two 
botlles  on  the  table. 

*'  Now  one  more,  right  away  !"  cried  the  slave 
of  the  traitor,  who  now  thought  of  her  freedom  I 
"  One  more,  right  away,  Bebida  !  I  have  a  thirst 
for  shame-pain,  a  thirst  to-night!  My  heart 
is   like  a  burnt  coal,  but  it  glimmers  and  glows 

yet!  1  will  quench  it  out  entirely ! The  devil 

take  me-lan-cho-ly  !"  she  exclaimed,  and  threw 
the  Dutch  night  cap  off  the  baron  on  the  engrav- 
ing of  Rahab  and  the  two  persecuted  men  of 
lereal,  which  we  formerly  designated. 

Bebida  brought  the  "  fancy  perruque"  back 
again,  Sarah  pulled  it  down  over  the  nose  of  the 


spy,  then  emptied  a  glass  of  champagne,  and 
seized  her  guitar.  After  some  wild  clmrds,  sha 
accompanied  her  voice  in  tempo  furioso  in  the 
following  strophes  ; 

"  A  health  now,  to  phi-lo-fo-phy — ! 
11  you  lie,  none  will  ever  tielieve  you, 
It  you  cheat,  they  are  sure  to  deceive  you. 
But  defe])lion  of  souls  taniiot  he  I — 

-Dec^Iition  of  souls  cannot  be  ', 

'  Long  life,  tlien,  to  phi-lo-so-phy — 1 
The  church  still  her  payment  is  taking 
For  the  wedtlin^^fi  each  night  she  is  making, 
While  champagne  drowns  an-ti-pa-thy  ! — 

— While  champagne  drowns  an-li-pa-thy  !" 

She  rasped  in  ascending  furioso  a  final  chord, 
and  em|itied  her  glass  again  with  ecjual  fury. 

"Isn't  that  a  beautiful  song.  Prince  Albert? 
that  was  written  by  a  Saxon  |irincess,  and  Don 
Pedro  the  First  set  it  to  music  w  hen  he  had  com- 
pleted his  celebrated  "  Brasilienne.''*  It  is  an 
imperially  rnval  song!  and  has  great  resem- 
blance to  the  high  song  of  Solomon  :  "  His  left 
hand  lies  under  my  heart,  and  his  right  embraces 
me."  And  wherein  it  is  once  said  :  "  My  friend 
is  white  and  ruddy,  the  chief  among  many  thou- 
sands !" —  that's  you.  Prince  Albert !  and  where- 
in it  is  further  said  :  '*  I  am  a  wall,  and  my 
breasts  are  towers!" —  that's  me.  Prince  -\lbert 
— that's  your  Sally,  from  Norfolkshire,  in  Old 
England.  Long  live  Sally  of  Norfolkshire! 
Your  health  Senhor  Proletary  or  Secret-ary. 
But  now  I  want  to  be  serious,  and  talk  to  you 
about  business,"  she  began,  after  a  pause,  while 
"  Prince  Albert "  contemplated  her  profile  with 
peculiar  satisfaction,  as  it  balanced  before  hia 
turned  ujj  nose. 

"  You  told  me  about  a  Pussy  or  liUcy  that  I 
must  spy  on  account  of  your  boatman,  Patrick 
Gentleman,  or  whatever  he  is  called.  I  have 
though  over  the  thing.  What's  the  use  of  my 
having  a  long  talk  with  Lucy  fir&t.  I  propose 
another  way  ;  but  drink.  Prince  Albert !  don't 
you  see  your  Queen  Victory  drink  also?  then 
you  want  to  know  what  Patrick  is  about,  or 
something  of  that  sort.  Tell  me  what  you  want 
to  get  out  of  him,  and  I'll  take  upon  myself  to 
bring  out  what's  in  him — only  tliere'U  hardly 
be  much  money  got  out  of  him." 

"  You  see,  child,"  replied  the  Baron,  "  I'm  a 
S|iy — 1  spy  the  negro  traders  here,  that  go  back 
and  forth  between  here  and  Africa — ^j'ou  knovf 
already  that  the  slave  trade  is  prohibited." 

"  To  be  sure — to  be  sure  ;  you  can't  carry  off 
any  more  blacks,  but  as  many  white  female  slavea 
as  you  will.     Well,  go  on." 

"  You  see  then,  child,  I  have  appointed  Pat- 
rick as  deputy  spy ;  he  is  to  observe  a  slave 
trader  for  me,  who  is  fitting  out  here  to  go  to 
Angola— Patrick  is  to  watch  him  when  he  goes 
to  sea — then  we  shall  go  after  him,  out  to  the 
Sugar  Loaf,  and  take  him  !" — 

"  We  .'  we  also  ?  we  two  and  Bebida,  out  to 
the  Sugar  Loaf,  on  tlie  negro  hunt .'  the  thing 
pleases  me — I'm  agreed  to  it.  '  The  devil  take 
me-lan-cho-ly  !' "  said  she,  and  took  her  glass 
and  drank. 

The  baron  found  the  extravagance  of  Sally  so 
natural,  and  her  proposal  to  deal  directly  with 
Patrick    so   entirely  corresponding    with    her 


The  "  Brasilienne,"  as  is  well  known,  was  composed 
by  Don  Pedro. 


DOLORES. 


269 


mother  wit,  that  he  entered  into  the  plan  without 
the  slightest  gns|iicion. 

"  I  will  tell  you  why  I  want  to  speak  directly 
with  Patrick.  You  wish  it  to  renmin  secret 
that   I  know  you  or  that  you  know  me,  or  that 

We  both  know  each  other. The  devil  take 

hypocrisy,"  said  she,  interrupting  herself  again, 
and  seizing  her  guitar,  she  sang  : 


*'  The  devil  take  hy-poc-ri-sy— ; 
I'rn  boun  i  to  show  love  and  affection, 
And  to  hide  every  crime  from  detection — 
Champagne  here',  that  blots  oat  all  an-ti-pa-thy. 

"  And  you  will  perceive,"  continued  she,  as 
if  she  had  not  interrupted  herself,  "that  it  is 
easier  to  maintain  my  incognito  without  Pussy 
or  Lucy,  than  with  her." 

"  How  so  ?  explain  that  to  me." 

"  I  will  exjilain  that  to  you.  Prince  Albert," 
eontiuued  she,  with  a  very  serious  tone,  seating 
herself  the  most  comfortably  possible  in  his  lap. 
"  Here  is  one  person,  and  yet  another,  to  be  ad- 
mitted behind  the  curtain — Lucy  and  Patrick. 
Now  a  man  is  ten  times  better  to  leave  behind 
the  curtain  than  a  woman — and  if  the  woman  be 
also  only  a  poor  Lucy  that  sews  for  money — or 
docs  no  one  knows  what  for  money,  the  matter 
is  very  jilain!  therefore,  my  prince,  I  would 
rather  admit  your  Patrick  directly  behind  the 
curtain,  than  to  risk  that  Lucy  should  lead  you 
and  me  behind  the  curtain,  around  the  left  hand 
corner — do  you  understand  me  ?  Oh  how  hand- 
some you  are  to-night!  and  how  I  love  you,  so 
long  as  you  give  me  plenty  of  champagne  !  how 
interestmgyou  are,  when  you  have  on  your  Dutch 
nightcap  ! 

Long  life,  then,  to  phi-lo-so-phy — ! 

The  church  still  her  payment  is  taking — 

and  besides,  my  pet,  I  would  like  to  see  what 
sort  of  a  youth  Patrick  is  !  if  he  is  a  fellow  that 
looks  like  something  in  his  sailors' jacket,  then 
I  will  take  him  to  the  court  tailor  of  the  Prince 
de  Joinville,*  in  the  Rua  do  Ouvidor,  and  have  a 
gentleman  made  out  of  him — a  dandy — as  elegant 
as  any  one  to  be  found  in  the  botanical  garden, 
and  he  shall  then  be  my  '  cavaliere  servente  ;'  or, 
properly,  your  '  cavaliere  servente,'  as  the  Catho- 
lics in  Rome  call  it  when  the  Pope's  lady  has  her 


•  This  is  not  by  any  means  an  anachronism.  A  Pari- 
•ian  tailor  bore  this  title  u|)on  his  large  .sign  in  Rio, 
years  before  the  marriage  of  the  prince  with  the  Bi'aziliah 
princess 


friend  !  do  you  understand  ?  That  is  my  plan 
with  Patrick;  and  now  drink— and  let  your  tire- 
some Senhnr  Prole-tary  go  home  and  to  bed; 
and  do  you  lie  down  and  go  to  sleep,  and  let  me 
alone,  for  I  have  politics  in  my  head — a  whole 
two  legged  Iri.shman,  named  Patrick,  is  running 
about  in  my  head." 

"  Very  well,  Sally,  I  thank  you  for  your  at- 
tention, and  will  entirely  follow  your  pbn.  How 
w  ii;  ycu  majiuLt'  to  speak  to  him  .'  shall  he  come 
here  !" 

"  Do  you  think  I  ought  to  go  to  him  .'  perhaps 
in  his  room,  if  he  occupies  one.*"  inijuired  she 
with  all  the  humor  which  was  peculiar  to  her. 
"  You  mean  me  to  visit  a  gentleman  i"  What's 
come  over  you  .'  But  jesting  aside,  ask  our 
Amigalhao  to  say  to  Patrick  that  an  English 
lady  h,is  inquired  about  him — an  English  lady  ! 
mind  that ! — who  lives  in  such  a  place,  and  is 
called  so  and  so.  But  1  must  have  a  name  ready 
for  him  !  Well,  then,  my  name  is  Lady  Hamlet. 
What  name  have  you  given  me  to  Lucy  ?" 

"  Why,  the  lirst  name  that  occurred  to  me;  I 
wrote  the  name  of  iVIrs.  Adams  on  a  card,  with 
the  name  of  this  street,  and  sent  it  by  a  negro  to 
the  little  tavern." 

"  Well  then.  Prince,  if  Patrick  comes  I  am 
Lady  Hamlet;  if  Lucy  comes,  I  am  Mrs.  Adams; 
and  I  will  receive  Lucy  in  the  front,  and  Patrick 
in  the  back  room.  Lady  Hamlet  and  Mrs.  Adams 
are  sisters,  and  look  very  much  alike — all  that 
will  do  nicely.  Now  otily  give  the  Amigalhao 
the  address  of  Lady  Hamlet  quickly,  and  go  to 
bed,  and  don't  disturb  me  in  my  politics — for  this 
night !" 

Sally  twanged  again  her  favorite  melody,  "  the 
devil  lake,"&c.,  and  disappeared. 

The  Amigalhao  had  yet  much  to  report  about 
Rio  Grande,  and  the  arrival  of  a  monk,  in  Pata- 
gonian  costume,  in  the  camp  of  the  rebels,  not 
far  from  the  town  of  Laguna,  where  he  com- 
raandc-d  a  body  of  cavalry.  "  It  is  the  Benedic- 
tine Celeste,  the  friend  of  the  traitor  Alphonso, 
who  gave  him  the  sacrament  in  prison,"  added  he. 
"  Very  well !"  assented  the  chief,  writing  the 
name  and  address  of  Lady  Hamlet  in  a  feigned 
hand  upon  a  card,  with  which  the  Amigalhao 
took  his  leave. 

Bebida  had  long  ago  fallen  asleep  on  her  straw 
pallet  in  the  back  room.  The  master  of  the 
house  locked  and  bolted  the  garden  gate  and  the 
house  door  with  his  own  hand,  and  betook  him' 
self  likewise  to  rest — at  least  to  bed. 


■"»»i^»»»»aft  »  I  ff^rtin- 


DOLORES. 


BOOK   VII. 


CHAPTER    I, 


BPimrrAi.  ' 


'  RAPPORT. 


I 


Gracia  awaited  the  return  of  her  friend  from 
BotaFogo  with  greater  impatience  than  ever.  It 
■was  late  jn  the  evening.  Her  soul  resembled 
an  ocean  of  sentiment,  excited  to  its  fathomless 
depths  by  the  hurricane  which,  as  the  heaven- 
storming  and  hope-destroying  **  power  of  cir- 
cumstances," beat  around  the  weakly  manned 
barlf  of  her  love,  to  swallow  it  up,  or  to  dash  it 
in  pieces  against  some  one  of  the  rocks  on  the 
neighboring  coast. 

Her  heart  throbbed  and  fluttered,  and  her 
pulses  seemed  overpowered  by  the  predomina- 
ting force  of  the  nerve  fluid,  whic+i  streamed 
through  her  frame  from  the  thought-embracing 
fibres  of  the  braip,  down  to  the  executing  or 
gans  of  the  trembling  finger  ends. 

The  intelligence  that  her  husband  was  only  a 
day's  journey  from  the  capital,  and  would  be 
there  the  next  evening,  had  renewed  a  destroy 
ing  struggle  within  her  heart,  that  seemed  long 
ago  subdued — long  ago  interrupted  by  a  truce, 
but  eternally  renewed — and  after  long  bluster 
and  fury,  left  the  hostile  forces  in  the  same  posi- 
tion in  which  they  stood  when  the  "  declaration 
of  war "  took  place,  through  Robert's  entrance 
into  her  asylum. 

The  question  of  the  existence  or  non-existence 
of  her  inward  life  again  arose,  as  a  so  called 
"  vital  question."  She  had  felt  long  since  that 
she  only  belonged  to  one,  that  only  one  sacrifi- 
cial flame  could  rise  from  the  altar  of  her  heart. 
She  had  long  since  received  the  mysterious  com- 
mandment of  love  :  "  Thou  shalt  have  no  other 
gods  but  me."  She  had  recognised  in  Robert 
the  unity  of  love,  in  its  operations  from  his  mind 
upon  herself,  and  in  the  reaction  of  her  soul 
upon  him.     Led  by  this  mysterious,  irresistible 

f lower  of  love,  she  had  admitted  to  him  that  she 
oved  him,  when  in  a  state  of  mind  that  was  a 
riddle  to  herself,  and  remained  a  riddle  to  her 
while  on  earth. 

But  opposed  to  the  unity  of  love,  the  despotic, 
many  headed  monster  of  "social  duty"  now 
reared  itself — a  duty  which  she  herself  had 
originally  assumed,  and  since  then  fulfiled  in 
every  respect,  with  the  willing  subordination  of 
a  gluve. 


She  must  now  choose,  and  had  long  since 
chosen ;  she  must  now  put  her  choice  in  execu- 
tion, and  was,  nevertheless,  unable  to  do  so. 

She  had  believed  it  possible  to  detach  and 
separate  the  spiritual  life  from  her  clay — to  rend 
her  soul  from  her  body — to  give  her  love  to  the 
one,  and  herself  to  the  other — and  the  indisso- 
lubility, the  unity  of  her  being,  contradicted 
such  a  possibility.  The  "  either  or "  arose 
again,  as  the  absolute  demand  of  necessity ;  with 
this  demand,  in  opposition  to  the  many  headed 
monster  of  social  duty,  arose  just  as  sacred  a 
duty  of  love.  Her  love  had  penetrated  the  life 
of  a  man  in  its  deepest  depths,  and  found  in 
those  depths  its  spiritual  existence — while  so- 
cial duty  bound  her  to  a  man  whom,  according 
to  her  own  admission,  she  did  not  love,  and 
whose  heart  was  "  a  rock,  from  which  no  magic 
rod  of  love  had  been  able  to  lead  forth  a  foun- 
tain of  reciprocal  atl'ection,  nor  a  drop  of  senti- 
ment."  

She  pondered  over  her  future,  cursed  her  past 
— but  no  contemplation  of  the  one,  and  no  curse 
upon  the  other,  could  extricate  her  a  hair- 
breadth from  her  present  position. 

The  raging  hurricane  of  the  heaven-storming 
and  hope  destroying  "  power  of  circumstances" 
roared  on,  and  the  weakly  manned  skiff  of  her 
love  now  mounted  to  the  black  clouds,  which  had 
long  since  concealed  the  last  star  of  the  future, 
and  was  now  again  flung  down  into  the  sepul- 
chral night  of  her  marriage  without  sympathy. 
When  Robert  was  not  at  home,  she  lingered 
in  his  pavilion.  The  light  for  her  flower-making 
seemed  better  to  her  there.  Robert's  armchair 
at  his  writing-desk  appeared  more  comfortable. 
His  window  afforded  her  a  prospect  of  the  pic- 
turesque entrance  between  the  colossal  granite 
rocks  of  "  Santa  Cruz  "  and  the  "  Sugar  Loaf," 
less  concealed  by  near  standing  bananas  and 
jacarandas,  than  at  the  east  window  in  her  own 
pavilion.  She  found  Robert's  piano  better  sound- 
ing than  her  own,  (as  we  knew  long  since,)  and 
had  a  peculiar  satisfaction  in  arranging  his  apart- 
ment with  her  own  hand,  placing  fresli  flowers 
in  his  vases,  and  putting  away  his  books,  and 
papers,  and  music,  to  make  the  room  homelike 
for  him  before  he  returned. 

In  the  above  intimated  state  of  mind  which  is 
indescribable  in  words,  she  founil  herself  in 


272 


DOLORES. 


Robert's  pavilion,  on  the  evening  when  he  left 
her  and  rode  towards  Bota  Fogo. 

She  endeavored  at  length  to  reassure,  to  com- 
pose, to  anuise  herself,  and  turned  over  Robert's 
music,  and  here  and  there  a  written  copy  of  a 
son"-.  A  leaf  came  to  her  hand,  a  poem  in  Span- 
ish,^ which  lay  in  a  half  open  envelope,  in  the 
form  of  a  letter.  It  was  not  Roliert's  handwriting ; 
it  was  a  hand  stamped  by  a  character  of  manly 
firmness,  and  yet  it  had  about  it  somethina;  wo- 
manlv— a  certain  peculiar  delicicy.  But  she 
ioon  ibraot  the  handwriting  in  the  impression  of 
the  poem,  wliich  she  first  read  hastily,  and  then 
once  more,  and  then  another  time.  It  bore  the 
superscription  "  El  Desterrado,"  (The  Exile,) 
and  was  as  follows  : 

*•  Kindred  and  fatherland 

Ne'er  shall  I  see, 
By  fate's  relentless  band 

Severed  from  me. 
Only  to  me  remains 
Life,  with  iis  caies  and  pains, 
And  until  1  am  dead. 
Nought  but  the  bitter  bread, 

Of  the  sad  exils. 

Glory,  hope,  earthly  good, 

Love's  gol 'en  chains. 
Vainly  tor  aught  I  sued, 

Nothing  remains, 
But  in  this  foreign  land. 
Sore  wounded,  hardly  scanned, 
Lonely  to  lay  my  head. 
And  eat  the  bitter  bread 

Of  weary  exile. 

I  wander  on  the  shore 

Where  the  wavc^  dash, 
And  surging  evermore, 

Mournfully  pla^h  j 
Ever  reminding  me 
Of  my  sad  destiny, 
While  o'er  the  sajids  I  tread, 
Loathing  the  bitter  bread 

Of  gloomy  exile. 

No  friendly  form  appears 

To  soothe  my  woes. 
None  bid  nic  dry  my  tears 

And  tind  repose. 
1  must  forgotten  be, 
None  dare  remember  me: 
They  think  of  me  as  dead, 
While  mine's  the  bitter  bread, 

Of  the  lorn  e.\ile. 

Where'er  I  wind  my  way. 

Sadly  and  slow. 
To  sorrow  still  a  prey. 

Lonely  1  go  : 
While  the  cold  world  to  me 
Giveth  no  welcome  free, 
But,  with  averted  head, 
Grudges  the  bitter  bread 

Of  the  poor  exile. 

When  my  last  hour  shall  come. 

Cold  and  serene. 
When  for  the  silent  tomh 

I  quit  the  scene  ; 
Then  in  a  foreign  land. 
On  the  deserted  strand 
Washed  by  the  ocean  wave 
Shall  he  the  lonely  grave 

Of  the  worn  exile. 

No  cross  my  tomh  will  bear, 

No  loved  one  weep, 
And  offer  pious  prayer, 

Where  1  shall  sleep. 
Thus  banished  and  alone, 
Comfortle>s  and  unknown. 
His  days  of  bitter  grief. 
To  wtiich  death  brings  relief, 

Ends  the  poor  exile." 

'  By  whom  was  this  poem  ?    Why  had  Robert 
eerer  imparted  it  to  her  '    To  whom  was  it  ad- 


dressed .'  where  was  it  written  .'  In  Rio  de  Ja- 
neiro, upon  the  same  paper  that  Robert  always 
used,  which  his  negro  brought  from  his  count- 
ing-house to  the  garden  gate  ;  it  was  of  the  same 
form,  the  same  bluish  tint,  it  bore  the_  same 
English  mark.  By  whom  was  the  poem  ?  How 
could  Robert  bring  this  wonderful  Elegy  home 
without  immediately  communicating  it  to  her  .' 
hllowinE  her  the  enjoyment  of  reading  it  vvith 
him  .'*  "Did  he  believe  her  incapable  of  feeling, 
with  him,  the  unspeakably  touching  elevation 
of  this  intellectual  sigh  :" 

Gracia  had  never  felt  what  exile  was;  she 
had  never  reflected  upon  the  ide.i  of  fatberland. 
What  should  occasion  her  to  reflect  upon  it  ? 
She  had  never  concerned  herself  about  politics, 
and  like  a  child  with  its  mother's  milk,  she  had 
imbibed,  as  a  woman  in  conjugal  life,  the  modes 
of  thinking  and  views  of  hej  husband,  in  all 
that  related  to  politics.  Her  husband,  denying 
patriotism,  declared  the  strug.gles  of  the  patriots 
in  Brazil  to  be  rebellion  against  the  ruling 
powers,  and  transitory  occurrences. 

Her  husband  appeared  to  have  had  no  feeling 
for  fatherland,  and  she  herself  had,  until  this 
moment,  never  reflected  that  the  paranies  of 
her  wonderful  home  lay  in  Brazil :  t'lat  her 
fatherland  was  where  her  nation  lived,  wheie 
her  cradle  had  stood,  where  as  a  child  she  had 
played  and  prattled  with  her  flowers.  .K  singu- 
lar, strange,  untrodden  region  of  perception 
was  revealed  to  her  through  this  Elegy  ;  the 
perception  of  a  position  of  man,  united  to  man- 
kind by  the  sacred  bond  of  patriotism,  which 
even  asserted  its  influence  at  a  far,  far  distance, 
as  love. 

She  perceived  the  idea  of  fatherland — conse- 
crated bv  the  first  impression  we  receive  of 
life — matie  sacred  by  the  first  sentiment  that 
ever  awakes  within  lis,  by  the  first  pleasures  we 
enjoyed,  by  the  first  tears  we  shed,  in  joy  or  sor- 
row, and  by  the  first  anguish  that  pierced  our 
loving  souls. 

She  read  the  poem  yet  once  more,  and  it  was 
to  her,  as  if  suddenly  the  ray  of  a  never  sus- 
pected strength  of  mind  streamed  through  her. 
Her  "interior  clairvoyance"  suddenly  awoke 
as  a  somnambulist  awakes,  with  covered  eyes, 
in  that  cloud-formcd  element  of  light,  whose 
splendor  surrounds  her,  and  in  whose  distance 
move  the  forms  and  transparent  images  of  the 
mysterious,  higher  existence — the  abode  of  the 
soul-life  ! — — - 

She  found  herself  suddenly  in  the  real  world 
of  her  spiritual  existence ;  cut  oft'  and  rigidly 
separated  from  the  petrified,  dreamy  form  of  ma- 
terial vegetation. 

Robert  returning,  cast  a  glance  from  the 
threshold  of  the  gate  through  the  open  door  of 
his  pavilion,  and  immediately  remarked  his 
friend  seated  in  his  armchair,  by  his  round  table, 
with  the  candles  lighted.  She  ha>tened  towards 
him  with  the  sheet  in  her  hand,  greeted  him 
with  the  heartiness  peculiar  to  her,  and  said : 
"  1  have  again  been  indiscreet !  1  have  been 
looking  through  your  papers  again,  to  find  love 
letters,  and  found  this  adnnirable  Elegy  !  Who 
wrote  it  ?     To  whym  is  the  Elegy  addressed  ? " 


■  VJ    V  1 1 1 . 


•  This  Elegy,  as.w<.')ljis|tl>e  ".  HurBn-of;  Cjiiise.''  "  Do- 
lores," pa5CS69,  ^0,  arDn«a^rnL*e.  ^t;^p^.i,^b■o,rig;9^1so^ 
a  poetess  Irom  the  Tiver  Lk  flata',  'wliode  uiitae  1  aip  not 
authorized  to  give.  Hikiti.^ 


DOLORES. 


2tS 


"To  an  exile,"  replied  Robert,  smiling. 

"  I  thank  you  for  the  information  !"  replied 
Gracia;  "  but  [  shall  not  allow  mvself  to  be  put 
off  so ;  I  must  know  who  the  lilegy  is  from, 
and  to  whom  it  is  addressed." 

**  In  case  I  could  even  answer  the  first  ques- 
tion— in  case  I  knew  from  what  collection  the 
poem  was  copied — how  could  I  then  know,  ex- 
actly, to  whom  it  is  addressed.  Has  Lord  Byron 
given  the  name  of  the  Indies  to  whom  many  of 
nis  Elegies  are  addressed  ?" 

"  Then  the  poem  has  been  transcribed  from 
some  book  herein  Rio?"  continued  Gracia,  as 
she  re-entered  the  pavilion  with  him.  *'  Well ! 
then  bring  me  the  book,  1  beseech  you  !  will 
ycu  .'  will  you  bring  me  the  book  ?" 

The  naVve  earnestness  which  spoke  in  this 
request,  disarmed  Rol>ert's  resolution  to  conceal 
from  her  the  origin  of  the  poem.  He  could  not 
tell  her  an  untruth — he  could  not  lie,  especially 
when  Gracia  addres'ied  a  question  to  him.  It 
cost  him  a  sufficient  effort  long  ago,  when  he 
had  occcsion  to  speak  of  his  *'  sister  "  to  her. 

"  It  would  have  its  difhcultics  to  bring  you 
the  book,"  replied  he,  "  yet  you  may,  never- 
theless, become  acquainted  with  it  some  time 
or  other :  it  is  a  copious  book,  but  a  living 
one." 

"  Then  tlie  poetess  is  here,  if  that  is  her  hand- 
writing !" 

"  How  so  ?  she  may  even  be  somewhere  else  !" 

"  Then  she  has  been  here,  however." 

**  Why  do  you  su[)pose  so  ?" 

"  Because  the  poem  is  written  upon  your 
counting-house  paper." 

Robert  started.  "  You  women  are  truly  born 
for  spies,"  said  he,  smiling.  "Then  you  have 
already  made  that  discovery  ?  Well,  the  poem 
is  by  my  sister." 

"  By  your  sister  !"  cried  Gracia,  with  on  ex- 
pression of  amazement  and  wonder.  "  Then 
your  sister  writes  poems  in  the  Spanish  lan- 
guage .'"  added  she,  with  a  certain  coldness,  as 
a  doubt  of  the  truth  of  this  assertion  took  pos- 
session of  her  mind,  just  as  involuntarily  as  the 
impression  from  the  reading  of  the  Elegy  had 
seized  her.  Easily  as  it  might  be  possitile  for 
an  English  woman,  living  in  Buenos  Ayres  from 
her  childhood,  to  become  as  familiar  with  the 
Spanish  as  with  her  mother  tongue,  still  there 
was  something  about  it  that  contradicted  pro- 
bability, and  this  something  was  just  as  inex- 
plicable to  her,  as  the  impression  of  the  poem 
itself  upon  her  mind. 

"  I  do  not  know,  Robert,"  began  she,  after 
long  silence  ;  "  I  do  not  know  how  I  shall  ex- 
press myself  about  this  Elegy;  I  have  read  so 
many  poems  in  different  languages,  but  none 
ever  wrought  upon  me  like  tliis  one.  I  doubt 
whether  it  is  the  poem  alone  that  has  so  thrilled 
me ;  is  it  not  in  some  way  the  spirit  of  the 
authoress,  in  all  its  purity  and  elevation,  that 
speaks  in  this  poem,  and  calls  into  requisition  a 
certain  sympathy  of  my  soul — draws  my  whole 
being  upward  to  itself— involuntarily  and  irre- 
sistibly fetters  and  attracts  me  towards  it  ?  It  is 
soul,  and  whoever  is  not  attracted  by  this  poem, 
has  no  soul.  May  I  know  who  it  is  by  ?"  in- 
quired she,  with  that  indescribably  mild  voice 
which  characterized  the  childishness  of  her- 
nature,  in  undeniable  contradiction  to  the  ex- 
istence of  the  "  little  creature,"  who  just  then 
34 


bade  good  night  to  her  mother  and  the  neighbor, 
as  she  was  carried  to  bed. 

Robert  found  himself  in  singular  embarrass- 
ment. His  relations  to  Gracia  had  long  ag» 
annihilated  every  secret  between  them.  Hs 
breathed  as  a  part  of  her  being,  and  lived  only 
in  her  heart;  neither  suspicion  nor  mistrust 
against  her,  lay  within  the  scope  of  his  exist- 
ence. The  pleasing  sadness  that  prevailed  in 
her,  in  consequence  of  the  reading,  was  as  un- 
feigned as  every  expression  of  her  inward  life. 
Notwithstanding  this,  however,  he  had  laid 
himself  under  a  sort  of  moral  obligation  to  pre- 
serve a  secret  which  had  become  more  urgent 
than  ever  before. 

Gracia  remarked,  by  means  of  the  spiritual 
organ  of  her  womanhood,  (for  which  a  determi- 
nate word  fails  us,)  that  she  had  come  in  con- 
tact with  a  secret,  and  suddenly,  though  in- 
voluntarily, altered  her  tone,  which  was  not  bf 
any  means  less  gentle,  but  had  in  it  all  the  mora 
sadness. 

"  Well,  Robert,"  said  she,  after  a  renewed 
pause,  "  the  poem  then  is  by  your  "  sister,"  and 
it  is  addressed  to  Hinango  ?" 

"  But  how  in  the  world  did  you  come  to  sus- 
pect that .'  Have  you  become  clairvoyant  thiJ 
evening  ?"  inquired  he,  retreating  a  step,  and 
contemplating  her  with  wonder. 

"  My  state  of  mind  may  be  something  of  ths 
sort,"  replied  Gracia;  "  I  have  also  found  it  out. 
In  that  case,  this  poem  will  prove  the  effect 
which  the  mind  of  your  sister  would  probably 
have  upon  me.  Greet  your  sister,"  continued 
she,  with  a  tremulous  voice,  "  and  greet  Hinan- 
go, to  whom,  after  to-morrow,  it  will  no  longer 
Ise  of  any  use  to  keep  my  residence  a  secret." 

Suddenly  shocked  by  the  connexion  of  ideas 
in  relation  to  the  return  of  her  husband,  she  sank 
into  an  armchair,  covered  her  face,  and  we|)t. 

Robert  trembled.  A  long  pause  followed, 
voiceless  as  the  deathlike  silence  of  the  moon- 
light night  that  surrounded  them. 

"  Hinango  and  my  husband  are  foes,"  con- 
tinued she,  at  length,  "  without  ever  being  angry 
or  quarrelling  There  is  an  enmity  of  natures 
that  requires  no  quarrelling.  They  speak  to 
each  other  when  they  meet.  Neither  speaks  ill 
of  the  other ;  and  Hinango,"  added  she,  in  a 
wifelike  tone,  "  Hinango  could  find  no  cause  to 
speak  ill  of  Senhor  Clostlng." 

"  You  were  about  to  speak  of  the  effect  of  the 
Elegy,"  interrupted  Robert,  who  had  taken  a 
seat  by  her  and  seized  her  hand,  which  ho  now" 
dropped,  while  his  youthful  forehead  was  suf- 
fused by  a  gloomy  shadow.  Another  long  pauso 
ensued.  The  minds  of  both  were  long  ago  so 
deeply  entwined  together,  that  each  suspected, 
felt,  and  shared  the  other's  lightest  emotion 
without  words — almost  without  a  glance. 

Gracia  understood  Robert's  movement.  Th* 
harmony  with  which  she  would  have  offered  her 
greeting  to  the  spirit,  (which  in  a  manner  lived 
in  tlie  unknown  poetess  and  in  Hinango,)  wa« 
disturbed  by  the  involuntary  mention  of  a  man 
who,  estranged  from  this  spiritual  region,  be- 
longed nowhere  less  than  there ;  while  the  samtt 
man  had,  nevertheless,  become  "  a  part  of  her 
own  being."  This  tragical  reality  appeared  one* 
more  to  reveal  itself  to  her  ;  she  seemed  to  feel 
that  she  was  banished  from  those  regions,  ia 
being  featened  upon  earth  to  a  corpse. 


174 


DOLORES. 


The  chain  which,  as  it  were,  fettered  her  like  a 
female  Prometheus  to  the  rock  of  matter,  pressed 
upon  her  more  injuriously  than  ever  before.  Her 
glance  sought  the  eyes  of  Robert,  and  her  bitter 
anguish  found  utterance  without  words. 

"  I  wished"  she  said,  after  a  long  silence,  "  to 
request  you,  dear  Robert,  to  convey  my  soulfelt 
greetings  to  the  poetess  of  this  Elegy,  and  to  her 

and  your  friend  Hinango,  and 1  am  suddenly 

armised  to  the  tragical  consciousness  of  the  ne- 
cessity that  removes  me  spiritually,  as  well  as 
socially,  from  you  all,"  She  sank  into  reflec- 
tion ;  her  eye  was  again  troubled. 

"If  Hinango  has  hitherto  suspected  our  friend- 
ship, he  has  at  least  never  by  a  syllable  intima- 
ted it,"  observed  Robert. 

Gracia  sighed,  and  her  glanfce  again  lingered 
in  his. 

"  Offer  my  greeting,  nevertheless,  to  the 
spirit,"  continued  she,  "  that  speaks  in  this 
Elegy,  and  in  which  both  live — your  sister  and 
Hinango ;  say  to  them,  that  I  perceive  this  spirit, 
though  I  cannot  yet  comprehend  it ;  say  to  them, 
that  your  friendship  to  me,  my  unrestrained 
intercourse  with  you,  has  unlocked  the  suscep- 
tibilities of  my  mind,  to  perceive  this  spirit  of 
sacrifice  for  the  love  of  fatherland — which  I 
shall  comprehend  more  and  more — through 
your  love.  But  do  not  tell  them  the  last.  I  re- 
cognise those  two  beings,  your  sister  and  Hi- 
nango, as  spiritual  appearances  from  a  higher 
sphere  ;  and  therefore  I  talk  to  them  through 
you,  as  unrestrainedly,  as  confidentially,  as 
freely,  as  though  they  did  not  live  on  earth,  .'^nd 
that  is  just  the  effect  that  similar  works,  in  verse 

or    prose,   have   upon   us they   lead    us    off 

from  our  world  of  cl.iy,  from  the  bonds  and  fet- 
ters which  bind  us  to  this  earth — bear  us  upward 
for  the  moment  into  the  region  of  the  soul's  life, 
where  spirit  greets  spirit." 

She  seemed  again  lost  in  reflection,  and  with 
the  peculiar  rapidity  with  which  the  ebullitions 
of  her  nerve-life,  so  to  speak,  vibrated  from 
one  pole  to  the  other,  she  changed  also  her  tone, 
the  expression  of  her  glance,  and  her  whole  na- 
ture, without  in  the  least  degree  losing  her  ami- 
ability. 

"  But  I  will  not  have  your  sister  to  he  a  living 
person  ;  I  want  her  to  be  a  book,  as  handsomely 
bound  as  the  case  may  be — something  like  the 
edition  there  of  Thomas  Moore's  Irish  Melodies, 
in  velvet,  with  gold  spangles,  and  with  admirably 
spiritual  contents,  but  not  living!  There  must 
be  no  woman  that  writes  upon  the  selfsame  paper 
that  you  use  ;  I  will  not  suffer  such  paper  fel- 
lowship !  1  will  not  have  her  write  any  more 
on  your  paper,  or  you  in  short,  upon  hers  !  my 
nerves  could  not  endure  it !  1  should  know  it 
heje  on  the  Gloria,  if  she  scribbled  on  your  paper 
in  Bota  Fogo.  When  she  touched  the  paper  there, 
it  thrilled  through  all  my  nerves  ;  this  effect 
heightened  the  impression  of  the  poem.  Yes, 
laugh  at  me — it  is  simple  truth  !  All  your  sto- 
ries about  your  '  sister'  do  you  no  good — and  if 
the  poem  were  not  adressed  to  Hinango,  as  1 
knew  immediately — you  might  look  out  for 
yourself!  I  would  throw  the  elegantly  bound 
book  into  the  bay  !  drown  it !  Yes  !  don't  look 
at  me  !  you  don't  know  me  yet  !  When  I  touch 
this  paper,  I  tremble  in  every  limb  !  Don't  laugh 
at  me !  I  will  not  know  how  handsomely  the 
book  is  bound  i" 


"  Have  I  ever  yet  asked  you  how  that  book  is 
bound,  in  which  you  have  read  during  four 
years,  and  whose  contents  appear,  nevertheless, 
to  be  unknown  to  you?"  inquired  Robert,  with 
a  significant  glance.  '*  .\nd  you  appear  to  be 
unable  to  endure  the  "  thought,"  the  realizatiou 
of  which  I  must  now  sufier  with  respect  to 
you  ? 

After  a  long  silence,  he  arose,  and  began  in  a 
decided  tone:  **  1  stand  in  business  with  Sen- 
hor  Forro  and  Mr.  Closting;  I  am  obliged  to 
see  Mr.  Closting  immediately  when  he  arrives — • 
so  soon  as  he  arrives  Our  business  is  of  im- 
portance, it  concerns  a  colony  on   Santa  Catha- 

rina.     And  I  am  going  there soon very 

soon ." 

•'  Oh  no,  Robert !  stay  here  ! — stay  here  !"  in- 
terrupted  slie ;    "  stay   for   my   sake  ! who 

knows  what  the  future what  may  happen  .'" — 

*' Good  heavens!  Gracia!  what  contradiction 
in  you  and  in  me !"  exclaimed  Robert ;  "  it 
does  not  require  your  fearful  request  to  keep  me 

here  ! —  I  am  fettered  her ^-  I  cannot  go  aw»y 

— and,  nevertheless,  it  would  be  better  that  I 
should,  even  this  very  night — this  night — depart 
it  were  better ." 

"  It  is  the  reverse,  Robert,"  sighed  Gracia, 
I  am  fettered  hy  you,  that  I  feel." 

"  Be  it  action  or  reaction,"  returned  Robert, 
"  our  misfortune  is  ever  the  same.  T!ie  soul 
rapport  exists — only  the  difference  prevails,  that 
in  you  it  will  soon  be  interrupted — while  in  me 
it  will  still  exsist.  My  life  will  be,  from  hence- 
forth, a  martydom,  that  knows  no  expression. — 
But  I  shall  be  able  to  die  without  the  fear  of 
hell !  for  I  am  already  undergoing  a  hell  upon 
earth." 

"  Horrible  !"  sighed  Gracia  !  "  horrible  !  1 
understand  you  !" 

"  You  will  yet  understand  me  better, by  read- 
ing some  biographical  and  psychological  frag- 
ments from  the  domain  of  Magnetism.  I  have 
in  my  possession,  some  documents  from  Goa, 
which  disclose  a  singular,  but  consistent  system, 
concerning  the  relations  of  tiie  inw..rd  life,  of 
the  soul's  life,  to  physical  nature.  Dr.  Thorfin 
has  handed  it  to  me,  to  translate  from  Spanish 
into  English.  I  have  it  here.  Read  it  to-mor- 
row at  leisure.  I  shall,  besides,  not  be  at  home 
to  dinner  to-morrow." 

He  arose,  went  to  his  desk,  and  handed  an 
envelope  to  his  friend 

"  You  will  not  be  here  to-morrow  .'" 

"  No,  Gracia ;  I  am  invited  to  a  betrothal. 
My  aunt  declares  her  betrothal  to  the  Baron  de 
Spandau." 

Gracia  sank  back  in  her  armchair,  not  know- 
ing whether  she  should  hiugh  aloud,  or  continue 
in  the  terror  that  seized  her.  "  No  !  you  jest  i" 
cried  she  at  length.  "  You  are  in  good  spirits, 
and  that  delights  me,  Robert." 

"  It  is  no  jest !  it  is  simple,  infamous  truth. 
The  man  has  known  how  to  avail  himself  of  his 
social  position  here  in  Rio,  to  make  my  not  very 
young  auntcR.izY.  She  declares  her  betrothal, 
but,  before  he  marries  her,  I  will,  it  is  to  be 
hoped,  have  a  word  to  say  to  Uncle  George." 

"  Good  heavens  !  and  can  you  not  now  exert 
yourself  to  prevent  the  betrothal  ?" 

"  No  !  I  am  fettered — bound  by  circumstances. 
The  baron  is  a  spy,  a  hireling  of  Prussia,  and  in 
the  pay  of  Kosas  j  and  has  here  the  lives  of  soms 


DOLORES. 


STB 


ptTsnns  III  his  hand — for  whom  I  Could  sacrifice 
»ny  life." 

"  fireat  God  !"  sighed  Gracia,  rising  and  seiz- 
ing Robert's  hnnd  ;  "  and  he  was  so  intimate 
with— with  Mr.  Closting  !" 

"  Thnt  is  easily  e^phiined,"  returned  Robert, 
briefly  ond  abruptly.  "  Now,  one  more  question, 
for  it  is  l.ite,  and  we  mi;-:t  part  for  to-day,  "Lay 
your  haufl  upon  your  iieart,  and  answer  me  be- 
fore God,  Gracia:  whom  do  you  lovef  iVIr. 
Clnstir))5  or  me?  Answer  me  as  for  life  and 
death  !" 

"  Do  you  still  ask  .'"  replied  Gracia,  in  tones 
that  conveved  the  answer.  '*  Can  you  still 
doubt  ?" 

"  I  require  a  decided  answer." 

"  Hare  I  not  then  assured  you  often  enough, 
I  never  have  loved  him! — never!  He  never 
possessed  my  heart— never.  I  love  you,  as  per- 
haps no  woman  ever  loved  a  man.  So  may  tlie 
Lord  judge  and  condemn  me,  if  you  still  doubt 
my  love!"  cried  she,  with  a  tremulous  voice. 

"  I  must  and  will  doubt  it,  so  long  as  you  are 
his  wife." 

Gracia  sank  back  in  her  armchair.  Robert 
walked  back  and  t'orth  in  the  room. 

"Forgive  me,  as  I  forgive  you,"  began  he, 
after  a  long  pause,  as  he  went  up  to  her  and 
took  her  hand.  "  You  have  been  ill,  and  are 
ill,  and  ought  to  have  known  yourself  as  a 
woman.  You  are  not  the  first,  and  will  not  be 
the  last  woman  v,'ho  has  destroyed,  or  will  des- 
troy, the  life  of  a  man— guiltlessly — innocently — 
without  being  aware  of  it,  or  desiring  it. 

"  You  did  not  know  what  you  were  doing 
four  or  five  years  ago.  0  that  your  sex  would 
once  learn  to  know  itself,  and  to  value  itself; 
that  no  woman  would  fasten  such  a  bond,  in 
which,  as  you  have  just  expressed  it,  "she 
(jives  herself,  and  retains  her  heart."  There 
lies  your  crime  ;  and  yet  you  have  committed 
none  !  you  are  pure  before  yourself,  and  before 
God ;  and,  as  to  myself,  I  must  enter  a  now  hell 
upon  earth,  after  having  enjoyed  heaven  in  the 
dream  of  our  love — i.T  the  belief  of  your  love, 

''  My  strength  yet  to  live  upon  earth,  1  must 
receive  from  above.  You  will  now  destroy 
rather  than  confirm  it.  Now  go  to  rest,  for  it  is 
late  !"  He  imprinted  a  kiss  on  her  forehead, 
and  pressed  her  hand. 

Gracia  arose  and  lingered  for  a  moment,  sigh- 
ing: "You  are  a  noble  man,  Robert.  Good 
night !  but  never  repeat  the  question  of  your 
doubt.     God  knows  my  heart.     Good  night !" 

Robert  accompanied  her  to  her  door,  and  re- 
turned with  slow  steps  to  his  pavilion,  sought 
slumber,  and  only  found  torturing  dreams,  of 
murder  near,  and  murder  in  the  distance,  and 
he  longed  for  death. 


CHAPTER  II. 

MAGNETISM. 

The  fragmentary  leaves  which  Dolores  re- 
ceived from  Goa,  through  Senhor  Vera,  and 
communicated  to  her  friends,  were  the  follow- 
ing, "  Manuscripts  from  Goa  ■" 


I.    ELEMENT  OF  MAGNETISM.* 

1.  Man  is  a  spiritual  being:  soul.  Our  body 
is  the  instrument,  the  covering  of  our  being;  to 
connect  it  with  matter,  the  world  of  senses. 

2.  The  magnetic  fluid  in  our  nerves  is  th« 
organ  of  the  soul,  the  instrument  of  the  will  for 
the  movement  of  the  body,  (matter.)  Every 
movement  of  any  part  of  our  body  takes  place  by 
means  of  the  nerves ;  every  nervous  fiiJre  is  an 
orgaji  of  the  will. 

3.  The  term  animal  magnetism  arises  from 
misunderstanding.  In  order  to  express  myself 
clearly  in  this  communication  of  my  researches 
in  the  department  of  magnetism,  I  will  employ 
the  word  animatic  magnetism,  (from  anima, 
soul-,t)  in  opposition  to  the  term  "  animal." 

4.  There  is  but  one  power,  the  animatic. 
Physical  power  is  an  erroneous  expression.  Mat- 
ter has  n-.i  jiower  when  not  in  motion ;  unexerted 
power  is  not  power;  motion  is  animatic. 

5.  All  life  is  animatic,  and  appears  to  us  in 
its  different  gradations,  in  all  the  departments  of 
nature,  as  animatic  power  :  the  principle  of  life, 
of  motion. 

6.  The  Nerve  system  in  our  body  is  opposed 
to  the  Blood  system.  The  nerve  fluid  embrace* 
life.  Blood  is  the  material  opposite  to  the  neces- 
sity o:' motion. 

7.  For  what  purpose  is  iron  in  our  blood  i 
Physiology  has  heretofore  given  vague  and  un- 
satisfactory answers  to  this  question. J 

Why  do  we  hang  iron  to  a  magnet .'  That  ths 
magnetic  power  may  continue  in  motion.  Iron 
is  the  anti-magnetic  principle ;  it  draws  the  mag- 
netic power  to  itself,  and  in  itself,  as  a  spong* 
does  water,  and  sends  it  ofi'  again,  in  a  radiating 
motion. 

8.  Iron  in  the  blood  is  the  unconditionally 
necessary  antithesis  to  the  motion  of  animatic 
power  :  the  condition  of  life.  Without  iron  ia 
the  blood  the  animatic  power  would  depart  from 
us,  be  lost,  escape,  as  the  magnet  dies  away 
withoiit  iron,  (its  antithesis.) 

y.  The  motion  of  all  animatic  power  is  radia- 
ting. The  motion  of  all  matter  circular,  (rotary.) 
The  magnetic  fluid,  the  magnetic  light,  (invisible 
to  the  eye  beyond  the  magnetic  sphere,)  is  radia- 
ting in  its  operation.  Electricity  is  radiating  in 
its  operations ;  also  the  light  of  the  spheres. 

The  thought,  (the  rays  of  spirit,)  like  the  time- 
less motion  of  the  electro-magnetic  element,  ra- 
diates to  the  most  distant  space,  nearly  without 
time.  The  stars  move  in  a  circle,  (like  all  masses 
of  matter)  and  the  blood  circulates  within  us, 
as  the  antithesis  to  the  radiating  motion  of  ani- 
matic life. 

lU.  The  twofold  motion  :  the  ray  and  the  cir- 
cle, is  the  inscrutable  secret  (but  also  the  condi- 
tion) of  life.  The  whole  universe  reveals  thi^ 
twofold  motion. 

11.  Man  is  a  spiritual  and  not  a  material  being. 

12.  The  entire  creation  is  a  formation  of  th« 
spirit — not  a  self-moving  material  world. 


*  The  author  of  Dolores  herewith  delivers  to  tht 
foriim  of  science  a  theory,  a  system,  founded  upon  a  hjr* 
pothesis,  the  tenability  or  intcnabiiity  of  which,  caa 
only  be  determined  in  the  department  of  science. 

t  This  expression  has  been  applied  already  in  Dolortifl, 
pages  144  and  164. 

t  Scolastic  learning  thus  answers  this  question  *  iron 
gives  to  blood  its  red  color.  But  this  is  no  answer  at  all, 
Iqi  the  blood  might  as  well  be  blue. 


178 


DOLORES, 


13.  Which  first  commences  :  our  body  or  onr 
Mfe  ?  (the  form  of  existence  or  our  existence  as 
wul  ?) 

Life  first  commences  in  its  everlastinp;,  myste- 
rious moment  of  creative  power.  The  conscious- 
ness of  the  earthly  existence  of  two  beings  dis- 
srppears  in  that  moment  in  a  more  elevated  life, 
from  whose  source  our  life  proceeds,  as  if  it  were 
Brought  down,  as  a  soul. 

14.  After  life  has  originated,  the  animatic 
creative  power  first  develops  and  forms  the  body 
— originally  an  organization  of  nen'es,  compar- 
able to  a  tube,  to  a  flower  stalk,  whose  blossom 
h  the  brain,  and  whose  root,  the  later  organ  of 
generation,  connects  life  with  the  world  of  the 
■enses.     Physiologists  understand  me, 

1.5.  After  the  commencement  of  life,  rn  such 
»  formation,  the  heart  first  deveiopes  itself, 
and  takes  its  shape,  as  the  centre  of  the  circula- 
tion of  the  blood,  tor  the  preservation  of  life. 

16.  The  animatic  power  of  the  nerve  fluid 
represents  the  soul,  the  spiritual,  original  being 
of  man.  The  blood  represents  matter,  (the  form 
of  being,)  the  means  of  connexion  with  the  cor- 
poreal world. 

17.  According  to  the  principles  of  phrenology, 
man's  nervous  organs  are  developed  in  propor- 
tion as  they  are  brought  into  action  and  e?*er- 
cise,  as  the  natural  condition  of  power  in  its 
movement:  the  spiritual  life  is  also  thus  de- 
Teloped  in  the  nerve  organizition,  in  propor- 
tion as  it  is  exerted  and  brought  into  action, 
according  as  the  soul  (as  a  power)  exercises  its 
abilities  in  thinking,  perception,  feeling,  etc. 

1.'^.  As  phrenology  goes  hand  in  hand  with 
physiognomy,  both  rest  upon  the  basis  of  the 
superior  Psychology,  and  this  science  is  in  its 
infancy.  It  embraces  many  other  branches,  and 
its  object  is  J\fan  as  a  spiritual  being,  as  soul, 
in  his  position  and  relations  to  the  corporeal 
world,  to  himself  and  to  mankind. 

19.  All  human  diseases  can  be  divided  into 
Iwo  categories :  in  animatic  and  animal  diseases. 

20,  Animatic  diseases  are  those  in  which  the 
Berve  organization  is  affected  in  disproportion  to 
the  world  of  senses  ;  those  are  the  mora!  sufl'er- 
ings.  They  are  founded  in  the  inner  (soul)  life, 
ftiid  can  only  be  treated  or  cured  by  remedies 
derived  from  the  higher  psyeiiology. 

21.  Animal  diseases  are  those  which  have 
their  origin  in  the  injury,  disturbance,  or  in  the 
disproportion  of  individual  organs  of  the  bodv, 
(as  the  form  or  covering  of  the  soul,)  and  indi- 
rectly  bring  about  disoiilers   of  the  nerve   or- 

.ganization,  (as  far  as  they  are  executive  instru- 
ments of  the  spiritual  power,  instrimients  of 
the  soul,)  without  being  based  upon  moral  suffer- 
ings. 

22.  The  science  of  medicine  is  not  conceivable 
without  psychology,  as  it  is  of  the  first  and  most 
unconditional  necessity  to  know  the  disease,  to 
Bee  through  its  nature  or  existence,  before  ap- 
plying any  remedy  to  cure  it, 

23,  PsycholO(;y  in  its  higher  branches,  is  the 
philosophy  of  medicine.  It  is  an  all-embracing 
department — an  inexhaustible  study  in  itself, 
inasmuch  as  it  embraces  its  object,  the  being  of 
Man,  in  all  his  relations  to  the  corporeal  world ; 
anfuthomabte  in  its  basis,  immcasureable  in  its 
extent 

24,  Animatic  magnetism  is  the  element  of  the 
inward  life, separated  from  the  corporeal  world: 


the  movement  of  animatic  power  in  its  pfoptt 

sphere,  elevated  above  time  and  space, 

2.5.  Animatic  magnetism  (as  a  science)  is  the 
acknowledged  thesis  of  the  higher  psychology 
at  the  gate  of  the  spiritual  temple  of  humanity  i 
It  authenticates  the  existence  of  animatic  ele- 
ment and  of  the  spiritual  radiating  motion  in  itj 
proi>er  sphere.  It  is  not  an  object  of  faith,  buC 
a  fact  of  reality,  of  experience — an  object  of 
knowledge. 

21':.  The  animatic  life  in  iKan,  (as  a  develop' 
ment  to  spiritual  power.)  is  subjected  to  infinite 
variety  in  every  individual,  in  a  particular  grada- 
tion ;  like  the  shapes  of  life  in  general,  in  their 
endless  variety  of  form,  in  all  the  departments 
of  natore. 

27.  As  seldom  as  two  leaves  can  be  found  oi> 
the  same  tree,  which  are  perfectly  alike  in  their 
fibroi»9  formation,  st)  seldom  can  two  men  be 
fourid  in  whom  animatic  lite  is  developed  in  ar> 
e-xactly  equal  degree.  But  as  there  are  classes 
(^categories)  in  the  pro7ince  of  every  science,  su 
also  in  the  higher  psychology — in  magnetism. 

The  magnetic  or  animatic  nature  of  man,  falls 
into  four  categories,  which  may  be  designated 
from  the  four  elements,  as  the  fire,  air,  wafer, 
aiMl  earth,  magnetic  natures,  which  find  their 
relationship  in  the  four  temperaments. 

25.  In  the  fire  and  air  magnetic  natures,  the 
element  of  animatic  life  is  predominant,  insomuch 
as  it  overcomes  the  antitliesis  of  the  iron  parti- 
cle* of  the  bloftd,  wjiich,  irotwithstarwiing,  c-.m 
be  relatively  strong,  (like  the  quantity  of  iron 
which  this  or  that  magnet  beai-s  for  the  preser- 
vation of  its  own  power.) 

29.  In  the  water  and  earth  magnetic  natures, 
the  iron  element  in  the  blood  governs  the  ani- 
matic (nerve)  life;  the  animal  nature  is  pre- 
dominant, the  inward  life  in  its  thonsami  gtM- 
dations,  more  or  less  kept  under.  These  two 
degrees  are  related  to  the  sanguinary  and  phleg- 
matic temperaments, 

30,  The  fire  and  air  magnetic  natures,  predo- 
minate in  choleric  and  melancholy  tempera- 
ments, yet  under  the  condition  of  individu.ilily. 
A  fire  and  air  magnetic  natm'e  may  be  chttleric 
and  melancholy,  but  it  by  no  means  follows  that 
the  element  of  animatic  life  is  always  predomi- 
nant in  choleric  or  melancholy  men, 

31.  lietween  the  twocategories  of  theanimatic 
and  animal  natures,  lies  the  equator  of  magnetic 
susceptibility,  of  the  faculty  of  somnambulism* 
magnetic  clairvoyance.  Only  the  animatic  (fire 
and  earth  magnetic)  natures  are  capable  oi 
clairvoyance,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  of  magnetic 
influence  on  others.  Wafer  and  earth  magnetic 
natures  cannot  produce  any  magnetic  efiect  upon 
others  ;  nor  can  they  enter  the  spheres  of  clair- 
voyance in  case  they  should  be  put  into  a  mag- 
netic sleep  (by  a  proportionately  strong  magnetic 
influence  from  without.) 

32.  All  convulsive  appearances,  as  the  effect 
of  the  approach  of  certain  individuals  to  som- 
nambulists, (or  clairvoyants  in  their  magnetie 
sleep,)  are  to  be  explained  by  the  above  men- 
tioned contrasts  of  the  magnetic  classes.  The 
earth  and  wafer  magnetic  natures  produce  con- 
vulsions in  somnambulists  by  their  approach — • 
as  does  iron  when  brought  near  them. 

33.  On  the  contrary,  a  lock  of  hair  from  a  fir» 
and  air  magnetic  individual,  when  laid  below  the 
pit  of  the  heart  (upon  the  centre  of  the  plexu* 


DOLORES 


♦«eJiacns)  of  a  somnambulisl,  produces  a  direct 
magnetic  rapport,  and  a  beneficial  influence." 

34.  The  property  of  Rhabdomancy — the  ef- 
fect of  concealed  iron  upon  certain  men,  is  just 
as  naturally  to  be  explained  by  tile  above  princi- 
ple, as  the  re|>ulsion  of  the  anli-magnetic  ele- 
ment upon  the  animation, 

3-5.  As  this  repulsion  and  attraction  appears 
undeniable  and  decidedly  in  tiie  state  of  mag- 
netic sleep,  the  same  repulsion  and  attraction  of 
animatic  and  animal  (maf^netic  and  anti-mag- 
netic) naturesf  also  exist  in  the  external  "  every 
4iay  life,''  witliout  men  beins?  conscious  of  it,  and 
sometimes  present  themselves  in  remarkable 
cases  of  sickness. 

36.  It  would  be  a  sini^ular  prejudice  or  mis- 
understanding which  would  assert  that  magnetic 
natures  are  in  themselves  cases  of  disease,  and 
that  a  fire,  or  air  magnetic  (nervous)  man  is 
**  disordered  in  his  nerves." 

it  could  just  as  well  be  asserted  that  a  noble 
man  is  diseased,  because  in  him  the  organ  of  hu- 
manity, of  benevfdence — and  that  a  musician  is 
diseased,  because  in  him  the  organ  of  music,  has 
been  especially  developed. 

37.  A  man  carefully  educated,  physically  and 
morally,  according  to  the  demands  of  nature  and 
reason,  without  eii'eminacy  on  the  one  side,  and 
without  brutalization  on  the  other,  will  sooner 
become  nervous  than  animals — without  respect 
to  the  degree  of  his  intellectual  cultivation. 

38.  Experience  shows,  in  a  thousand  cases, 
that  men  whose  nervous  system  is  cushioned  over 
with  more  than  the  necessary  quantity  of  matter, 
(which  cannot  pass  for  nervous,)  are  subjected 
to  a  multitude  of  diseases,  which  ai'ise  frtim  ex- 
cessive fullness,  and  the  corruption  of  the  ani- 
mal juices.  On  the  contrary  so  called  nervous 
men  (in  whom  animatic  life  is  predominant)  who 
lead  a  rational  manner  of  life,  with  a  natural 
repulsion  for  every  injurious  substance,!  are  often 
patterns  of  health. 

3y.  Physical  and  moral  influences  upon  the 
development  of  man,  induce  and  form  either  his 
animatic  or  animal  nature — apart  from  his  in- 
tellectual dejection.  Experience  ofters  cases  of 
prominent  degrees  of  fire  magnetic  natures  in  a 
very  subordinate  state  of  intellectual  cultivation, 
as  well  in  gomnambuiists,  as  in  men  who  (with- 
out a  scientilic  education)  can  operate  as  mag- 
DetiKers. 

40.  Animatic  (inward)  life,  is  an  element 
without  the  material  world.  Experience  shows 
that  men  who  from  childhood  have  been  subject 
to  severe  diseiises,  have  oiten  cultivated^  their 
inward  life,  their  minds,  to  a  high  degree. 

*  The  author  of  these  fragments  has  expei-ienced  the 
most  singular  etiects  from  the  rnpporl  of  a  fire  magnetic 
Daturewith  aeomoambulist  in  llie  highest  crisis  of  clair- 
voyance, and  in  this  communication  generally,  he  only 
moves  in  the  jirovince  of  science  an  J  personal  experience. 

t  See  '5  23,  -29. 

I  This  natural  repulsion  of  healthy  (ner\-ous)  men.  is 
fhown  to  a  remarkable  degree  in  the  dislike  to  all  strong 
drinks  and  spices,  which  collectively  operate  injurious. 
ly  upon  the  nerves,  and  many  of  thera  prejudicially 
upon  the  bloo,l.  The  English  feed  and  ])oison  their 
children  from  the  cradle  with  outrageous  doses  of  opium, 
pepper,  Stc,  and  thus  bring  about  an  overfuUness  of  the 
blood,  antl  a  diseased  state  of  the  nervous  organization, 
whi.-h  are  manifested  in  the  deadening  of  tlie  inward 
life,  and  in  the  blunting  of  the  intellect,  and  promote 
that  dullness  which  charactorizes  phlegmatic  indivi 
duality. 

^A  string  proof  of  tbia  is  aflbrdedby  the  author  of  this 


41.  The  term  "  souI-auRerings"  is  frequently 

understood  erroneously,  as  disorders  of  the  nerv« 
organization  are  frequently  confounded  with  soul- 
sufleruigs. 

.\ll  our  soul-sufferings  are  trials  of  our  moral 
power,  for  its  development,  for  our  ennoblement, 
and  the  more  deeply  we  feel  soul-sufTerings,  th« 
more  susceptible  are  we  also  to  receive  in  us  the 
ray  of  the  higher  idea  of  being,  to  nourish  in  UH 
the  glow  of  sincere  love. 

We  have  here  again  the  contrast  of  phlegmatic 
lifelessness  and  of  sanguine  levity.  The  first 
knows  nothing  of  soul-sufferings ;  the  latter 
passes  lightly  liy  tliem,  enjoys  earthly  existence, 
and  **  cares  lor  nothing." 

4'2.  While  tlie  earth  and  water  magnetic  na- 
tures find  parallels  in  phlegmatic  and  sanguine 
temperaineiUs,  (with  a  suppression  of  the  feel- 
ings, and  an  inclination  to  sensuality,)  the  fire 
and  air  magnetic  natures  afford  parallels  with 
men  in  whom  the  soul  (the  higher  or  deeper  in- 
ward life)  is  predominantly  developed. 

43.  The  choleric  temperament  is  manifest  is 
the  violent  ebullition  of  feeling  at  the  least  in- 
jury of  inward  self-consciousness;  it  can  easily 
be  mistaken  for  sanguine  passionatene.ss,  which, 
as  an  opposite  principle,  is  foreign  to  the  animatic 
element. 

44.  The  deeper  soul-life  is  manifested  in  the 
melancholy  temperament,  (in  the  gloomy  coiir 
templation  of  the  night  of  earth,  whose  occur- 
rences, impressions,  and  contacts,  often  in  rigid 
material  contradiction  to  the  conditions  and  de- 
mands of  itself,)  surrounded  by  forms  of  external 
life  as  if  with  a  black  mourning  veil;  this  tem- 
perament, also,  can  very  easily  be  misaken  for 
inanimation  of  the  inward  life — for  absolute 
phlegm.  Many  a  phlegmatic  man  appears  me- 
lancholy, while  his  deadened,  slumbering  soul 
feels  nothing,  and  his  sleeping  or  lifeless  spirit 
has  arrived  to  neither  a  gloor.iy  nor  a  cheerful 
view  of  life. 

4.5.  P'ire  and  air  magnetic  natures,  more  or 
less  related  to  these  temperaments,  feel,  in  pro- 
portion to  their  animatic  life,  mutual  attraction 
towards  each  other,  and  repulsion  towards  oppo- 
site natures. 

4G.  Animatic  (nerve)  life,  and  spiritual  (ia- 
ward)  life  are  certainly  two  distinct  conceptions, 
but  the  last  stands  so  much  the  higher,  in  pro- 
portion as  the  first  is  developed.  Spiritual  (in- 
ward) life  in  the  absolute  phlegm  of  an  earth- 
magnetic  individual,  would  be  a  contradiction 
itself — an  impossibility. 

47.  Aiiiinatic  (nerve)  life  in  a  man,  as  well  a3_ 
the  spiritual  life,  can  be  heightened,  decreased, 
and  gradually  entirely  lost  by  internal  and  exter- 
nal impressions.  We  are  acquainted  with  men, 
who,  anitnatic  in  their  youth,  were  not  with- 
out soul,  and  who,  having  gradually  become 
phlegmatic  and  soulless,  the  reverse  of  what 
they  were,  went  down  as  earth  magnetic  natures, 
in  materialism.     Opposed  to  these,  we  also  find 


novel,  in  himself.  Sickly  and  miserable  from  his  cradle, 
with  a  coustaut  affection  of  the  breast  and  of  bemorragCi 
and  in  danger  of  consumption,  the  right  side  of  liis  body 
became  totally  paralyzed  in  his  nigUth  year.  This  last 
ed  two  years.  He  was  cured  by  magnetism.  Neverthe- 
less, mind  and  soul  were  developed  in  the  boy.  lie  wroto 
his  first  poem  with  his  left  hand,  the  right  licing  par* 
lyied.  (see  "  Uarro-Harring,  a  liiograpkical  sketch  Of 
Alexander  H.  Everett.") 


«78 


DOLORES. 


men  in  whom  animatic  life  was  first  developed 
when  an  exalted  sentiment  or  a  divine  idea  in 
some  form  took  posses-^ion  of  tliem,  and  in  a 
measure  raised  their  souls  above  the  mass  of 
matter. 

II.    SUPERIOn    PSYCH01.0UV. 

■  48.  Man  as  a  spiritual  being  (soul)  is  a  unity. 
The  body  is  but  our  covering,  our  instrument, 
and  without  soul  would  have  neither  strength 
nor  life,  and  consequently  no  existence. 

49.  Dualism  rests  upon  error.  There  is  but 
one  power — and  what  appears  to  us  as  oppo3ing, 
power  is  only  matter  itself,  the  development  and 
cultivation  of  which  is  the  task  of  animatic 
power — the  principle  of  life — life  itself 

50.  Creation  is  an  imbodiment,  an  incorpora- 
tion of  the  original  idea  of  Deity,  who,  as  the  pri- 
mitive spirit,  created  life,  which,  as  a  working 
(animatic)  power,  forms  and  shapes  matter. 

51.  All  life,  all  being,  (existence,)  proceeds 
from  the  primitive  source  of  spirit,  the  source  of 
strength,  of  li^ht,  of  love,  as  an  eternal  myste- 
ry— impenetrable  to  liuman  research. 

52.  As  our  body  is  related  to  the  soal,  the 
mass  of  matter  of  the  universe  is  related  to  the 
soul  of  the  universe — to  animatic  power — which, 
as  life,  flowed  from  the  source  of  spirit. 

5.3.  As  our  soul  is  related  to  spirit,  (reason  in 
its  higher  power,)  so  is  the  soul  of  the  world  (tlie 
animatic  power  in  creation)  related  to  the  pri- 
mitive spirit — to  Deity. 

51.  In  men  animatic  power  reveals  itself  as 
the  organ  of  the  soul — which  proceeds  from  the 
source  of  spirit,  provided  with  the  self-con- 
sciousness of  spirit  (reason)  and  the  presenti- 
ment of  the  divine  original  idea  of  being,  as  soul, 
in  the  principle  of  faith,  of  love. 
.  55.  Spirit,  Soul,  and  Body,  are  consequently 
three  distinct  conceptions  in  the  unity  of  lile. 

5C.  Tlie  soul  is  the  unity  of  our  being,  from 
which  the  spirit  is  developed  as  the  higher 
power  of  reason,  and  strives  upwards  to  its 
source  by  attraction. 

57.  Feeling,  Will,  Understanding,  and  Spirit 
are  the  four  elements  of  our  human  existence, 
which,  if  they  were  all  equally  cultivated,  could 
show  man  as  God  created  him,  "in  bis  own 
image." 

58.  There  is  no  evil  principle.  The  evil  does 
not  lie  in  man,  much  less  any  where  else  in  na- 
ture, but  in  the  regulations  of  men,  in  human 
society,  which  nourishes  and  strengthens  egotism 
and  ignorance,  from  which  the  evil  proceeds. 

•  59.  The  unity  of  our  being  lies  in  the  con- 
sciousness of  our  power  of  will,  and  manifests 
itself  as  moral  freedom.  No  power  in  heaven 
nor  in  earth  can  bend  or  destroy  the  mental 
power  of  will,  for  it  is  the  consciousness  of  our 
divine  nature  itself 

60.  Millions  of  men  live  along  in  a  state  of 
animalism,  as  neither  their  feeling,  nor  their  will, 
nor  their  understanding,  nor  their  spirit,  have 
been  cultivated,  and  yet  they  pass  for  "  reasonable 
men."  They  are  not  men,  much  less  reasonable 
ones. 

Ct.  Mankind  can  as  little  make  demands  upon 
tliose  creatures  as  men,  as  the  social  world  in 
which  they  move  makes  a  demand  on  their  feel- 
ing, on  their  will,  on  their  understanding,  or  on 
their  spirit.  The  social  world  only  urges  its 
claims  on  man's  egotism. 


62.  Materialism  denies  the  soul.  AccorJimf 
to  its  rules,  man  is  *'  a  digesting  and  propagating 
machine,  endowed  with  instinct,  bv  which  he 
moves,  on  the  urgency  of  necessity,  to  preserve 
his  life  and  to  enjoy  sensuality."  Sucli  is  the 
man  of  materialism — the  materialist  himself— 
*'  in  his  own  image." 

fi,3.  Although  m.in,  as  a  soul,  is  boni  with  all 
the  faculties  of  feeling,  of  will,  of  understand- 
ing, and  of  spirit,  and  is  left  to  his  development 
as  a  man  by  education,  there  is,  nevertheless,  an 
endless  variety  in  his  individuality,  in  his  very 
origin. 

M.  LOVIi(wtthoot  which  no  man  .shonld  re- 
ceive his  life,  unless  he  supports  his  existence  in 
consequence  of  a  crime  against  nature)  is  a  Mag- 
netic Rapport  without  the  sphere  of  magnetic 
clairvoyance. 

66.  Love,  as  attraction  of  soul,  cannot  take 
place  without  development  of  inward  life,  and 
consequently  not  without  a  precUiminance  of  ani- 
matic (nerve)  life.  An  animal  nature  feels  the 
instinct  of  propagation,  (sensuality,)  but  not  love. 

fi(>.  As  violent  as  is  the  repulsion  of  an  anima- 
tic being  in  tjie  magnetic  sleep,  on  the  approach 
of  an  animal  individuality,*  JTist  as  decided  isthe 
repulsionf  of  an  animatic  (fire  or  air  magnetic) 
female  against  an  animal  (earth  and  water  m;<g- 
netic)  man,  so  soon  as  she  is  conscious  of  her 
existence  as  a  soul,  or  vice  versa. 

67.  This  awaking  to  a  consciousness  of  the 
animatic  nature  can  take  place  from  internil  and 
external  influences,  as  the  effect  of  a  pure  love, 
and  as  a  natural  result  of  excc-s.-iive  sensuality 
and  destructive  contact  with  an  opposite  animal 
nature — often  in  consequence  of  both  causes  at 
the  same  time.  In  both  rases,  a  diseased  state 
of  the  nerve  organization  ensues,  for  which  the 
healing  art  has  hitherto  ajiplied  iron  as  a  pallia- 
tive remedy. 

68.  In  the  case  of  physical  disease,  disturb- 
ance of  the  nerve  lite  from  "unfortunate  love,'* 
a  union  with  the  beloved  l>eing  would  be  the 
first  and  only  condition  of  cure.  If  this  union 
does  not  take  place,  and  the  longing  of  love 
(founded  in  the  inward  life  itself)  is  powerfully 
suppressed  frT:)m  external  inlluences,  a  moment- 
ary physical  recovery  can  only  be  effected  at 
the  expense  of  the  inward  life  and  of  morality, 
with  paralyzation  and  deadening  of  the  animatic 
power,  under  the  predominance  of  the  animal 
nature — of  sensual  i  ty. 

69.  .Should  the  unfortunate  love,  braving  all 
external  circumstances,  connect  itself  with  the 
inward  life  as  unity  of  feeling,  animatic  power 
would  remain  predominant,  and  no  remedy 
could  restore  the  equilibrium  of  the  nerve  fluid 
and  of  the  iron  particles  in  the  blood. 

Patients  of  this  class  manifest  a  decided  dis- 
inclination for  sensnal  enjoyment,  a  ma.stery  ovef 
the  animal  nature,  repulsion  ol  physical  contact 

70.  The  application  of  iron  as  a  known  pal 
liative  remedy  for  the  before  mentioned  nervous 
diseases,  when  they  j^roceed  fr^nn  excessive  sen- 
suality, is  a  confirmation  of  my  theory,  as  re- 
gards the  object  of  iron  in  the  blood. 


♦  This  repulsion,  wliicli  is  manifested  l»y  convulsions, 
very  simply  lies  in  tl)e  superabundonce  of  iron  in  ttia 
blood,  in  ttie  heterogenous  nature.     See  ^  2d,  ^9. 

t  Tlie  repulsion  seems  to  have  lieen  acknow  leri^od  by 
the  Icf^islation  of  the  ancients,  in  the  odiuia  imincibiU^ 
03  a  legal  ground  ibr  divorce. 


DOLORES. 


879 


71  Tlie  science  of  medicine  has  rcco;;nised 
iron  as  a  "  stren;j:tliening"  remedy,  without  ac- 
counting to  itself  liow  it  operated,  and  from 
what  cause.  It  considered  as  a  remedy  that 
which  is  only  a  dangerous  stimulant,  and  should 
never  be  applied,  or  at  least  only  with  great 
caution,  ahv;iys  with  psychological  insight  into 
the  nature  of  the  disese,  and  tl)e  individuality  of 
the  sufierers.  In  tlie  application  of  iron,  the 
science  of  medicine  seemed  to  follow  (without 
l^erhaps  knowing  it)  the  homoeopatliic  principle, 
for  it  uses  the  same  element  as  a  remedy  which, 
as  an  anti-magnetic  element,  (as  a  superabun- 
dance of  iron  m  the  strange  individuality  of  an 
earth  or  water  magnetic  nature,)  brought  about 
the  derangement  of  the  nerve  organization  by 
physical  contact,  by  influence  from  without  upon 
the  fire  or  air  magnetic  being. 

72.  Iron  applied  as  a  so  called  remedy  in  hys- 
terical diseases,  can  only  operate  as  a  palliative 
when  the  disease  proceeds  from  physical  causes, 
from  derangements  of  ceitain  organs  by  the  ex- 
cessive enjoyment  of  sensuality  and  of  propaga- 
tion— weakness  and  prostration  of  the  animal 
nature — but  never  when  it  proceeds  from  the 
inward  life,  as  a  retroaction  upon  the  animatic 
life.  In  tlic  last  case  it  produces,  in  proportion 
to  the  dose,  more  or  less  convulsions— as  iron 
operates  upon  a  somnambulist,  in  whose  presence 
it  is  brought. 

73.  As  an  external  remedy,  applied  in  baths, 
it  produces  a  momentary  irritation,  an  ebullition 
of  sen.suality — sensual  desire — and  can  tlins  far 
promote  conception,  but  never  restore  the  equi- 
librium of  animatic  life.  There  follows  after 
the  application  of  iron,  as  alter  every  stimu- 
lant, an  after  prostration  of  tlie  animal  life,  a 
derangement  and  deadening  of  the  animatic,  and 
indirectly  of  the  inward  life.*  A  hysteric  pa- 
tient, suflering  from  longing  for  love,  (or  in  con- 
sequence of  unfortunate  love,)  momentarily  ex- 
cited to  sensuality  by  iron,  loses  his  animatic 
(spiritual)  strength  in  the  same  proportion  as  his 
animal  nature  is  elevated  in  sensuality. 

74.  We  every  day  hear  it  asserted,  that  "  the 
most  opposite  characters  produce  the  best  and 
happiest  marriages."  This  is  nonsense,  and  pro- 
bably originated  from  a  typographical  error,  as 
it  might  read,  instead  of  charactere  **  tempera- 
ments," and  even  then  the  assertion  would  not  be 
tenable. 

The  character  of  man,  is  the  shaping  of  his 
inward  being  under  the  thousand-fold  influences 
of  education,  of  circumstances,  of  experience — 
in  short,  ol  all  the  impressions  of  life  which  form 
the  man,  or  destroy  him  ;  it  is  his  moral  or  im- 
moral existence. 

The  temperament  of  man,  is  founded  in  the 
physical  relation  of  the  nerve  organization  and 
of  the  blood,  and  has  a  bearing  upon  liis  charac- 
ter, so  far  as  the  ditlerent  elements,  which  em- 
brace the  temperament,  receive  in  themselves 
the  diflerent  colors  in  difli^rent  reflections. 

An  animatic  union  of  noble  characters  can 
take  place,  upon  an  equal  degree  of  develop- 
ment, in  opposite  temperamenls — and  opposed 

'  We  know  cases  ia  which  physicians  orilered  chaly. 
oeiite  uatlis  to  women  sujfciing  unJer  distraction  of  the 
nerve  organization  from  animatic  canses — unknown  to 
me  ])liysicians.  'I'he  effect  oi"  the  hatha  was  a  momen- 
4ary  disposilam  to  sensuality^  ana  then  total  nervous  aud 
luornl  desti  uctioo. 


to  this,  the  greatest  difference  of  temperament 
can  manifest  one  and  the  same  ebullition  of  noble 
passion,  when  the  basis  of  the  inner  being  of  the 
characters  bears  a  spiritual  relationship, 

15.  But,  on  the  contrary,  an  isolation  of  any 
one  of  the  four  temperaments  is  only  imaginablj 
in  the  phlegmatic — which  characterizes  the  ab- 
stract imagination  of  the  inward  life — so  unsus- 
ceptible to  all  imiiressions  from  without,  as  to 
an  admixture  witli  any  one  of  the  other  tempe- 
raments within.  All  the  other  temperaments 
appear  very  seldom,  "  scarcely  ever,"  isolated  in 
an  individual,  but  more  or  less  form  that  happy 
equilibrium  of  the  human  character,  the  less  this 
or  that  temperamerit  predominates. 

m.  P'ven  admitting  tlie  typographical  error 
s])oken  of,  the  above  rule  would  not  be  tenable. 
An  obsolete  ]>hlegm  connected  with  its  owa 
element  would  only  enjoy  a  so  called  "  happy 
marriage,"  which  would  indeed  be  subjected  to 
few  disturbances  from  without,  as  both  beinga 
would  vegetate  along  in  material  insensibility. 
As  striking  as  this  picture  may  appear,  every 
observing  psychologist  will  concede  that  it  is  to 
be  met  with  in  the  reality,  in  a  tliousand  resem- 
blances, in  all  parts  of  the  world  :  it  is  man  in 
the  condition  of  animalism,  projiagating  his  race 
like  an  aniinal;  it  is  the  union  of  the  earth  mag- 
netic natures  of  two  beings  in  their  own  element. 

77.  It  often  remains  dilhcult  in  the  psycholo- 
gical analysis  of  the  temperament,  to  distinguish 
correctly  the  inward  being  in  the  envelope  of 
the  tem[»erainent ;  for  it  often  happens  that  the 
greatest  calm  of  soul  and  presence  of  mind,  of  » 
so  called  sanguine  or  choleric  man,  is  mistaken 
for  phlegm,  as,  on  the  other  hand,  this  or  that 
action  of  a  man  is  ascribed  to  his  choleric  or 
sanguine  temperament,  when  it  proceeds  from 
abstract  phlegm,  from  want  of  feeling,  from 
denial  of  soul, 

7S.  Every  noble  act  or  deed  arises  from  the 
feeling,  the  heart,  (mind,)  A  bad  act  or  deed 
generally  proceeds  from  insensibility  or  heart- 
lessness,  from  a  so  called  "  hardened  mind," 

79.  A  pure,  noble  man  can  commit  a  great 
crime  when  his  moral  freedom  of  will  is  over- 
come by  the  ebullition  of  his  feeling.  On  the 
contrary,  acts  are  done  from  moral  freedom  of 
will,  which,  according  to  social  regulations,  ap- 
pear as  crimes.* 

60.  But  no  one  will  be  disposed  to  place 
similar  crimes  on  a  parallel  with  a  coolly  calcu- 
lated bad  act,  or  with  a  murder  which  proceed* 
from  the  denial  of  feeling>.from  a  hardened  heart, 
as  a  tragical  appearance  of  demoralization. 

SI.  As  a  muider  may  be  committed  from 
ebullition  of  feeling,  in  a  passion,  (whilst  it  would 
be  ditlicult  to  deny  the  morality  of  the  "  crim- 
inal,") social  crimes  may  take  place,  which  are 
ascribed  to  sensuality,  whilst  just  the  opposite 
element — animatic  (inward)  life,  in  its  excited 
preponderance — is  the  cause  of  such  crimes. 

82.  Fire  and  air  magnetic  natures  are  lesa 
sensual  than  earth  and  water  magnetic  natures, 
li)r  the  iron  in  the  blood  (which  rejiresents  the 
animal  sensual  natures}  is  kept  in  eciuilibrium, 
or  controlled  by  the  magnetic  fluid. 

83.  It  is  another  great  error,  when  even  phy- 


*  That  this  pnragraph  maj'  be  better  understood,  w* 
add,  for  exoinples.  Charlotte  Corday,  Lewis  baud,  AM 
beaiLX,  Tscbech,  &c. 


2S0 


DOLORES. 


licians  consider  many  female  nervous  diseases 
to  be  the  effect  of  unsatisfied  sensuality,  whilst 
they,  are  often  jnst  the  reverse — the  effects  of 
the  unsatisfied  demands  of  the  soul — tlie  effects 
,«f  unreciprocated  love. 

84.  A  sensual  (earth  and  water  magnetic)  in- 
dividuality, with  a  low  degree  of  animatic  (in- 
ward) lite,  does  not  become  affected  by  that  ner- 
vous derangement  from  longing  for  lore,  which 
is  foreign  to  it. 

8.J.  Animal  sensuality,  and  "  enjoyment  of  the 
senses,"  are  distinct  notions.  The  more  animatic 
life  is  developed,  the  purer  is  the  enjoyment  of 
the  senses  in  every  respect,  which  embraces 
whatever  is  beautiful  and  exalted  in  nature  and 
»rt,  but  has  nothing  in  common  with  animal 
«ensuality,  with  bestiality. 

By  tlie  term  "  animal  sensual  nature"  we  un- 
derstand predominant  sensuality,  with  a  greater 
or  less  inanimation  of  the  animatic  life,  of  un- 
ausceptibility  for  the  more  noble  and  spiritually 
elevated.  Every  healthy  man  is  capable  of  sen- . 
•ual  enjoyment;  but,  *' to  the  pure  all  things 
are  pure,  and  tlie  noble  ennobles  every  thing  in  ; 
itself  Men  who  know  no  higher  enjoyment 
than  the  sensual,  are  of  animal  natures,  and  their 
individuality  corresponds  VTith  the  phlegmatic 
and  sanguine  temperament — the  earth  and  water  ! 
magnetic  categories.  ! 

It  is  well  known  that  the  Turks  are  peculiarly 
sensual.  The  phlegmatic  sanguine  tempera- 
ment predominates  in  them ;  their  bodily  fulness, 
their  prevailing,  predominating  animal  life,  sup- 
press the  animatic  power,  the  development  of 
spiritu^il  life.  In  accordance  with  tins,  the 
Turks  manifest  the  attraction  and  repulsion  of 
the  magnetic  categories.  The  Turk  likes  female 
corpulency;  tlie  terms /«<  and  beaulifiil  are  to 
him  synomymous,  whilst  a  delicate  form  of  body, 
of  nobler  animatic  nature,  presents  little  attraction 
for  hiin.  Opium  destroys  the  animatic  power, 
and  indirectly  incre-ases  the  particles  of  iron  in 
the  bh.od. 

All  hen-ting,  stimulating  spices  operate  in  a 
similar  manner.  Fish,  (especially  when  salt- 
ed,) and  shell  fish,  as  oystei-s  for  instance,  pro- 
.duce  a  sensual  effect.  Hence  the  numerous 
propagation  of  the  population  on  coasts  abound- 
ing in  fi^li ;  and  likewise  their  phlegm  is  remark- 
able. Half  raw  beef,  and  strong  beer,  likewise 
effect  a  predominancy  of  animal  nature,  to  the 
suppression  of  animatic  power.  The  blood  of 
some  Turks,  very  superficially  chemically  ana- 
lyzed, showed  three,  four,  and  five  times  the 
quantity  ol  the  iron  particles  to  be  founil  in  an 
ordinary  animatic  individual.  Science  may  pay 
attention  to  these  facts,  and  investigate  them  fur- 
ther. 

86.  The  animatic  spiritual  life  is  the  "  sixth 
sense  "  of  man,  (the  origin  of  which  is  the  nerve 
fluid. ^  and  the  union  of  souls  by  love  can  only 
take  pl.ice  :n  this  element  of  animatic  life. 

ST.  The  love  and  reciprocated  love  of  an  ani- 
matic to  an  animal  being  is  as  abstract  impossi- 
bility. What  is  called  love,  is  in  a  thousand 
cases  sensuality,  and  repulsion  arises  when  that 
is  satisfied  :  on  theconfrary,  however,  a  deceptive 
attraction  of  an  animal  (anti-magnetic)  nature 
(from  the  predominance  of  iron  in  the  blood) 
can  be  imagined,  which  may  stun  and  attr.ict  an 
animatic  nature,  as  a  mass  of  magnetless  iron, 
draws  the  weaker  magnet   to  itself.     By   this 


hypothesis  alone,  the  innumerable  matrimonia. 
connexions  of  entirely  different  natures  could  be 
exiilained,  which  were  a  riddle  to  sound  reason, 
inasmuch  as  it  was  inconceivable  how  a  spiritual 
being  could  be  fettered  to  a  more  or  less  soulless 
mass  of  matter. 

SS.  The  above  certainly  strange  hypothesis 
finds  in  reality  such  thousand-fold  supports  of 
experience,  that  it  at  least,  like  my  hypothesis 
concerning  the  object  of  iron  in  tlie  blood,  de- 
serves the  attention  of  psychologists. 

S9.  In  a  thousand  cases  of  such  unnatural 
connexion?,  the  fettered  animatic  life  becomes 
gradually  lost  in  animal  existence;  or  it  awakes 
in  nervous  convulsions  when  unnaturally  ovei- 
powering,  and  degradation  to  the  service  of  sen- 
suality, of  vulgar  animal  nature,  deranges  the 
organization. 

90.  The  hypothesis  of  the  attraction  of  the 
predominant  iron  in  animal  natures,  finds  iU 
support  in  the  want  of  consciousness  of  the  ani- 
matic nature,  (of  the  inward  life,)  which  (having 
become  a  sacrifice  to  deception)  fii-st  awakes 
when  the  effect  of  marriage  without  love  has 
destroyed  the  nerve  organization — manifesting 
the  existence  of  the  inward  life  as  an  unsatisfied 
demand  of  love. 

91.  The  development  of  the  inward  life  and 
of  moral  freedom  through  education,  elevates 
man  more  and  more  from  an  animal  existence  to 
the  consciousness  of  animatic  life,  which  pre- 
vents, by  repulsion,  the  crime  of  an  unnatural 
union  of  two  hostile  natures. 

H2.  Enlightenment  concerning  the  spiritual 
nature  and  the  higher  destiny  of  man.  and  the 
rational  education  of  the  rising  generation,  can 
alleviate  the  misery  of  the  social  world — prevent 
crimes,  which  the  regulations  of  the  world  and 
the  animal  degradation  of  man  in  the  element  ot 
materialism  have  hitherto  systematically  pro- 
moted, "  under  the  protection  of  the  laws." 

93.  The  consciousness  of  animatic  life  is  often 
suppressed  by  the  sexual  instinct;  love  is  con- 
founded with'sensuality.  But  man  was  endowed 
with  moral  strength,  freedom  of  will,  as  a  spirit- 
ual being,  to  control  the  animal  element  within 
him.  No  pretext  of  "convenience,"  of  "  rea- 
sonable motives"  or  of  circumstances,  excuses 
the  intentional  union  of  opposite  elements;  from 
whose  connexion  proceed  physical  and  moral 
disturbance,  social  and  criminal  oflences.  The 
cause  and  reason  of  such  appeaiances  are  conse- 
quently not  "  the  influence  of  Satan  upon  the  evil 
nature"  of  man  ;  they  are  founded  in  the  unnatu- 
ral regulations  made  by  the  social  world,  wliich 
immediately  promote  those  disturbances. 

yi.  The  unnatural  union  of  opposite  natures, 
in  the  sanctuary  of  generation,  by  animal  de- 
mands and  resignation  without  love,  is  in  a 
measure  "  the  sin  against  the  holy  spirit"  of  love 
for  it  affects  the  "  crime  of  crimes" — the  life  of 
a  future  generation— -the  lot  of  all  mankind. 


NOTE  OF  DR.  ADLKB,  JMEMBEfl  OF  THE 
GEBM.\N  SOCIETY  OF  PHYSICIANS  AND  N.VFU- 
R.iUIST.-',  AND  PRACTISING  PHYSICIAN  IPI 
NEW  YORK. 

Mr.   Harro-Harring  laid    befoie   me  liis 
I  views   "concerning  the   effect  of  iron   in   our 


DOLORES. 


281 


CHAPTER    III. 

GABRIEI.   GARRINGOS. 

Biographical  Fragment — Manuscript  from 
Goa. 

— "  I  PTTRSTJED  the  study  of  magnetism  in  the 
years  1810-12,  in  MatU'id,  where  this  science,  at 
that  time  placed  in  the  same  category  with  sor- 
cery and  witciicraft,  laden  with  curse  and  ban 
by  church  and  state,  was  severely  persecuted  on 
the  part  of  the  inquisition. 

I  had  to  thanic  a  casual  acquaintance  with  a 
French  physician,  for  the  perusal  of  some  books 
and  pamplilets  which  appeared  to  have  little 
value  for  himself,  since  he,  as  he  declared,  only 
carried  them  with  him  as  curiosities. 

Hardly  had  1  entered  the  element  of  magnet- 
ism as  a  branch  of  science,  than  I  obtained  en- 
lightening information  concerning  my  own  in- 
dividuality, and  recognised  the  existence  of  ani- 
matic  force  within  me. 

I  magnetized  without  a  magnet,  by  means  oi 
the  glance  and  the  fluid  ctf  the  hand,  and  pro- 
duced the  most  interesting  and  instructive  etiects 
upon  nervously  diseased,  and  upon  healthy  per- 
sons, who,  notwithstanding  the  threatened  dan- 
ger of  falling  under  the  power  of  the  inquisition, 
confided  themselves  to  me. 


blood,"  (manifestmg  his  restless  mental  exer- 
tions,) for  my  examination  and  opinion,  in  a 
general  medicinal  respect. 

Believing  that  I  have  made  myselfsufficiently 
acquainted  with  the  course  of  ideas,  and  the 
style  of  the  author,  I  ventue  to  express  the  con- 
viction that  the  hypothesis  established  by  him, 
concerning  the  department  of  physiology,  chem- 
istry, pathology,  therapeutics,  is  peculiar  and 
original,  not  borrowed  from  any  medicinal  school 
of  Europe,  nor  taken  from  any  to  me  known  doc- 
trine belonging  thereto,  and  that,  on  account  of 
its  undeniable  importance,  it  is  worthy  the  con- 
sideration of  scientific  investigation. 

But  as  several  premises  upon  which  rest  the 
connexion  of  the  whole,  are  liable  to  important 
objections  of  science  and  experience,  and  as  the 
author's  manner  of  treating  the  subject  offers  a 
loose,  not  a  strictly  scientific  connexion,  (which 
according  to  his  intention  could  not  be  otherwise,) 
I  therefore  feel  called  upon  to  give  a  statement 
of  the  reasons  and  limitations,  under  and  with 
which  1  have  adopted  the  author's  views,  and 
given  this  opinion  to  publicity. 

Although  I  do  not  always  partake  in  his  opin- 
ion in  regard  to  principles  and  deductions,  my 
objections  may  give  occasion  to  scientific  discus- 
sion, and  thus  only  heighten  the  interest  for 
the  author's  hypothesis.  My  so  far  complete 
observations,  concern  the  views  §  S,  67,  70,  71, 
72,  73,  82,  83,  87,  and  88,  belonging  to  the  main 
question,  §  7.  As  it  did  not  appear  to  be  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  purpose  of  a  novel,  nor  the 
plan  of  the  author,  to  give  my  remarks  here,  I 
will  deliver  them  to  the  public  in  a  separate 
pamphlet. 

F,  G.  Adler,  M.  D. 

New  York,  Dec.  6,  1S45. 
36 


There  was  living  at  that  time  in  Madrid,  a 
family  of  distinction  from  Buenos  Ayres,  who,  on 
being  informed  of  my  studies,  sought  my  ac- 
quaintance in  a  confidential  manner.     The  only 

daughter  of  this  family,  Senora  Paola  do  C , 

suff'ered  from  a  liver  complaint,  which  many 
physicians,  pronouncing  her  symptoms  consump- 
tive, had  treated  falsely. 

After  I  had  at  the  first  glance  satisfied  myself  of 
the  animatic  (fire  and  air  magnetic)  tempera- 
ment of  the  patient,  I  undertook  the  cure  by 
Mesmerism.  The  patient  arrived  by  speedy 
transition  at  the  highest  crisis  then  known  to  me, 
that  of  '*  clairvoyance  with  free  motion." 

After  four  operations  by  means  of  the  hand 
fluid,  repeated  at  the  same  hour,  (in  the  eve- 
ing,)  it  became  easy  for  me  to  produce  magnetic 
sleep  by  means  of  the  glance  fluid.  She  gave 
me  a  clear  jierception  of  her  disease,  while  she, 
like  a  soul,  as  it  were,  floating  outside  of  the 
body,  beheld  it  transparent,  and  pointed  out  to 
me  the  remedies  which  would  cure  the  disturb- 
ances occasioned  by  former  false  treatment,  and 
the  disease  itself,  and  which  did,  in  fact,  tho- 
roughly cure  them. 

During  the  crisis  of  her  somnambulism,  her 
spirit  moved  in  a  sphere  of  perception  which 
had  until  tlien  been  strange  to  myself,  and  whose 
visions  surprised  to  the  utmost  degree  her  pa- 
rents, who  were  present  every  evening. 

Those  revelations  attached  me  to  this  being  by 
indissoluble  bonds  of  reverence. 

This  spiritual  reverence,  united  with  the  at- 
traction of  kindred  natures,  and  with  animatic 
reaction  on  her  part  upon  me,  awakened  the 
feeling  of  sympathy  in  me,  which  gave  my  life 
the  direction  I  have  pursued  since  that  time. 

This  accordance  of  animatic  nature,  formed  a 
bond  of  soul-union  in  the  sphere  of  magnetism, 
whicli  soon  evinced  itself  in  a  similar  degree  in 
the  life  out  of  the  state  of  somnambulism,  al- 
though this  state  was  entirely  unknown  to  the 
sufferer  (as  to  all  other  somnambulists)  so  soon 
as  she  returned  from  it  to  the  outward  world. 

I  had  learned,  at  the  moment  of  my  introduc- 
tion to  the  family,  that  Senora  Paola  was  be- 
trothed for  a  "  marriage  of  convention  " — and 
guided  my  deportment  towards  her  according  to 
this  discovery,  so  eventful  to  me. 

Her  powerful  sympathy  for  me  soon  found  ut- 
terance in  the  crisis  of  her  clairvoyance,  to  the 
great  terror  of  her  parents,  to  whom  1  explained 
the  circumstance  that  a  somnambule,  when  with- 
out the  magnetic  sphere,  is  conscious  of  no  phe- 
nomena within  that  element,  and  remembers  not 
a  single  syllable,  which  she  may  have  spoken  in 
magnetic  sleep. 

The  parents  soon  satisfied  themselves  of  the 
truth  of  my  information,  and  saw  it  confirmed 
by  the  fact,  that  Seiiora  Paola  denied,  in  the 
strongest  manner,  her  sympathy  for  me,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  will  of  her  parents  in  relation 
to  her  "  destiny." 

Paola's  father  had  been  sent  in  state  affairs  of 
the  South  American  colony  to  Madrid.  His 
position  subjected  him  to  the  usual  intrigues  and 
cabals  of  a  cabinet,  whose  ministry  endeavored 
to  render  his  whole  mission  abortive. 

The  somnambule  once,  in  her  state  of  spirit- 
ual perception  occupied  herself  with  some  sur- 
prising particulars  of  the  circumstances  which 
threatened  the  future  prosperity  and  fate  of  her 


282 


DOLORES. 


father — and  gave  information  that  placed  it  in 
his  power  to  disarm  the  intrigues  of  his  oppo- 
nents. This  served  to  protect  the  interests  of 
the  colony  against  the  encroachments  of  despo- 
tism, and  Don  A.  de  C at  least  attained  this 

obj.:?ct  of  his  personal  satisfaction. 

Th.!  riddle  how  he  had  been  able  to  penetrate 
into  the  deepest  mysteries  of  his  enenjies,  and 
to  convict  them  (»f  their  contradictions,  was  in- 
explicable to  them. 

The  suspicion  fell  on  me,  and  my  life  was 
more  tlian  ever  in  danger.  The  rack  and  tor- 
tures of  tlie  inquisition  awaited  me. 

j'ut  the  same  genius  who  had  in  the  sphere  of 
Sjiiritual  perception  given  us  tliis  information, 
saw  just  as  clearly  my  nearest,  as  well  as  my 
most  remote  future.  Paola  recognised  in  her 
visions  the  unavoidable  necessity  for  our  sepa- 
ration on  eaitli,  and  beheld  just  as  clearly  the 
steps  and  measures  of  the  enemy,  whose  per- 
secution surrounded  me  with  snares. 

Tlie  niotlier  iiad,on  pretence  of  a  journey  into 
the  country,  taken  a  secret  dwelling,  in  which 
I  observed  the  last  crisis.  My  friend  desired  me 
one  evening,  (it  was  the  •24th  of  May,  ISIU,) 
not  to  go  home  as  usual,  but  to  pass  the  night 
witli  a  Iriend,  who  had  sought  after  me,  and  ex- 
pected me.  She  saw  my  dwelling  surrounded 
by  military. 

I  took  leave  of  Paola,  in  her  crisis  of  clairvoy- 
ance. She  returned  to  real  life — and  what  she 
had  seen  and  said  as  a  somnambule — remained 
as  strange  and  unknown  to  her  as  ever. 

The  friend  to  whom  I  was  recommended  by 
the  counsel  of  the  somnambule,  occupied  a  po- 
sition in  which  he  would  not  easily  be  suspect- 
ed of  sympathy  with  me.  1  remained  carefully 
concealed  in  Madrid,  until  they  no  longer  sought 
for  me  there.  My  flight  was  arranged  and  car- 
ried out.  I  arrived  at  Cadiz,  and  thence  on 
board  a  vessel  to  Goa. 

The  magnetic  rapport  with  my  friend  still  con- 
tinued. 

For  the  first  month  she  regularly  fell,  at  the 
same  time,  into  a  magnetic  sleep,  and  awolce 
just  as  regularly  about  midnight.  During  those 
hours  I  found  myself  in  a  state  (jf  wakitig  dreami- 
ness, which  1  cannot  here  describe. 

I  could  imagine  what  impression  this  still  ex- 
isting spiritual  rapport,  between  Seiiora  Paola 
and  niysi-lf,  must  produce  upon  her  parents,  and 
struggled  with  myself,  for  life  and  death,  to  dis- 
solve it — or  looked  tor  the  accomplishment  of  the 
detcrniination  which  she  nourislied  in  her  som- 
nambulism— of  following  me  to  Goa. 

Whether  or  not  this  longing  was  as  powerful 
in  lier  waking  state,  as  it  manifested  itself  in  the 
crisis  of  her  somnambulism,  I  learned  notwith- 
standing, at  a  later  period,  that  she  always,  with 
wonderful  self-control,  denied  her  sentiments. 
1  had,  at  my  sudden  departure,  strictly  enjoined 
it  upon  the  parents  not  to  call  in  an  anti-mag- 
netic physician,  in  case  she  (as  I  surmised)  fell 
of  herself  into  magnetic  slumber,  and  should 
pcrhajjs  experience  convulsions  and  cramps. 
This  request  and  warning  rested  upon  my  pur- 
pose, if  possible  to  employ  outward  means  of 
dissolving  a  magnetic  rapport,  which  had  led  to 
a  union  of  souls  forbidden  by  convenience. 

1  sought  to  break  uj)  this  regularly  recurrim^ 
sleep,  by  external  methods,  I  took  chalybeate 
tialhs — surrounded  myself  with  iron.     The  con- 


sequence was  a  violent  disturbance  of  my  nerve 

organization,  and  severe  convulsions  in  my  som- 
nambule, as  1  afterward  learnt,  since  (without 
her  knowledge  in  the  waking  state)  I  corres- 
ponded with  her  mother. 

As  1  was  with  her  in  spirit,  and  perceived  the 
reaction  of  her  convulsions  by  the  employment 
of  such  remedies,  so  did  she  as  a  spirit  lloat 
around  me  in  my  waking  state,  and  from  the 
hour  of  our  separation  until  this  day — through 
a  quarter  of  a  century — her  essence  has  never 
left  me.  It  floats  around  me  wherever  1  go  or 
stay.  It  has  become  a  part  of  my  being.  It 
lives  in  me,  as  1  lived  in  her  entity. 

She  appeared  to  me  at  that  time  in  a  waking 
dream,  and  besought  me  not  to  torment  her,  not 
to  remove  myself  spiritually  from  her  by  the 
employment  ol'disturbinsi  remedies  ;*  which  was 
a  thing  impossible  in  itself,  and  contrary  to  the 
primitive  laws  of  the  higher  soul's  life. 

"  You  may  employ  external  means  to  destroy 
the  organism  of  our  soul's  lil'e,  but  you  are  as 
little  able  to  destroy  the  bond  that  unites  us,  as 
you  are  able  to  destroy  our  souls  !"  said  she,  in 
a  dream,  shortly  before  my  embarkation  Irom 
Cadiz. 

"  The  soul  is  indtstructible.  It  knows  no 
time^no  age.  No  sullijnng  is  able  to  change 
its  entity.  It  may  remain  undeveloped,  sup- 
pressed, like  a  germ,  in  men ;  the  soul  may  be 
extinguished  to  the  last  spark  through  material- 
ism ;  but  the  germ  cannot  be  annihilated — the 
spark  cannot  be  extinguished.  It  slumbers  on 
in  the  mass  of  matter,  and  at  its  aw.ikeniog,  after 
the  physical  death  of  the  shell  that  enveloped 
it,  it  discovers  that  it  was  incumbent  for  it  to 
have  fought  the  fight  of  its  development  on 
earth.  It  must  begin  from  below  in  another 
world,  in  the  scale  of  imperfection  to  which  it 
has  sunk  back  through  failure  in  the  develop- 
ment of  its  force  of  will — through  failure  in  self- 
consciousness  upon  earth.—  Throuiih  the  con- 
sciousness of  our  reason,  and  tlirough  the  per- 
ception of  our  soul,  does  the  spirit  within  us  de- 
velop itself,  and  strive  upwards  to  the  source 
of  light,  from  which  it  is  derived. 

"  Whoever  lives  on  earth  without  (he  recog- 
nition of  reason,  and  without  perception  ot  the 
soul,  lives  on  in  the  element  of  materialism  ;  he 
does  not  live,  he  vegetates,  and  at  the  moment 
of  awakening  after  death,  an  account  will  be  re- 
quired Irom  each  tme,  of  how  he  has  developed  or 
neglected  the  sacred  pledge  of  the  inward  life. 

"  The  consciousness  of  inward  lil'e  or  death, 
or  the  soul's  suicide  on  earth,  is  llie  heaven  and 
hell  beyond  the  grave in  the  awaking." 

With  similar  consolations  did  the  spirit  ot 
my  friend  strengthen  me  in  my  dream-lile,  and 
I  tliscontinued  tile  employment  of  disturbins;  and 
destructive  remedies,  (or  the  di>solving  of  our 
animatic  unity,  as  no  external  metliods  would 
ilave  been  able  lo  destroy  our  unity  of  soul. 

Paola  followed  the  will  of  her  parents  on  her 
return  to  Buenos  Ayres,  and  gave  her  hand  lo 


*  In  accordance  witli  the  facts  upon  which  thc5e  com 
muuicutiuus  are  louuded,  we  know  also  a  fact  in  the 
contrary  case,  in  «  iiich  a  man  in  animatic  union  with  a 
latty,  se'parate.l  Irom  her,  fell  into  a  state  of  nervous  dis- 
tur'hance  in  con^eijucnce  of  iron  in  several  lorms,  ap- 
plied on  her  as  medical  remedies.  The  "  elFrcts  in  dis- 
tance," of  many  hundred  miles  could  Ije  proved  by  letters 
and  diaries. 


DOLORES. 


283 


her  betrothed  a  yesr  after  our  separation.  Her 
soul  remained  also  nnited  to  mine,  notwithstand- 
ing she  was    twice  a  sufTerer   from   distorbing; 

physical  causes and  her  state  of  magnetic 

rapport  was  interrupted. 

I  experienced  what  no  mortal  on  earth  sus- 
pects, who  does  not  know  the  sphere  in  which 
my  beinsj  for  ever  moved.  I  saw  her  then  after- 
wards in  a  dream,  as  the  mother  of  two  daugh- 
ters. Tlie  oldest  was  strange  to  me — the  second 
my  spiritual  image.  The  first  died — and  it  has 
seemed  to  me  for  some  years,  as  if  Paola  no  more 
lived  on  earth,  since  she  speaks  to  me  in  my 
dreams  in  a  more  elevated  spiritual  language, 
and  my  soul  has  found  peace  upon  earth. 

My  relatives  left  Spam  likewise,  and  went  to 
South  America.  I  have  one  sister,  whom  I  love 
infinitely,  as  she  loves  me.  But  in  the  possibil- 
ity that  a  human  error  may  occur  in  my  dream- 
life,  and  Paola  still  live,  I  remain  faithful  to  my 
resolve,  not  to  allow  a  .syllable  to  be  heard  from 
me,  until  I  obtain  the  assurance  of  her  death,  or 
that  which  I  have  longed  for — to  bear  my  silence 
to  the  grave.  It  was  my  design,  not  even  through 
the  news  of  my  existence  to  disturb  in  the  least 
degree  a  social  relation,  which,  from  all  that  1 
could  learn,  was  not  so  painful  for  Paola  as  the 
efl^ect  it  jjroduced  upon  me  at  a  distance. 

At  her  departure  from  Spain,  Paola's  mother 
sent  me  the  duplicate  of  a  portrait  of  my  som- 
nambule  which  a  talented  artist  had  copied  from 
her  own  original. 

Since  Paola's  marriage  I  have  no  more  intelli- 
gence from  her  mother,  as  I  broke  off  the  cor- 
respondence on  my  part. 

GABRIEL  GARRINGOS  TO  SENHOR  H.   VERA 

GoA,  January  13th,  1838. 
My  friend — 

I  transmit  you  the  two  accompanying  manu- 
scripts ;  the  Element  of  Magnetism,  etc.,  and 
Autobiographical  Fragments,  and  permit  me  here 
to  repeat  my  verbal  request  and  commission  to 
you,  at  your  departure  for  Rio  de  Janeiro. 

After  having  been  made  acquainted,  since  your 
youth,  with  all  that  concerns  my  inward  and  out- 
ward life,  I  desire  you  carefully,  but  in  secret,  to 
make  inquiries  in  regard  to  the  fate  of  my  friend 
and  my  sister — under  the  guidance  likewise  of 
the  accompanying  family  papers  and  the  afore 
said  portrait. 

Should  my  forebodings  be  well  founded  that  a 
being  lives  on  earth,  who,  as  a  wonderful  phe- 
nomenon in  the  province  of  the  spiritual  spheres, 
is  so  nearly  akin  to  me  spiritually,  as  to  be  a 
copy  of  my  inward  being,  the  confirmation  of 
this  would  be  a  singular  compensation  for  all  the 
sufierings  1  have  endured  on  earth,  in  conse- 
quence of  an  indissoluble  spiritual  bond. 

Should  you  succeed  in  discovering  traces  of 
my  friend,  then  conceal  entirely  this  commission, 
in  case  she  still  lives ;  and  gladly  as  [  would  fulfil 
my  duty  as  a  brother  towards  my  sister,  I  must, 
in  such  a  case,  still  further  maintain  my  incog- 
nito, even  towards  her.  1  doubt  whether  Senora 
Paola  knows  my  sister,  but  even  if  she  have  re- 
mained a  stranger  to  her  until  now,  a  chance 
might  reveal  that  I  still  live,  and  where  I  live. 
Thi^  discovery  might  even  yet  endanger  my 
friend's  peace  of  mind — which  remains  sacred  to 
me 


Should  my  forebodings,  however,  not  have  de- 
ceived me,  should  Paola  have  passed  over  into 
that  sphere  of  light  whose  existence  as  a  spirit- 
ual reality  became  certainty  to  us,  I  then  desire 
you  to  make  use  of  the  accompanying  power  of 
attorney,  and  to  control  and  dispose  of  the  half 
of  my  possessions,  or  to  be  equally  divided 
among  the  children  of  my  sister  and  Senora 
Paola ;  remarking,  by  the  way,  that  the  other  half 
will  accrue  to  these  my  heirs  at  my  death,  for 
which  purpose  1  have  named  you,  my  dear  Vera, 
as  the  executor  of  my  testament. 

Your  friend,  etc.,  etc. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

PATRICK    AND    SALLY. 

Hardlv  had  Senhor  Vera  heard,  tlirough  Dr. 
Thorfin  and  Horatio,  of  the  arrival  of  Signora 
Serafini  and  the  arrest  Alvarez,  than  he  went  to 
the  Minister  of  the  Interior,  and  sought  a  private 
audience,  which  was  granted  to  him  without 
particular  difficulty.  He  legitimated  himself  as 
the  attorney  of  an  uncle  of  the  lady  and  the  pris- 
oner, commissioned  to  take  an  interest  in  them 
in  every  respect,  in  any  case  that  might  occur. 

The  Minister  of  the  Interior  was  always — 
Minister  of  the  Interior,  and  this  position,  in  a 
monarchy  or  at  a  court,  embraces  a  legitimate 
or  quasi  legitimate  importance,  which  troubles 
itself  little  with  the  family  relations  of  any  ar- 
rested type  setter  or  guitar  teacher,  especially 
when  he  is  the  companion  in  guilt  of  a  sans  cu- 
lolte,  or  even  his  brother-in-law.  The  Minister 
promised  to  "inform  himself  about  the  matter" 
of  the  two  prisoTiers,  and  allowed  the  millionaire 
from  Goa  to  undertake  another  excursion  to  the 
portal  of  his  ministerial  palace.  Senhor  Vera 
made  use  of  this  permission,  and  found  his  ex- 
cellency colder  and  more  laconic  than  before. 

"  The  release  of  the  prisoner,  De  la  Barca,  is 
not  to  be  thought  of,"  replied  he  to  the  negro 
from  Goa.  "  With  regard  to  the  faroupilha,  Se- 
rafini, he  will  probably  be  condemned  to  death, 
and  1  will  endeavor  to  soften  the  sentence  to 
perpetual  exile  from  Brazil.  But  his  process 
must  take  its  course,  I  cannot  set  him  at  liberty 
not  even  with  guarantee  of  a  million.  As  regards 
the  young  man,  De  la  Barca,  accusations  from 
Europe  are  pending  against  him,  through  an 
ambassador.  I  will,  upon  your  intercession,  and 
from  considerations  for  his  sister,  take  care  that 
he  is  not  given  up.  Your  wish  to  visit  the  pris- 
oners cannot  be  complied  with.  Neither  you,  nor 
the  lady,  nor  any  one  else,  can  hold  any  inter- 
course with  them  so  long  as  their  sentence  is  not 
pronounced.  Tell  the  lady,  however,  that  1  will 
undertake  the  twofold  aftiiir,  and,  if  possible, 
will  soften  the  sentence  of  death  against  her 
husband  as  a  traitor,  as  I  told  you  already." 

The  minister  turned  to  a  secretary,  who  had 
remained  during  the  interview,  and  Senhor  Vera 
took  his  leave. 

He  went  to  the  Hotel  du   Nord,  where  Dr. 

Thorfin  and  Horatio  awaited  him,  to  accompany 

I  him    on    a    visit   to  Signora  Serafini.     She  had 

'  gradually  received  from  Dr.  Thorfin  a  commuui- 


284 


DOLORES 


cation  concerning  the  existence  and  the  fitte  of 
her  brother,  which  could  not  be  withheld  from 
her,  as  Senhor  Vera  ur?ed  it,  that  he  might, 
when  it  was  possible,  fulfil  the  commission  of 
her  uncle  as  his  attorney.  Angelica  learnt,  to 
her  highest  surprise,  the  intelligence  from  Goa, 
and  at  the  same  time  also  received  the  revelation 
concerning  the  singular  bond  which  placed  at 
her  side  a  female,  as  a  sister,  who  lived  in  her 
neighborhood  in  the  strictest  incognito. 

VVe  consign  the  unfortunate  wife  and  sister  to 
the  consolation  and  care  of  those  friends  who 
ai-raiiged  for  lier  a  country  house  in  Praya 
Grande,  where  she  was  to  await  the  time  that 
should  decide  the  fate  of  those  so  dear  to  her. 

Patrick  Gentleboy  received  a  card  of  a  certain 
Lady  Hamlet  through  the  medium  of  a  negro, 
who  could  not  tell  him  much  about  the  occa- 
sion of  the  invitation.  But  Patrick  had  heard 
all  sorts  of  long  stories  told  by  one  sailor  and 
another  during  tedious  night  watches  belbre  the 
mast,  on  board  of  one  or  another  slow  sailing 
ship  on  a  long,  long  voyage  :  stories  of  won- 
derful lucky  accidents,  by  which  this  or  that 
poor  devil  by  some  chance  or  other  v^■as  sud- 
denly taken  out  from  the  mire  of  his  miserable 
life,  and  became  a  "  gentleman  "  without  know- 
ing how. 

Patrick  made  his  toilet  as  carefully  as  a  Dutch 
sailor  when  he  is  ordered  "to  tlje  helm"  on 
boiu-d  an  Admiral's  vessel,  dressed  himself 
clean  t'rom  head  to  foot,  and  even  drew  the  two 
long  ends  of  his  neck  handkerchief  through  a 
gold  ring  which  he  had  bought  for  himself  as  a 
memorial  of  his  charge  as  "  commanding  officer 
of  a  cutter  "  at  the  mouth  of  the  La  Plata.  Con- 
noisseurs assert,  to  be  sure,  that  Patrick  was 
cheated,  that  the  ring  was  false  ;  but  having  paid 
for  it  as  gold,  he  wore  it  as  gold.  He  thrust  a 
new  Chili  hat  that  cost  ten  miUreis  on  his  head, 
and  swaggered  along  in  a  broad  sailor's  step 
through  the  suspicious  Rua  do  Sabao  to  the 
Campo  da  Santa  Anna,  and  arriving  at  length  in 
the  open  space,  sought  the  street  near  it,  where 
Lady  Hamlet  must  live.  It  was  about  one  o'clock 
in  the  day.  The  great  tbuntain  in  the  apparently 
interminable  square  swarmed  with  negrt)es  and 
negresses,  who  drew  the  water  and  rinsed  their 
linen,  and  told  each  other  all  sorts  of  things  about 
whites,  and  blacks,  and  mulattoes,  and  cabocles  I 
and  olten  laughed  in  chorus. 

To  his  great  amazement,  he  met  a  female, 
poorly  but  cleanly  dressed,  with  a  black  straw- 
gipsy,  and  a  real  strongly  marked  Irish  coun- 
tenance, that  was  rather  handsome  than  other- 
wise. It  was  Lucy,  attended  by  a  droll  little  old 
negress,  di'essed  in  a  coffee  sack  with  a  water 
ewer  upon  her  head,  and  a  little  pipe  in  her 
little  mouth.  "  What,  the  devil  !  Lucy!  where 
did  you  come  from  r"  cried  he  to  her ;  "  and  what 
sort  of  a  faymale  two  legged  mole  is  that  creep- 
ing along  by  you  there  ?  " 

"  I've  bcitn  to  see  a  Mrs.  Adams  that  was  after 
wanting  a  white  woman  to  do  some  sewing  for 
her,  but  to  my  notion  she  seems  more  like  a 
Miss  than  a  Mistress.  She  is  a  kind  lady  for  a 
Saxon  ;  and  I've  got  some  work  from  hor.'' 

"  And  I  am  bid  to  go  to  a  Lady  Hamlet.  Only 
see  what  sort  of  an  admiralty  order  that  is,  that 
brings  me  into  this  latitude  I  and  sure  there's 
tnough  of  that  same  hare,  and  longitude  besides  ; 
pUaty  ol  room  to  beat  against  without  touching 


land.  "  Do  you  know  where  this  street  is  ?  then 

read  once  :  No.  9  Rua  do — do where  is  it  ?'■ 

"  And  sure  that's  the  same  house  that  I'm 
after  coming  from  !"  cried  Lucy.  *'  Is  there  ever 
a  Lady  Hamlet  lives  in  your  garden  ?"  inquired 
she  of  old  Bebida,  who  had  been  very  attentively 
observing  the  long  red-haired  branco. 

"  Si  Senhora !"  replied  the  old  woman  with  a 
I'eep  breast  voice.  "  Yes,  Senhora  Amlet  lives 
with  Senhora  ."Vdams.  Si  Senhora  !  Dabedica- 
demUsimaqulipatu  !" 

"  Will  you  show  this  gentleman  the  way  there  .' 
There,  ther'are  four  vintenis  fur  you,"  continued 
Lucy,  taking  out  her  purse  to  bestow  the  gentle 
gift  from  pure  compassion  lor  the  poor  creature. 
"  Thanks  I  thanks,  Senhora  !  thanks  I"  croaked 
Bebida,  in  the  alto  voice  which  she  had  at  com- 
mand when  she  was  pleased  ;  "Dabedicadeinpati- 
gumati  !  I'll  show  the  Senhor  Rranco  !  bonita 
.Senhor  Branco  grande  big!  hi-lii-hi!  red  hair! 
red  beard!  bonito  !  Dabedicadem — hi-hi-hi  I" 
said  she,  laughing  loudly,  and  turning  towarda 
the  corner  of  the  little  countrylike  street,  in 
which  Senhora  Sally  Fortuna  Adams  Hamlet 
resided. 

Patrick  had  not  much  time  to  chat  with  Lucy; 
he  promised  her  to  come  to  O'Hallnran's  in  tlie 
evening,  and  tell  her  what  his  fate  had  prepared 
for  him,  and  then  hurried  after  the  female  mole, 
who  had  not  drawn  any  water,  as  she  wished  first 
to  earn  the  four  vintems  she  had  received  be- 
forehand. 

I  Bebida  had  been  prepared  at  the  gate  for  such 
j  inquiries  by  Miss  Sally,  and  now  led  the  "  fine 
:  red  branco"  to  Lady  Hamlet,  who  sat  in  the 
[audience  chamber  in  the  wide  armchair  "Great 
'  Britain,"  dressed  in  decent  neglige,  and  ab- 
sorbed in  Dickens's  "  Oliver  Twist." 
I  Patrick  looked  at  the  Lady,  and  looked  at  her 
!  again,  and  showed  his  card,  and  asked  if  "  this 
I  was  the  place  !" 

"  Sit  down,"  began  Sally,  in  a  low  voice,  and 
with  a  seriousness  of  expression  that  offered  a 
singular  contrast  with  the  lascivious  extrava- 
gance of  the  Bachante  of  the  preceding  night. 

"  You  are  an  Irishman,  and  your  name  is 
Patiick— ?" 

"  Patrick  McCaffray  at  your  earvice  ;  but  they 
call  me  mostly  Pat  Gentleboy,  plase  your 
Ladyship  !" 

Sally  sighed,  for  it  was  difficult  for  her  to 
make  the  preface  which  must  precede  her  reve- 
lation. 

"  You  are  in  the  service  of  a  man  here  who 
calls  himself  the  Baron  de  Spandau,  who  is  a 
spy  .'"  began  she  at  length. 

Patrick  had  seated  himself,  and  was  pulling 
his  Chili  hat  in  all  maimer  of  ways,  and  looking 
at  the  lady  as  sharply  as  if  she  were  a  buoy  or 
tun  wliich  he  wished  to  steer  past. 

"  The  man  is  called  the  Baron  de  Spandau 
what's  taken  me  in  tow,  sure  enough,  your  lady- 
ship," replied  he  at  length,  "  and  sure  I  found 
out  he  was  a  spy  before  iver  I  took  sarvice  wid 
him,  and  didn't  I  tell  that  same  to  Captain  Hi- 

nango  and  Dr.  Thorfin ?" 

"  Captain  Hinango  and  Dr.  Thorfia  !"  inter- 
rupted Sally  with  considerable  vivacity  ;  "  that's 

right — those  were  the  names " 

"  But  if  I  might  be  so  bould  as  to  ax  your 
ladyship  who  are  you  ?  for  I'm  a  stranger  heia 
and — "   He  looked  all  around,  as  if  to  satisfy 


DOLORES. 


2^3 


I'liiiSili'  fl:at  all  wJiich  sarrounded  him  was  in 
fact  -jlrange  to  him. 

'  t  am  a  poor  girl  from  Norfol1<!fhire  in  Eng- 
land," replied  Sally,  with  a  reiterated  sigh. 
"  My  name  is — "  she  suddenly  hesitated  and 
blushed.  A  womanly  sentiment  of  shame  seized 
her  at  the  thought  of  the  position  in  which  she 
Was  placed  in  regard  to  the  seaman. 

"  My  name  is  Caroline,"  continued  she.  "  Can 
an  English  woman  rely  upon  you,  Patrick,  in  a 
matter  which  concerns  the  saving  of  several 
lives  ?" 

"  Is  it  whether  you  can  rely  upon  me  when 
there  are  lives  to  be  saved.'"  repeated  Patrick, 
rising  hastily  ;  "  well,  then,  be  Jasus  !  mynani« 
is  Patrick  McCaffray,  and  may  sorrow  be  my  por- 
tion if  ye  cannot  rely  upon  me  when  there  are 
lives  to  be  saved,  whether  male  or  female,  beg- 
ging your  ladyship's  pardon  for  speaking  so  loud, 
but  its  the  truth  !  I  came  here  with  the  Nord- 
stjernan,  a  Swedish  brig,  of  400  tons,  strong, 
heavy,  and  a  fine  sailer,  Capt.  Fingreen,  and 
before  I  went  on  board  I — fired  with  this  finger 
a  carbine,  and  burnt  down  an  Ar-gentile  officer  in 
the  starn  of  our  cutter,  w1io  wanted  to  make  an 
incendiary  out  of  me,  to  bring  honest  jieople,  gen- 
tale  people,  to  the  gallows,  a  young  lady  from  La 
Plata  river,  beautiful  as  the  moon  When  it  rises 
in  the  first  night  watch  !  and  before  I  came  on 
board  the  Ar-gentile  brig  1  was  pressed,  with  a 
South  American  gentleman — a  gentleman,  if  ever 
a'  cabin  passenger  was  one.  And  now  your 
ladyship  knows  who  I  am  and  where  I  came 
from,  and  PII  take  your  orders  if  you  plaae." 

Sally  beckoned  to  old  Bcbida,  who  showed 
herself  at  the  door  with  wine  and  water,  and 
a  large  glass.  She  came  in,  placed  the  refresh- 
ments on  the  table,  murmured  very  softly  her 
"  Dabedicadem,"  and  glided  out  again. 

"  Help  yourself  to  a  drink,"  continued  Sally, 
"  it  is  warm,  and  you  must  go  a  long  distance, 
to  the  Gloria;  or  does  Captain  Hinango  live 
lomewhere  near !" 

Patrick  had  used  the  large  glass  for  what  it 
was  good  for,  wiped  his  lips  with  the  ends  of 
his  black  silk  neck  handkerchief,  and  replied, 
*'  I  ax  your  ladyship's  pardon  ;  Captain  Hinango 
has  been  living  at  Santa  Theresa,  but  is  now  on 
board  the  Astraia,  which  lies  out  there  by  the 
Cobras  island,  between  the  Cobras  and  the  Pa- 
triot's Fortress,  Devil-call-you,*as  I  believe  it  is 
the  name." 

"  Well,  which  do  you  believe  you  can  find 
the  most  certainly  at  this  hour,  Captain  Hinango 
or  Dr.  Thorfin  .'" 

"  Shure  and  it  would  be  Captain  Hinango,  on 
board  the  Astraia  ;  but  if  I  go  to  him,  and  the 
baron  knows  it,  there'l  be  a  storm  brewed." 

"  The  baron  knows  that  1  have  sent  for  you; 
I  was  to  spy  you  concerning  Captain  Hinango's 
voyage.  You  can,  then,  go  undisturbed  on  board 
to  him,  and  in  case  the  baron  should  ask  you 
about  it  afterwards,  you  could  say  that  you  went 
there  to  inquire. of  him  if  he  had  not  known  a 
Mr.  McDonald  in  London,  the  brother  of  Lady 
Hamlet ;  that  this  lady  was  here,  and  thought 
that  she  had  heard  his  name  mentioned  by  her 
brother ;  then  you  can  come  back  again  undis- 
turbed, as  I  must  spy  you  still  further." 

"  Kov/  I  begin  to  see  how  the  land  lies,  and 


•Do-Vilcalhoa. 


I'll  steer  my  Course  accordingly.  And  what  will 
I  carry  for  Captain  Hinango  ?" 

"  This  lelter,  on  which  hangs  his  life  and  the 
life  of  the  young  lady  frnm  Buenos  .Ayres — and 
my  life,"  adiled  she  in  a  low  voice,  trembling,  as 
she  handed  the  envelope  to  the  Irishman,  which 
contained  the  order  from  Buenos  Ayres,  under 
a  false  name  of  the  baron,  addressed  to  Senor 
Prole. 

"  I  got  possesiion  of  these  letters  at  the  risk 
of  my  life  last  night,  and  must  lay  it  back  again 
before  Ibis  evening,  where  I  took  it  from.  If  it 
were  missed,  I  should  be  poisoned  without  cere- 
mony, for  the  scoundrels  would  know  then  that 
I  saw  through  their  plan,  ami  knew  their  posi- 
tion." 

"  Och  !  and  that's  thrue  for  you  then  ;  it's  that 
same  they'd  be  doing,"  returned  Patrick,  shoving 
the  letter  into  the  breast  pocket  of  his  blue 
spencer,  and  buttoning  it  up.  "  Miss  Caroline," 
said  he,  after  a  pause,  "  I  must  hoist  anchor,  and 
get  under  sail  to  come  alongside  of  the  .Astraia. 
I'll  come  back  here  in  an  hour,  but  If  I  don't 
find  Captain  Hinango,  what  then .'  v,-ill  I  go  to 
Dr.  Thorfin .'" 

"Yes,"  assented  Sally,  "go  to  one  of  the 
two,  but  of  all  things  in  the  world,  bring  the 
letter  back  to  me  before  this  evening." 

**  In  two  hours  you  shall  have  the  letter  again, 
I  promise  your  ladyship,  and  may  God  reward 
you  for  what  you  are  doing  to  save  Captain  Hi- 
nango and  his  friend  ! — Your  health.  Miss  Caro- 
line," added  he,  while  he  again  availed  himself 
of  the  large  glass,  and  then  cordially  took  his 
leave. 

He  hurried  out  across  the  Campo  da  Santa 
Anna,  into  the  Rua  do  Sabao,  and  still  out,  and 
further  out,  to  the  Praya  ilos  Pescadores,  where 
he  step[)ed  into  a  negro  boat,  and  steered  over  to 
the  Astraia.  He  found  Captain  Hinango  in  his 
cabin,  employed  with  the  expedition  to  Rio 
Grande,  whither  Horatio  was  to  go  in  a  few 
days  After  a  short  and  very  incnir.crehensible 
preface  about  a  Lady  Hamlet,  and  Miss  Caroline, 
and  Campo  da  Sanra  Anna,  and  a  long,  long 
street  called  the  Rua  do  "Sabottes,"  and  about  the 
young  lady  from  La  Plata  river,  and  the  risk  of 
life,  and  the  like.  Patrick  drew  out  the  letter, 
and  handed  it  to  the  captain  of  the  Astraia. 
The  worthy  Patrick  was  by  no  means  tipsy,  the 
two  drops  of  wine  at  Miss  Sally's  had  not  given 
him  the  least  appearance  of  intoxication,  but 
what  he  said  had  very  little  meaning. 

Hinango  opened  the  envelope  and  began  to 
re?d,  in  the  hope  of  learning  more  from  the  letter 
than  from  Patrick's  "speech  from  tiie  throne" 
in  the  name  of  "  Queen  Victory."  Hardly  had 
he  glanced  over  the  first  periods,  when  he 
looked  at  the  sheet  on  both  sides,  turned  it  over 
again,  then   looked   at   Patrick,  and  inquired; 

"  Where  did  you  get  this  letter.'" 

"  Ax  pardon,  your  honor,"  replied  Patrick, 
"it's  the  most  natural  thing  in  life.  A  young 
girl  that  calls  herself  Caroline,  from  Norfolk- 
shire  in  England,  gave  the  letter  to  me,  and 
runs  the  risk  of  her  life  if  I  wouldn't  bring  it 
back  agin  in  an  hour.  As  for  what's  in  the 
letter,  that  I  don't  know,  for  I  can't  spake 
French,  but  I  only  know  that  Miss  Caroline  has 
a  good  intintion  to  save  the  lives  of  some  peo- 
ple that  she  doesn't  know  intirely  ;  and  that's 
the  whole  thruth,  axing  your  honor's  pardon^ 


-286 


DOLORES. 


that's  all  I  had  to  say  before.  And  now,  your 
honor,  '11  be  aflher  understanding  the  letter,  and 
all  about  it." 

Hinango  now  read  further,  and  the  sheet 
ti'embled  in  his  hand ;  not  by  any  moans  that 
personal  fear  tooU  possession  of  him — he  knew 
no  fear.  Hia  courage  rcae  with  every  danger, 
when  it  only  concerned  liimself ;  but  he  trans- 
ferred himself,  with  all  the  vivacity  of  his  north- 
ern imagination,  into  the  position  of  the  poor 
girl  who  had  sent  him  a  document  which  con- 
tained his  own  death  sentence,  and  that  of  Do- 
lores, and  without  personal  interest,  had,  in  such 
a  manner,  exposed  lierself  to  danger  to  save 
them  both. 

"  Where  is  the  girl  who  gave  you  this  letter.'" 
inquired  he,  hastily  and  urgently,  seizing  a  pen 
and  copying  some  passages  of  the  letter^  while 
he  spoke  to  Patricli. 

"In  the  little  quiet  street  round  the  left  hand 
corner,  from  the  great  wide  long  place,  where 
the  nigger  women  wash,"  replied  he,  and  Hi- 
nango  wrote  further. 

"  Do  yon  know  whether  I  can  speak  to  her .' 
whether  she  would  receive  a  visit .'" 

"  I  doubt  it,  captain,"  said  Patrick  ;  "  for 
doesn't  your  honor  see,  if  you  went  there,  the 
baron  might  find  it  out."' 

Hinango  started,  and  looked  at  him  intently. 
"  The  baron  ?"  cried  he  ;  "  the  girl  knows  the 
baron  then  ?  This  letter  is  directed  to  the  baron, 
that  I  can  comprehend,  but  I  do  not  comprehend 
the  girl ;  therefore  I  would  like  to  speak  to  her. 
You  are  a  fellow  who  has  seen  many  craft ;  tell 
me  then,  Patrick,  what  doyou  think  of  this  girl .' 
the  Caroline — to  what  class  does  she  belong  ?" 

"  Och  then,  captain,"  replied  Patrick,  "  I'll 
make  bould  to  say  that  she  holds  a  good  course, 
when  she's  trying  to  save  your  honor  and  the 
young  lady,  and  that's  a  great  deal ;  for  the  rest, 
she  seems  to  me  a  right  solid,  well  built,  and 
good  sailing  brig,  who  has  not  been  many  years 
in  service,  but  hardly  used,  aa  it  seems  to  me, 
your  honor,  and  run  ashore  by  some  captain  or 
other,  and  left  there  till  another  one  goes  to 
sea  with  her,  and  runs  her  ashore  again.  So 
that's  what  1  think  about  the  fine  English  Caro- 
line of  Norfolk.  But  it's  time,  your  honor, 
for  me  to  be  getting  into  the  boat  agin,  to  take 
back  the  letter." 

Hinango  had,  meanwhile,  noted  what  was  ne- 
cessary, again  placed  the  letter  in  the  envelope 
without  address,  and  rising,  said  to  Patrick  with 
all  the  earnestness  of  his  nature  ;  "  Patrick, 
now  take  this  letter  to  the  worthy  girl,  and 
greet  her  from  me.  Tell  her  that  1  thank  her 
in  the  name  of  the  young  lady,  and  that  1  desire 
to  thank  lier  myself  tor  her  noble  minded  be- 
havior towards  me.  Tell  her  that  whoever  she 
may  be,  she  holds  a  high  and  sacred  place  in 
my  esteem,  and  if  1  can  do  the  smallest  thing 
for  tlie  promotion  of  her  happiness,  she  must 
not  refuse  to  talk  with  me  about  it,  whenever 
and  wherever  it  may  be.  Nevertheless,  1  leave 
all  that  with  her;  and  now  see  that  you  lose 
no  time." 

"  I'll  see  to  all  that,  your  honor,"  said  Patrick, 
confidently,  and  hurried  into  his  negro  boat, 
which  awaited  him  at  the  side  of  the  -^strala. 

"  .Strange,'  thought  Hinango,  when  he  was 
again  alone  ;  "  this  is  the  third  case  in  my  ex- 
perience in  which  a  poor  creature  of  this  class 


has  taken  an  interest  in  the  persecuted,  risking 
her  own  life  to  save  the  lives  of  men,  without 
e.xpecting,  under  the  existing  circumstances, 
any  acknowledgement  whatever  !  Is  the  female 
heart  so  noble  by  nature,  that  no  social  wretch- 
edness can  lay  it  waste  ?  or  does  misfortune 
heighten  the  nobleness  of  the  heart  ?" 

Amid  similar  contemplations  he  locked  his 
writing  desk,  took  with  him  the  copy  which  he 
had  just  written,  and  entered  his  boat. 

We  already  know  that  he  had  been  invited, 
with  Dr.  Thorfin,  to  the  betrothal  at  Mr.  Thom- 
son's. 

The  fate  of  Dolores  lay  nearer  to  his  heart 
than  the  danger  which  evidently  threatened  him 
personally.  He  turned  to  Dr.  'Thorfin,  and  in- 
formed him  of  what  he  had  just  learned.  Ho- 
ratio was  present. 

"  What  is  to  be  done  to  save  Dolores  .'"  was 
the  question,  and  a  long  pause  of  mutual  con- 
sideration followed. 

"  1  must  take  Dolores  on  board,  and  conduct 
her  to  Monte  Video,"  began  Hinango,  at  length. 
"  That  would  be  the  only  method,"  observed 
Thorfin,  "  but  the  embarkation  cannot  take 
place  here  in  Rio.  For  the  future,  the  Baron 
IS,  so  to  say,  a  member  of  the  Thomson  family, 
and  Dolores  has  long  since  been  considered  ad 
such.  How  in  the  world  shall  we  bring  her 
away  from  Bota  Fogo,  without  pursuit  on  the 
part  of  the  old  widower,  who  wishes  to  marry 
her,  and  on  the  part  of  the  baron,  who  wishes 
to  deliver  her  up  ?" 

"  Old  Mr.  Thomson  must  go  with  her,'"  ob- 
served Horatio ;  "  Dolores  must  act  as  if  she 
entered  into  his  plan." 

"  That  she  will  not  do,"  interrupted  Hinan- 
go ;  "  it  is  worth  her  life,  but,  as  a  woman,  she 
will  undertake  no  such  part." 

"  I  feel  that,"  assented  the  youth,  "  but  do 
you  know  any  other  way  .'" 

"  She  must  ta'^e  a  voyage  with  the  Thomson 
family,  may  be  to  Santa  Catharina,  where  Mr. 
Thomson  has  business  now  besides.  You,  Hora- 
tio, must  go  as  quickly  as  possible  to  Rio  (irande. 
Celeste  is  there.  Barigahli  must  cruise  before 
Santa  Catharina  with  the  Mazzini;  1  will  meet 
him  there  with  the  Astrala,  and  we  must  take 
Dolores  either  peaceably  or  by  force." 

"  The  plan  is  not  had,"  observed  Thorfin, 
"  but  Robert  must  accompany  Dolores,  and  con- 
duct the  whole  expedition.  We  can  confde 
Dolores  to  him,  and  if  the  Baron  should  even 
go  with  them,  Robert  would  bring  ofi'  Dolores, 
either  by  cunning,  or  by  his  decided  deport- 
ment in  defiance  of  him." 

"  Could  not  this  take  place  here  in  Rio  ?'  in- 
quired Horatio,  after  a  renewed  pause. 

"It  would  be  very  difficult,  almost  impossible," 
observed  Thorfin.  Admitting  that  Robert  should 
find  it  possible  to  undertake  a  trip  on  the  bay 
with  her,  and  conduct  her  on  board  the  Astrala, 
would  not  Spandau  immediately  suspect  where 
she  had  been  carried  to  ?  Under  the  pretence 
that  you  had  "  cliains  and  cramps"  on  bgard  for 
the  slave  trade,  he  would  immediately  institute 
a  search.  Although  many  ships  are  equipped 
here,  and  intended  for  tliis  purpose,  the  pretence 
would  serve  the  secret  police  to  seize  the  con- 
demned from  La  Plata  river.  The  circumstance 
that  she  is  here  under  a  false  name  would  make 
her  arrest  lawful,  and  then  she  would  be  in  Lho 


DOLORES. 


987 


biiron's  hands,  and  Mr.  Thomson  would  not  even 
then  believe  that  De  Spandau  was  a  spy.  De 
Spandau  would  do  every  thing  as  Thomson's 
brother  in  law,  to  be  helpful  to  liim,  to  compel 
Dolores  to  marry  him,  and  the  old  man  would  be 
gratefully  obliged  to  the  Baron  for  his  rascality. 
So  soon  as  Dolores  takes  a  single  step  to  leave 
Thomson's,  she  incurs  the  risk  of  falling  into  the 
hands  of  the  police." 

"  I  perceive  all  that,"  assented  Hinango;  *'  but 
now  for  one  question  :  will  Robert  tear  himself 
away  from  the  fetters  which  paralyze  him  here  .' 
Will  lie  be  able  to  save  himself  in  order  to  save 
Dolores  ?" 

Horatio  looked  inquiringly  at  his  friend,  for 
he,  in  his  inexperience,  had  not  seen  through 
the  relation  of  Robert  to  his  neighbor,  having  less 
quicksightedness  than  the  others. 

*'  I  hope,"  replied  Thorfin,  "  that  exactly  and 
simply  this,  and  only  this  occasion,  will  tear  him 
away  from  the  tragical  circumstances  which 
surround  him.  We  know  him  hitherto  in  the 
depth  of  liis  noble  nature.  I  am  satisfied  that 
the  safety  of  Dolores  lies  near  his  heart,  for  he 
loves  her  like  his  sister,  and  reverences  her  like 
a  saint.  But  I  admit  also  that  a  powerful  mo- 
tive must  be  aroused  within  him,  to  separate 
him  from  his  neighbor,  if  it  be  only  for  a  time ; 
and  if  he  does  not  soon  separate  himself  from 
her — I  fear — more  than  I  will  express  to-day." 

"  In  that  case,  my  dear  Horatio,  you  must  now 
immediately  set  off  for  Rio  Grande,  may  be  by 
water  to  Santa  Catharina,  and  so  along  the  coast, 
under  the  good  pretence  of  your  art,  may  be  as 
a  landscape  painter." 

"  1  am  ready"  replied  Horatio,  "  and  will  go  all 
the  more  gladly,  now  that  1  know  that  Celeste  is 
already  there.  We  shall  then  soon  find  an  oppor- 
tunity of  receiving  Dolores  in  Santa  Catharina." 

"  De  Spandau  has  at  least  no  authority  there, 
as  he  has  here,"  observed  Hinango.  "  Even  if 
there  be  a  police  there,  it  is  at  least  no  secret 
police,  at  his  service.  Under  Robert's  orders,  old 
Achilles  will  always  be  his  man  in  case  of  need, 
and  gladly  as  I  would  take  Patrick  wilh  me  as 
hoalswain  of  the  Astrala,  he  appears  on  the  other 
hand  as  indispensable  for  such  an  expedition  in 
Robert's  service  and  for  the  safety  of  Dolores." 

"  The  fellow  is  indispensable,"  added  Thorfin. 
**  It  remains  for  us  now  to  obtain  the  consent  of 
Dolores  to  this  plan,  and  if  possible  to  arrange 
the  voyage  to  Santa  Catharina  before  you  go 
away,  Senor  Horatio,  that  we  may  then  be  able 
to  decide  when  the  Mazzini  must  cruise  before 
Santa  Catharina." 

"  If  possible,  I  will  be  on  board  of  the  Mazzini 
myself,"  replied  the  youth ;  "  I  hope  to  arrange 
it  so." 

The  three  friends  still  conversed  about  the 
many  particulars  for  the  preparation  and  carry- 
ing out  of  the  plan,  until  the  time  arrived  which 
summoned  Hinango  and  Thorfin  to  the  betrothal. 
Horatio  felt  more  painfully  than  ever  the  bitter- 
ness of  his  social  separation  from  Dolores,  who, 
in  the  "  castle"  of  an  English  house,  must  re- 
nounce all  acquaintance,  and  least  of  all  durst 
receive  a  "  foreigner "  like  Horatio,  who  was 
**  only  an  artist,"  as  a  guest  at  the  house. 

Nothing  else  remained  for  the  youth  but  to 
send  his  hearty  greeting  to  his  friend,  who, 
through  the  fate  of  his  uncle,  stood  as  near  to  him 
as  any  being  on  earth 


CHAPTER   V 

THE    DIPLOMATIC    DINNEB. 

There  are  words  in  every  language  which 
cannot  be  translated  in  the  same  sense  in  any 
other  language  by  any  single  word,  because  the 
idea  is  strange  which  the  word  expresses,  and 
many  a  language  has  no  words  for  ideas,  which 
are  current  in  every  other  language.  Thus  the 
two  En£;iish  words,  "  humbug"  and  "  dullness," 
cannot  be  translated  in  any  other  language  with- 
out lengthy  description,  because  the  ideas  which 
these  words  represent,  are  national  English,  and 
attlie  same  time  inseparable. 

The  English  language,  originally  brought  to- 
gether on  the  basis  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  tongue, 
by  a  certain  system  of  piracy,  (as  the  possessions 
of  the  British  liave  been  acquired  in  all  quarters 
of  the  globe,)  wants  a  multitude  of  words,  the 
ideas  of  which  are  foreign  to  the  nation,  because 
it  does  not  exactly  require  tliem  in  its  business. 
Thus,  for  instance,  the  word  "  fatherland  "  was 
first  introduced  by  Lord  Byron,  until  which  an 
Englishman  was  unacquainted  with  the  term. 
He  was  acquainted  with  the  word  "  native  coun'- 
try,"  the  land  where  he,  as  an  individual,  was 
born — the  word  "  home,"  where  he  finds  his 
comfort,  which  he  can  transport  to  all  parts  of 
the  world  ;  but  the  Englishman  as  little  knew  the 
word  "  fatherland,"  as  he  did  the  term  "  love  of 
fatherland,"  which  is  something  quite  difterent 
from  his  patriotism.  The  Greek  word,  Esthetic, 
(the  science  of  the  intellectually  beautiful,)  lonij 
since  current  in  the  German  language,  and  in  a 
measure  "  incorporated "  in  it  by  Lessing's 
"  Laocoon,"  is  foreign  to  the  English  language, 
because  the  sense  for  the  intellectually  beautiful 
is  wanting  in  the  nation,  while  this  science  has 
its  professorship  in  every  university  of  the  Eu- 
ropean continent. 

It  would  be  an  endless  task,  and  the  object 
of  a  particular  literary  work,  to  analyse  the 
disfiguration  of  foreign  ideas  in  the  reception 
of  foreign  words  in  the  English  language,  but 
such  a  work  would  be  instructive. 

We  have  been  invited  to  Miss  Thomson's  be- 
trothal dinner,  and  have  here  only  to  do  with 
the  words  and  ideas,  humbug  and  dulness. 

The  bridegroom  represents  humbug,  thn 
bride  dulness. 

What  is  humbug  .' 

The  word  seems  to  have  originated  in  latter 
times,  from  the  development  of  "  civilization." 

Aristotle-Johnson  was  not  acquainted  wilh  it. 
Is  the  word  composed  from  hum  and  bug  ?  The 
hum  of  a  carrion  beetle  over  a  foul  morass  .'  or 
is  it  perchance  the  name  of  the  inventor  of  hum- 
bug, by  whom  the  word  was  applied  to  the  in- 
vention, or  to  the  thing,  as,  for  instance,  the 
words  Daguerreotype,  Mesmerism,  Fourierism, 
Paletot,  Garrick,  Guillotine,  and  so  many  others  ? 
Perhaps  it  is  really  the  name  of  an  immortal 
man — immortal  by  the  mischief  which  his  in- 
vention has  caused  in  all  parts  of  the  world  to 
which  English  civilization  has  extended.  But 
in  such  a  case,  if  it  were  his  name,  like  Fulton, 
Guttenberg,  Hahnemann,  Berthold  Schwartz, 
Stc,  &c.  It  is  inconceivable  that  humbug  itself 
has  not  long  since  hit  upon  the  speculation  of 


•  Translated  into  EuglisU  about  tea  years  ago. 


ilSB 


DOLORES. 


placing  a  mnnlimenf  to  if?  inventor — to  hum- 
bug with  his  birthpLice,  the  house  in  which  he 
was  born,  the  little  shoes  he  wore  when  a  child, 
the  niiihtonp  in  which  he  slept,  in  short,  "  to 
hutnbu;;"  with  all  the  relics  of  its  immortal  in- 
ventor. What  "  a  new  worhl"  of  humbn:;  would 
be  opened  to  humbug  by  this  apotheosis  of  its  in- 
ventor .'  It  is  indeed  a  thonjlit  which  cannot  be 
gnlUciently  discussed,  as  the  episode  of  a  novel. 
We  ninst  thcrefure  look,  for  its  investigation,  to 
another  literary  work,  to  be  a3  comi)rehen3ive 
as  possible. 

As  every  creature  requires  its  elements  of  ex- 
istence, as  the  bird  lives  in  the  air,  the  fish  in 
the  water,  amphibious  animals  in  both  elements, 
the  swine  in  the  mire,  the  inucltworm  in  the 
stench  of  manure,  Humbug  exists  in  its  element 
— Dullness.  Without  the  element  of  dullness, 
hurobuz  cannot  exist. 

AVhat  is  dullness  ? 

Aristotle-Johnson  says :  "  Dullness  is  stu- 
pidity, indocility,  dimness."  Well;  very  well. 
But  neither  stupidity,  nor  indocility,  nor  dim- 
ness, is  dullness.  The  word  dullness  embraces 
rather  all  the  conceptions  which  lie  at  the  foun- 
dation of  all  these  three  significant  words.  But 
also  the  thorough  and  satisfactory  discussion  of 
the  term  dullness  cannot  be  treated  as  the  episode 
of  any  novel,  but  only  as  the  element  of  hum- 
bug, as  the  so  called  "  life  ()uestion  of  humbug," 
jn  a  philosophic  novel — **  Humbug.''* 

Monsieur  le  Baron  de  Spandau,  a  former  ap- 
prentice to  an  apothecary,  then  a  Prussian  en- 
sign, and  then  sentenced  to  imprisonment  for 
the  practical  development  of  his  talent  in  the 
visitation  of  the  portfolios  of  others,  was,  in  the 
last  capacity,  recognised  as  a  useful  subject  in 
tlie  service  of  the  royal  Prussian  secret  police> 
in  the  department  of  foreign  aflfairs. 

He  was  an  intimate  friend  of  Signore  Parte- 
sotti.t  from  Mantua,  the  celebrated  Austrian  spy 
at  Paris,  who  had  acquired  a  certain  "honor- 
able position"  in  the  history  of  tlie  secret  asso- 
ciations (of  the  police  as  well  as  of  republican 
conspiracies)  of  our  epoch,  and  of  right  deserves 
his  place  in  a  biograpbic.il  dictionary  of  the 
"  bearers  of  court  and  gallows  dignities." 

Monsieur  le  Baron  de  Spandau  had  then  been 
betrothed  to  Miss  .Susan  in  the  same  very  natu- 
ral manner,  as  the  book  publisher's  clerk.  Mon- 
sieur le  Corate  de  B Irom  Milan,  married  a 

Miss  * ,  and  the  Billiard  Marker,  Monsieur 

le  Comto  de  •  from  Smyrna,   married   a 

Lady  * in  London,  in  the  years  l'<.'ji-ls;i.5. 

"  With  liumbug  nofliing  is  impossible,"  could 
very  well  pass  into  a  proverb,  by  the  side  of  the 
old  proverb,  "With  God  nothing  is  impossible." 

It  was  much  more  brilliant  in  Mr.  Thomson's 
country  house  at  Beta  Kogo,  on  this  day  of  be- 
trothal, to  which  we  now  return,  than  it  was 
once  on  that  festive  Sunday,  when  Mr.  Thom- 
son's hopes,  and  expectations,  and  claims  on 
life  were  "  weighed,"  and  Seiiora  Isabella  de 
Campana  was  weighed. 

•  Tlio  author  of  Dolores  possesses  abundant  materials 
for  sucli  a  novel,  aod  holies,  in  a  short  time,  to  com- 
mence upon  it. 

t  Tbe  paper's  of  Ibis  infamous  traitor,  like  the  port- 
folios of  tlie  above  mentioned  Szostakowsk',  have  lall- 
en,  by  a  very  singular  fate,  into  the  hands  of  the  per- 
secutcdt.^uion 


As  soon  as  the  morning  had  fairly  cotnmenised 
"  all  hands  were  called  on  deck,"  to  clean  and 
sweep  all  the  rooms,  chambers,  and  closets  of 
the  "  Villa  Thomson,"  to  turn  about  evci-v  thing 
that  was  in  them,  to  dust  all  the  furniture,  to 
fix  and  fold  all  the  curtains  and  other  drapr-ry, 
as  if  right  should  be  done  for  the  reception  of 
such  respectable  guests,  at  the  head  of  wiom 
was  his  Ex-ellency  the  Minister  of  his  Tianspa- 
rent  Highness  the  Prince  of  and  at  Eniphausen. 

The  old  portraits  of  Vasco  de  Gamo,  and  the 
no  less  immortal  poet  Camocs,  in  valuable  cop- 
perplate engravings  in  glass  and  frame,  (re- 
m.iins  of  the  decayed  propi-rty  of  a  former  pos- 
sessor of  the  villa,  of  Portuguese  nationality,) 
were  as  carefully  wiped  off  and  cleansed  from 
musquito  spots,  as  the  magnificent  picture  of 
Queen  Victoria,  which  had  only  arrived  a  few 
months  before,  as  a  selected  impression  "  avant 
la  lettre,"  from  London,  direct  to  Bota  Fogo, 
and  was  displayed  in  a  broad  rosewood  frame, 
with  gold  borders,  under  crystal  gl.iss,  in  a  small 
vice  cabinet,  next  lo  the  ollen  mentioned  "  green 
parlor." 

His  excellency  the  ambassador  of  Kniphali- 
sen,  made  his  appearance  as  early  as  half-past 
one,  although  he  well  knew  that  the  main  busi- 
ness, to  which  he  had  been  called,  would  first 
begin  at  four  or  half-past  four. 

He  made  use  of  tbe  excuse  of  ofTering  to  the 
extraordinarily  hospitable  Miss  Thomson  his 
especial  congratulation  at  her  betrothal,  in  the 
Ibrm  of  a  morning  visit,  whereby  he  would  par- 
take of  a  sort  of  lunch,  which,  if  eaten  at  the 
Hotel  Faroux,  would  cost,  by  the  bill  of  fare, 
three  mitlreis,  without  wine.  As  we  here  in- 
troduce this  European  and  Brazilian  importaut 
personage,  it  is  right  and  proper  to  specify  the 
qualities  of  his  excellency  at  the  introduction. 

We  therefore  remark,  beforehand,  that  there 
are,  in  the  diplomatic  world,  ambassadors  who 
are  not  diplomatists,  and  diplomatists  who  never 
become  ambassadors. 

Far  be  it  from  us  here  to  engage  in  a  detailed, 
systematic  and  categorical  account  of  the  va- 
rious ijualities  of  diplomatic  characters,  as  there 
are :  Ambassadors  and  ministers,  ministers  pleni- 
potentiary, resident  ministers,  and  ministers 
without  a  residence;  envoyes  extraordinaircs, 
and  envoyes  bien  ordinaires,  charges  d'aflbires, 
and  charges  sans  attaires,  conseiUiersde  legation, 
and  legation  without  either  counsel  or  counsellor; 
first  secretaries  of  the  embassy,  secretaries  of  le- 
gation, public  and  private  attaches,  and  secret 
attaches ;  agents  d'admiuistration  of  the  em- 
bassy, and  secret  agents  of  the  ambassador ; 
valets  de  chambre  of  the  embassy,  and  femmcs 
de  chambre  of  the  ambassador,  &c.,  &.C.,  antl 
however  they  may  all  be  entitled. 

Such  a  systematical,  categorical  classification 
would  be  altogether  too  diplomatically  tedious 
for  an  episode  to  the  betrothal  of  Miss  Susan, 
who  had  had  enough  of  maidenly  tediousiiess 
for  the  last  twenty  years. 

His  excellency,  the  minister  of  "  his  transpa- 
rent highness,"  the  Prince  of  Kniphauseu,  (and 
of  some  other  princes  of  the  Germanic  Confede- 
ration inclusive,)  was  actually  ambassador,  or 
resident  minister  of  his  princes  at  the  imperial 
Brazilian  court,  and  drew  a  yearly  salary  (appa- 
rently by  "  voluntary  contributions"  on  the  part 
of  tlie  courts  which  he  represented)  of  aboutten 


DOLORES. 


289- 


thousand  dollars,  with  extra  table-money  (for 
fhe  maintenance  of  le2;ltiniate  hospitality)  of 
about  two  thousand  dollars,  a  salary  with  which 
he  could  have  very  respectably  represented  the 
•plendor  and  magnificence  of  liis  Prince  of 
Kniphausen,  and  the  aforesaid  other  princes. 
But  his  excellency's  favorite  study  had  always 
been  Political  Economy,  and,  as  a  branch  of  this 
erstem,  he  had  passionately  studied  Private 
Economy,  oneof  tlie  most  interesting  and  lucra- 
tive studies  that  any  ambassador  can  pursue,  who 
draws  a  yearly  salary  of  twelve  thousand  dol- 
lars His  excellency  did  not  at  all  comprehend 
tor  what  purpose  he  should,  so  to  say,  "  run 
through  "  this  yearly  income  in  Rio  de  Janeiro, 
He  inhabited  a  chamber  with  a  closet,  in  the 
third  story  of  the  Hotel  Faroux,  and  had  the 
privilege  of  receiving  a  friend  in  one  of  the 
parlors  of  the  first  story  when  he  chose,  with- 
out thereby  enjoying  the  right  of  sending  any- 
body out  of  the  room,  who,  likewise,  might  be 
receiving  a  friend  there  j\ist  at  that  time.  He 
kept  a  carriage  with  four  horses,  a  coachman, 
and  two  servants  in  livery,  for  particular  au- 
diences and  gala  days,  at  a  celebrated  livery 
stable  on  the  Largo  do  San  Francisco  de  Paolo, 

nnd  paid  so  and  so  much for  every  harnessing 

and  gala  ride. 

As  to  the  expenditure  of  the  extra  table  money, 
he  had,  once  for  all,  adopted  the  principle,  to 
invite  no  one  to  dine  with  him,  but  as  often  as 
possible  to  invite  himself  here  and  there,  to  put 
hiuiself  in  the  way  of  being  invited,  and  (in  case 
this  could  not  be  done  every  day)  to  eat  in  the 
large  dining  room  at  the  Hotel  Faroux,  with  all 
private  economy  of  a  bill  of  fare.  This  "  carte  de 
resta\irant "  was  extremely  well  adapted  to  his 
di[domatic  .station,  in  which  he,  like  every  other 
diplomatist,  was  a  declared  partisan  of  every 
'*  restauration." 

The  ambassador  was  a  tall,  slender  man,  with 
a  somewhat  reddish,  real  diplomatic,  that  is  to 
say,  unspeaking  face,  as  far  as  Silence  is  the 
first  quality  of  diplomatic  dignity.  He  always 
appeared  dressed  in  black,  with  black  gloves, 
like  many  other  gentleman,  and  never  wore 
white  or  yellow  gloves,  from  principle,  from 
private  economy.     He  was  a  man  of  principle. 

He  W^ed  as  a  bachelor,  (which  proceeds  from 
the  above,)  and  as  to  his  intercourse  with  the 
female  sex,  his  connexions  of  that  sort  re- 
mained a  diplomatic  secret,  asamatter  of  course. 
He  was  actively  occupied  in  colonization,  in 
exploring  mines,  and  the  like — as  projects,  with- 
out ever  taking  a  share  in  any  of  them.  He  had 
at  least  so  much  sentiment  of  honor,  as  a  diplo- 
matist, that  he  never  engaged  in  commerce.  He 
had  studied,  was  classically  educated,  and  con- 
sequenlly  knew  that  the  Greeks,  in  the  bloom  of 
their  states,  despised  commerce,  and  committed 
't  to  their  slaves,  while  they  occupied  themselves 
in  science  and  arts,  to  the  honor  of  their  republic. 

Hia  excellency  had  partaken  of  his  lunch,  with 
all  the  presence  of  mind,  and  calm  of  soul  which 
an  ambassador  (although  not  a  diplomatist)  can 
manifest  on  similar  public  and  private  aiifairs. 
He  was  just  then  promenading  in  the  park,  with 
the  principal  person,  or  "  heroine  of  the  day," 
Miss  Susan  Thomson,  the  future  "  Baroness  de 
Spandau,"  and  was  playing  upon  the  Portuguese 
aatiunai  instrument,  the  Palito,  just  as  the  mar- 
37 


chardura  of  Monsieur  le  Baron  de  Spandau, 
stamped  at  the  garden  gate. 

The  aforesaid  Portuguese  national  instrument, 
the  palito,  is  a  small,  thin,  flexible,  but  stiff 
piece  of  wood,  about  three  inches  long,  of  tho 
thickness  of  a  knife,  smooth,  and  pointed  at  both 
ends.  It  is  played  with  the  thumb  and  the  tws 
longest  fingers  of  the  right  or  left  hand,  on  beinj 
passed  between  two  teeth  of  the  upper  or  lower 
jaw  and  gives  out  no  sounds. —  Such  is  the  Por- 
tuguese national  instrument,  the  palito,  in  pro- 
fane English,  "  tooth  pick,"  the  practical  use  of 
which  (as  of  every  musical  instrument,  with  or 
without  sound)  requires  a  particular  degree  of 
artistical  skill,  which  is  a  national  peculiarity  of 
the  Portusuese. 

This  well  known  musical  entertainment,  "  of 
good  tone"  without  sound,  is  genuine  diplomatic 
in  its  nature,  for  being  connected  with  noise- 
less silence,  it  is  of  assistance  in  a  thousand  cases, 
where  a  man  of  bo?i  ton  does  not  know  what  to 
do  with  the  other  hand  ;  a  case  which  happen! 
but  too  frequently  in  the  unbusied  "  great 
world." 

The  predominant  passion  of  the  Portuguese, 
"  translated  into  Brazilian,"  made  an  article  of 
commerce  of  this  instrument,  which  is  '*  im- 
ported" from  Europe  in  an  incredible  nundser  of 
boxes,  with  other  Nuremberg  toys,  as  a  "  very 
important  article." 

The  ambassador  was  just  then  playing  th« 
palito,  beside  the  future  Baroness  de  Spandau, 
\  when  the  stamping  of  a  horse's  hool's  was  heard, 
that  had  carried  the  baron  from  the  city  to  Bota 
Fogo.  It  is  self-evident  that  Miss  Susan  could 
not  possibly  receive  the  baron  in  the  presence  of 
a  third  (and  even  diplomatic)  person,  under  the 
present  (and  to  her  never  before  happened)  cir- 
cumstances, notwithstanding  the  State  of  Silencff 
j  which  this  person  represented.  Miss  Susan 
I  therefore  left  the  ambassador,  w^ith  a  short  "  beg 
pardon,"  and  hurried  by  the  sweet  scented 
shrubbery,  through  the  park,  into  a  side  wing, 
and  through  all  sorts  of  doors  and  passages,  t* 
her  chamber  in  the  main  building  of  the  VilU 
Thomson. 

Mr.  Thomson  had  delivered  Miss  Susan'i 
reply  to  the  baron  personally,  early  in  the  morn- 
ing, who,  at  her  slightly  intimated  wish,  sent  a 
written  word  by  his  negro  on  horseback,  to  hii 
bride,  at  eleven  o'clock  in  the  forenoon  of  the 
same  day. 

So  Mis?  Thomson  had  something  written, 
something  legal,  and  legally  binding  on  the  part 
of  her  betrothed,  which,  if  necessary,  could  bo 
made  valid  "  before  court." 

Far  be  it  that  Miss  Susan  in  the  least  feared 
such  a  case  of  the  future.  By  no  means.  But 
experience  showed  so  many  unfortunate  cases, 
that  a  young  girl,  dechu'ed  by  this  or  that  man 
to  be  his  bride,  and  then  deserted  by  the  bride- 
groom, had  become  a  subject  of  conversation  at 
the  expense  of  her  good  name ;  a  tragic  contrast, 
to  being  a  subject  of  conversation,  to  the  ac- 
knowledgement of  her  fair  fame  as  a  betrothed. 
For  it  is  entirely  undeniable,  that  the  good 
name  of  a  young  girl  is  never  established  more 
brilliantly  than  by  her  betrothal. 

The  baron  ran  through  the  principal  alley 
without  noticing  the  ambassador,  whom  he  per- 
haps saw.  The  latter  was  possible,  fui-  his  ex- 
cellency was  "  visible  "  as  he  hurried  by  hiin  at 


«90 


DOLORES. 


a -short  distance.  But  the  baron  did  not  notice 
any  Ambassadorship,  when  he  hastened  into  the 
villa,  and  a  negro  in  livery  conducted  hiti  to 
Miss  Susan's  private  apartment.  The  "  written" 
assurance  of  the  betrothal  on  his  |)art  had  taken 
place,  and  the  betrothal  "  by  mouth"  was  now  to 
be  celebrated.  How  a  betrothal  after  the  English 
custom  is  celebrated  by  mouth,  is  to  us  a  diplo- 
matic secret.  The  materials  of  our  novel  observe 
a  strict  diplomatic  silence  upon  tliis  point. 

The  auib.issador  wallied  from  the  park  back 
into  the  green  parlor,  where,  according  to  Bra- 
zilian custom,  various  kinds  of  wine,  and  also 
water,  stood  upon  a  small  table,  for  the  general 
use  of  the  visiters  who  might  go  in  and  out. 
This  Brazilian  "  going  in  and  out"  of  the  visit- 
ers was  not  exactly  an  English  custom,  and 
contradicted  the  closed  garden  gate,  fastened 
with  thick  English  bolts.  But  on  this  particular 
day,  the  Brazilian  table  of  refreshments  was 
loaded  in  proper  order.  The  ambassador  did 
not,  indeed,  like  the  Brazilians,  (for  they  were  a 
rebellious  nation,  and  he  was  the  ambassador  of 
several  monarchies,)  but  he  liked  many  Brazil- 
ian customs,  and  likewise  the  Madeira,  and  port, 
and  sherry,  in  the  clear  shining  crystal  decan- 
ters upon  the  small  table. 

He  went  to  the  small  table,  did  his  best,  "  pour 
passer  le  temps,"  and  had  scarcely  entered  the 
park  again,  when  the  Baron  de  Spandau  pre- 
sented his  betrothed  bride  to  him. 

What  an  event  in  Miss  Susan's  life  of  forty 
years ! —  She  was  not  only  the  future  Baroness 
de  Spandau,  but  was  presented,  as  such,  to  His 
Excellency,  the  Resident  Minister  of  "his  Trans- 
parent Highness "  the  Prince  of  Kniphausen. 
It  was  clearly  one  of  the  most  interesting  sub- 
jects for  an  article  of  "  high  life"  of  any  English 
court  newspaper,  at  least  the  most  interesting 
article  tor  iVIiss  Susan  Thomson. 

Towards  four  o'clock  tlie  blue  coach  rolled  up 
to  the  garden  gate.  Mr.  Thomson  had  ridden  to 
the  Gloria,  according  to  agreement, where  he  had 
taken  in  Dr.  Thorfin,  Captain  Hinango,  and 
Robert.  Immediately  after  them  appeared  the 
invited  clergyman,  the  Revereud,  in  a  dusty  hired 
cab. 

The  introduction  act  of  the  bride  and  bride- 
groom— of  his  Ambassadorship,  of  the  condemn- 
ed Russian  ex-naval  officer,  and  of  the  clergy- 
man, was  performed  with  all  ceremony. 

His  diplomatic  excellency,  the  ambassador  who 
had  been  invited  to  this  dinner,  was  introduced 
to  the  other  guests,  as  his  Excellency,  etc.  He 
was,  as  such,  to  take  a  seat  of  honor  at  the  table, 
(as  a  personified  diploma,  to  increase  the  re- 
spectability of  the  house,)  had  of  course  per- 
formed his  first  duty,  an<l  now  waited  with  a 
certain  legitimate  right  for  the  second  service, 
the  dinner  itself,  that  should  do  him  its  service. 
The  atl'air  was  quite  in  order,  and  no  "  Interven- 
tion "  was  to  be  feared. 

The  clergyman  was  a  minister  of  the  Church 
of  England,  et  voila  tout.  He  represented  the 
"  Church  " — which  (as  is  said  in  Eaust)  "  has  a 
large  belly,  and  has  already  devoured  whole 
countries."  The  meagre  English  clergyman, 
(like  so  many  others,  treated  by  the  mother 
church,  with  all  her  fat  bishops,  in  a  very  step- 
motherly manner,)  had  likewise  a  legitimate 
right  to  await  the  betrothal  dinner,  for  he  had 
been  invited  to  it. 


Mr.  Thomson  went  off  for  a  moment  to  ar- 
range his  toilet,  and  then  appeared  again  in  the 
park,  and  on  his  arm  also  appeared  iiis  neice. 
Miss  Fanny  Walker,  from  Buenos  Ayres,  whom 
he  introduced  to  the  ambassador  and  to  the 
clergyman,  and  who  also  made  a  most  gracious 
and  sfiti* courtesy  to  Iier  former  travelling  com- 
panion. Captain  Hinango.  Her  right  hand  trem- 
bled to  be  reached  to  her  intimate  friend  and  pro- 
tector, and  to  press  his — but  it  must  remain  by 
her  side  without  accomplishing  it — for  Mi.ss 
Fanny  was  an  English  woman,  and  a  solemn 
scene  of  introduction  of  entire  "  strangers  "  was 
taking  place  about  her.  All  eyes  were  directf"d 
upon  her — she  must  remain  "  Miss  Fanny,"  and, 
as  such,  look  belbre  her. 

Robert  alone  had  the  right  to  .«tep  up  to  her, 
to  shake  her  hand,  and  to  ask,  with  all  hearti- 
ness, **  how  do  you  do,  Fanny  ?"  for  he  was  her 
brother,  whom  Mr.  Thomson,  to-day  more  than 
ever,  wished  "  to  the  devil,"  notwithstanding  he 
was  his  own  nephew. 

A  large  genuine  English  bell  sounded,  and  the 
company  went  into  the  green  parlor,  the  future 
baroness  on  the  arm  of  her  baron.  Miss  Fanny 
on  the  arm  of  old  Mr.  Thomson,  (who  was  not 
certainly  so  very  old,)  "Church  and  State" 
walked  beside  each  other,  and  Dr.  Thorfin  arm 
in  arm  with  Hinango.  The  seats  were  occupied. 
Corinna  stood  behind  the  chair  of  her  mistress, 
Acliilles  behind  that  of  Hinango,  and  behind 
every  guest  was  stationed  a  negro  in  livery,  for 
the  green  parlor  was  very  spacious.  A  turtle 
soup  a  la  Faroux  opened  the  dinner. 

The  ambassador  suffered  from  a  weak  stomach, 
and  had  a  tumbler  of  Madeira  poureii  out  for  him, 
j  before  taking  the  soup.  That  was  quite  in  order, 
'auddid  not  increase  the  bill.  At  first  the  conver- 
sation was  dull,  as  usual  at  every  first  "  course" 
of  a  diplomatic  dinner.  After  a  while  a  word 
was  taken  up,  and  became  a  thread  of  social  dis- 
course about  the  various  events  of  the  da}',  which 
did  not  particularly  interest  any  one,  least  of  all 
the  two  betrothed,  whom  henceforth  (as  a  future 
married  couple)  nothing  interested — nothing  in 
the  wide  world  but  themselves. 

"  How  are  you  getting  along  with  your  coloni- 
zation in  St.  Cat.Harina .'  does  it  go  on  well .'  il 
1  may  ask .'"  inquired  tlie  ambassador,  of  the 
master  of  the  house,  after  he  had,  during  a  full 
quarter  of  an  liour,  done  his  part  at  the  table 
with  diplomatic  silence,  and  let  his  jaws  rest  a 
little,  in  order  to  commence  again  all  the  better. 

"  Pretty  well,"  replied  Mr.  Thomson.  "  Two 
ships  are  now  loading  at  Antwerp ;  they  will 
bring  out  laborers,  and  there  is  one  ship  in 
Liverpool,  which  will  take  on  board  necessaries 
for  the  colony  ;  and  we  now  expect  our  main 
geologist,  or  engineer,  i\lr.  Closting,  whom  you 
perhaps  know  by  name.  I  even  believe  that  he 
will  come  to-day." 

Robert  had  just  then  a  pair  of  turkeys  (a  male 
and  female)  before  him,  in  violet  s.iuce,  a  la 
Duchesse  de  Kent,  to  carve,  and  tore  apart  with 
real  fury  the  artificially  enfolded  wings,  which 
the  cook  had  unnecessarily  locked  in  each  other 
His  youtliful  brow  was  drawn  up  in  wrinkles  on 
account  of  the  ditiiculties  of  separating  the 
vexatious  wings. 

"  1  have  heard  of  him,"  answered  the  diplo- 
matist, in  a  tone  of  indifference. 

"  He  is  said  to  be  a  skilful  roan  of  business,  « 


DOLORES. 


29t 


Mtiart  feKow,  "  observed  Dr.  Thnrfin,  with  a 
sharp  glance  at  Robert,  who  worked  away  at 
separating  the  wings  of  the  turkeys. 

'*  A  remarkable  man,"  assorted  the  baron,  "  a 
man  of  much  talent,  of  .solid  learning,  and  of 
respectable  connexions  here  at  court,  as  I  hear." 

"  That  is  easily  understood,"  exclaimed  Mr. 
Thomson,  "  II  would  besides  he  a  great  pity,  if 
«uch  a  man  was  not  prized  for  his  business 
talent.  As  to  the  rest,"  he  added,  with  a  pecu- 
liar tone,  "  as  to  the  rest,  I  do  not  know  him, 
except  in  my  bnsine.ss  transactions  with  him  in- 
directly, throui:h  his  partner.  Otherwise  I  am 
not  acquainted  with  him  at  all." 

By  this  explanation  Mr.  Thomson  protected 
himself  from  every  ajip'earance  of  being  con- 
nected with  a  man,  concerning  whom  this  and 
that  report  was  ado.it,  whereby  he  maintained  his 
British  principle,  "  a  business  acquaintance  is 
no  connexion. 

"  You  will  probably  soon  undertake  a  journey 
to  Santa  Cathavina,  yourself,"  the  ambassador 
again  asked.  "It  is  called  one  of  the  finest 
provinces  of  Brazil,  as  I  hear." 

"  It  is  a  wonderful  country,  a  paradise,  a  real 
paradise,"'  asserted  Mr.  Thomson  ;  "  I  shall  make 
a  journey  there — in  about  five  or  six  weeks — or 
in  two  months — when  it  is  a  little  cooler.  I  shall 
lake  Miss  Fanny  then  ;  she  has  seen  but  little  of 
Brazil  yet.  You  vi'iU  accompanyme,  Miss  Fanny, 
will  you  not.'  to  .Santa  Catharina  ?" 

"  It  will  certainly  be  very  agreeable  to  me  to 
accompany  you,"  replied  the  niece  with  British 
prudishness. 

"  It  will  certainly  be  very  agreeable  to  me  to 
accompany  you  !"  repented  Mr.  Thomson  silently 
to  himself,  for  he  placed  much  in  these  words — 
much — very  much  !  if  one  should  rightly  con- 
sider the  "  To  accompany  you."  What  was 
there  not  in  these  words  ?  And  then  even,  "  It 
will  be  very  agreeable  to  me !"  In  fact,  Mr. 
Thomson  could  not  expect  a  more  satisfactory 
answer. 

"  Then  we  will  travel  together,  my  future 
brother-in-law  1"  exclaimed  the  bridegroom  ; 
"  will  we  not  my  dear .'"  (said  he,  turning  to  his 
bride,)  "  and  celebrate  our  wedding  in  Santa 
Catharina !" 

If  a  virgin  face  was  ever  suffused  with  a  legiti- 
mate purple  red,  or  ever  smiled  with  joyful  self- 
satisfaction,  that  face  was  Miss  .Susan's,  for  she 
had  a  legitimate  right  to  blush,  and  she  had 
waited  long  enough  for  that  right — that  God 
knew. 

"An  excellent  idea,"  said  Mr.  Thomson,  laugh- 
ing, with  an  inquiring  look  at  Miss  Fanny — 
inquiring  so  far  as  she  was  to  give  her  consent 
to  accompany  them  to  Santa  Catharina.  "If  it 
suits  you,  in  about  two  months.  Miss  Fanny  ?"  he 
now  asked  with  a  certain  exacting  decision. 

"  I  shall  always  gladly  accompany  you,  dear 
ancle !"  was  her  answer,  and  Mr.  Thomson 
seemed  more  than  content,  apart  from  the  fatal 
"  dear  uncle,"  an  appendix  that  the  circumstan- 
ces of  her  present  incognito  indeed  very  natu- 
rally made  requisite. 

"  It  shall  be  areal  journey  of  pleasure  !"  he  ex- 
claimed, and  filled  himself  a  glass.  The  am- 
bassador, (as  a  matter  of  course,  well  acquainted 
with  English  customs,)  had  immediately  after  the 
first  course  "  requested  the  honor  "  to  empty  a 
glass  to  the  health  of  the  lady  of  the  house.  Just 


as  little  did  his  ambassadorship  neglect  to  drink 
to  Miss  Fanny's  health,  and  as  there  was  no  other 
lady  present,  his  ambassadorship  afterwards 
drank  Mr.  Thomson's  health,  and  Robert's  health, 
and  Dr.  Thorfiu's  health,  and  so  on,  with  and 
without  "  health,"  as  many  times  as  he  was  rep» 
re.sentative  of  courts  that  salaried  him. 

"  To  our  prosperous  journey  to  Santa  Catha- 
rina !  Miss  Fanny,"  exclaimed  Mr.  Thomson, 
and  cast  a  glance  at  his  niece,  that  expressed  as 
much  "  uncleish"  satisfaction  as  an  old  widower 
ever  cast  at  a  young  lady. 

Miss  Fanny  nodded  a  tender  Engli.sh  approval. 

"  .And  you  must  go  along  Robert,"  exclaimed 
Mr.  Thomson,  as  he  emptied  his  glass  to  the  last 
drop  ;  "  you  must  go  too,  and  must  look  you 
up  a  bride  by  that  lime,  and  we  will  make  a 
wedding — we  will  "celebrate"  a  wedding,  I 
would  say — Aunt  Susan's  wedding  and  yours,  at 
the  same  time  !" 

Robert  blushed  again  and  again.  Dr.  Thorfin 
looked  him  sharply  in  the  eye.  Hinango,  who 
sat  by  him,  remarked  that  the  youth  trembled. 
"  1  will  naturally  go  with  you,"  he  replied,  and 
endeavored  to  conceal  his  embarrassment,  "  if 
my  sister  goes ;  I  never  separate  from  her,  you 
know  that  uncle  ;  and  if  you  were  going  to  Con- 
stantinople altogether,  I  would  accompany  my 
sister  " 

Dr.  Thorfin  cast  a  glance  at  Hinango ex- 
pressing all  they  had  said  before  dinner  in  relation 
to  Robert's  accompanying  on  such  a  journey. 

Mr.  Thomson  had  long  since  felt  all  personal 
security  in  regard  to  his  purpose,  as  he  had  more 
than  sufficiently  convinced  himself  that  Robert 
was  any  thing  but  his  rival,  what  he  had  once 
feared ;  notwithstanding,  he  could  not  bear  to  see 
him  press  Dolores'  hand. 

"  You  will  leave  us  soon  too,  captain  ?"  Thor- 
fin asked  his  friend  Hinango,  to  give  him  an  op- 
portunity to  intimate  that  he  would  leave  the 
field  clear  for  the  baron. 

"  I  shall  probably  return  to  Hayti  in  about  a 
fortnight,  he  replied  in  a  conversational  tone. 
My  ship  is  getting  fitted  out  gradually,  and  will 
increase  our  unpretending  fleet  of  the  negro  re* 
public. 

"  You  have  been  long  in  the  service  of  the 
Haytian  repulilic,  if  1  may  ask  .'"  said  the  baron 
to  him,  with  the  mildest  tone  imaginable  as 
bridegroom. 

"  Ever  since  I  left  the  Russian  service,  baron," 
was  the  unsatisfactory  answer. 

"  It  will  be  best  to  determine  immediately 
the  day  of  our  departure  to  Santa  Catharina  !" 
exclaimed  Mr.  Thomson,  as  the  champagne  wa* 
poured  out ;  "  we  are  now  in  the  middle  of  Jan- 
uary— then  comeS  February,  March — we  will 
appoint  the  1.5th  of  March  as  the  day  of  our  de- 
parture from  the  Bay  of  Rio.  We  will  take  some 
convenient  vessel.  I  have,  besides,  a  cargo  to 
load  for  my  colony  there,  and  after  to-morrow  I 
will  make  my  arrangements  accordingly.  Have 
any  of  you  any  thing  against  it,  gentlemen  and 
ladies.'  the  l.'5th  of  March,  under  sail  for  .Santa 
Catharina  ?  He  addressed  the  four  relations  with 
this  parliamentary  proposition,  (in.ismuch  as  tha 
baron  might  be  included  amongst  them)  and  no 
particular  contradiction  appeared  upon  the  coun- 
tenances of  any  one.  On  the  contrary,  the  baruo 
joyfully  gave  his  assent,  and  Miss  I-'anny's  coua* 
tenance  could  very  naturally  express  no  denial 


3S2 


DOLORES. 


She  wag:  her  uncle's  niece,  the  child  of  the 
house,  for  whose  pleasure  this  proposition  was 
originally  made. 

"  So  it  is  agreed  upon,"  he  repeated.  "  We 
will  sail  on  the  1.5lh  of  March,  and  His  Reverence 
cen  by  that  lime  have  provided  us  with  a  worthy 
cleriryman  for  our  ccJony  at  Santa  Catharina,  as  1 
requested  you  to  do  this  very  morning — "  he  con- 
tinued, turning  to  the  clergyman,  who  had  nntil 
then  eaten  and  drank  more  than  he  had  talked. 

"  If  I  am  not  mistaken,  there  has  been  an 
English  clergyman  for  some  time  at  Santa  Cath- 
arina, or  at  least  at  the  islanfJ  of  that  name — a 
missionary,"  he  repeated  slowly  and  in  a  dry 
pulpit  manner.  "  But  I  shall,  nevertheless,  not 
omit  to  do  my  best,  at  your  command,  for  the 
extension  of  the  gospel  and  our  High  Church,"  he 
added  as  slowly,  and  worked  on  at  the  pudding 
that  had  been  served  up  in  its  turn.  The  con 
versation  became  more  lively;  the  ".journey  of 
pleasure"  afforded  abundant  materia). 

Robert  sat  as  if  upon  coals — he  would  have 
wished  that  the  long  sitting  at  table  had  been 
shorter,  and  yet — a  thought  penetrated  him — 
perhaps  now — perhaps  at  that  vei-y  moment  Mr. 
Closting  had  returned  home— and  the  woman 
who  had  once  breathed  in  hisear  "  for  eternity  1" 
lay  perhaps  in  the  arms  of  a  man  whom  he 
wished  in  England,  that  he  might  "transact  bu- 

Biness"  with  whom  he  liked. 

Hour  alter  hour  passed  at  table.  At  last  the 
ladies  retired,  according  to  English  c^tstom,  and 
the  drinking  was  to  commence.  But  if  was  a 
betrothal  dinner,  and  the  baron  soon  followed 
his  bride  into  the  garden.  Robert  found  occa- 
sion thereby  to  rise,  and  likewise  to  accompany 
his  friend  Hinango  to  the  open  air.  Dr.  Thorfin 
"  stuck"  to  the  table,  that  the  whole  company 
should  not  go  out  in  the  air,  where  Hinango  and 
Dolores  might  at  least  say  a  few  words  to  each 
other. 

The  bride  and  bridegroom  walked  about  the 
"labyrinths"  of  the  park,  and  Dolores  enjoyed 
the  society  of  a  confidant,  vi-ith  whom  she  had 
until  then  lived  almost  uninterruptedly  in  spirit, 
for  she  prcfiared  with  him  the  literary  expedi- 
tion to  Rio  Grande,  which  was  carried  to  and 
fro  between  both  by  Dr.  Thorfin.  Her  first 
inquiry  concerned  Horatio,  the  favorite  of  her 
Boul,  the  boy  who  had  become  a  man  at  the 
•catlold  of  his  relatives,  and  whom  she  would 
■0  gladly  have  seen  from  time  to  time. 

Hinango  answered  the  question  dictated  by 
the  warmest  friendship,  as  explicitly  as  he 
could,  and  then  proceeded  with  compressed 
brevity,  on  account  of  the  danger  of  being  dis- 
turbed by  the  old  widower,  to  the  disclosure  of 
a  plan  concerning  the  future  of  Dolores,  that  he 
bad  consulted  about  with  Horatio  and  Dr.  Tlior- 
Cn  before  the  blue  coach  took  them  in.  "  Dr. 
Thorfin,"  said  he,  "  will  communicate  much  to 
jou,  when^ou  next  see  him,  in  relation  to  your 
position  here  in  Rio.  You  must  depart;  and 
no  better  opportunity  could  present  itself  than 
Mr.  Thomson's  projected  journey  to  Santa  Ca- 
tharina. Horatio  wilt  soon  go  to  Celeste  in  Rio 
Grande.  Get  your  letter  ready  for  him.  The 
province  of  Rio  Grande  is  for  the  present  secure 
from  subjugation  on  the  part  of  monarchy. 
Vouwill  find  an  asylum  there  with  some  res- 
pected family  of  the  country,  unless  you  should 
prefer  Monte  Video.     1  shall  go  to  sea  in  a  fort- 


night, and  shall  steer  forBahia,  in  arier  to  ■Vffi 
off  the  espionage  that  watches  us.  Celesta 
stands  in  Rio  Grande  at  the  head  of  a  patriotic 
committee,  and  at  his  request  Barigaldi  will 
cruize  before  Santa  Catharina  with  the  Maz/.mi, 
where  I  will  join  him,  and  take  you  on  board, 
to  assist  you  to  Rio  Grande  or  Monte  Video 
This  is  our  plan  for  your  deliverance.  You  are 
in  danger  here;  but  compose  yourself— fear  no- 
tliing. '  Robert  will  accompany  you.  Achilles 
uiul-emain  with  you  ;  and  the  stout  Irishman, 
who  took  the  cutter  on  the  river  La  Plata,  will 
likewise  be  near  voi!  in  Robert's  service,  if  ne- 
cessary to  collar  the  baron.  You  know  his  po- 
sition ?  I  mean  the  bamn's  !" 

"Can  it  be  possible?  is  he  a  spy.'"  asked 
Dolores,  in  as  low  a  voice  as  Hinango  had  spo- 
ken to  her.  ,       a-        J 

"  As  certainly  as  I  am  Hinango,"  he  affirmea, 

"  And  1  will'  do  my  duty  that  the  scoundrel 
shall  never  become  my  uncle,"  whispered  Ro- 
bert. "  I  will  accompany  you,  Seiiora  Dolores, 
to  Rio  Grande,  or  to  Monte"  Video;  there  is  my 
hand  upon  it." 

"  You  consent  to  our  plan,  then,"  Hinanga 
again  asked. 

"  Entirely  !  to  all  that  you  have  resolved  upon 
and  shall  command  for  my  deliverance,"  replied 
Dolores,  and  pressed  the  hands  of  both. 

Mr.  Thomson  just  then  came  around  the  cor- 
ner of  some  shrubbery  with  the  amli^issador,  and 
considered  it  very  superiliwus  that  Miss  Fanny 
should  give  Captain  Hinango  her  hand  in  con- 
versation. .  , 

Coffee  was  presented,  according:  to  Brazilran 
custom,  and  the  company  amused  themselves 
with  all  unconstraint  at  the  celebration  of  the 
betrothal. 


CHAPTER    VI. 


The  company  at  Bota  Fogo  remained  together 
until  late,  tor  a  cheerful,  social  tone  prevailed, 
notwithstanding  the  different  elements  of  which 
it  was  composed,  or,  perhaps,  for  the  very  rea- 
son that  it  was  composed  of  such  diflerent  ele- 
ments, and  each  one  sacrificed  himself  for  the 
company.  The  ambassador  even  became  talk- 
ative towards  Hinango,  and  spoke  of  his  former 
social  relations,  which  were  no  secret  in  Rio. 

Towards  midnight  the  blue  coach  and  a  cab- 
riolet, with  Mr.  Thomson's  livery,  took  the  guests 
to  the  Gloria,  and  into  the  city. 

Robert  made  use  of  his  gate  key  with  a  throb- 
bing heart.  He  found  all  in  the  garden  dead  and 
silent ;  no  light  inGracia's  pavilion,  who  had,  on 
no  former  evening,  retired  to  rest  without  bid- 
ding  him   "  good   night," 

The  negress  Anna  appeared  with  a  lamp  to 
light  Robert's  candle  with. 

"  Senhora  Gracia  has  gone  to  the  city  ;  Senhor 
has  come,"  remarked  Anna,  and  looked  npon 
the  ground,  for  she  did  not  venture  to  read  ths 
effect  of  her  words  in  Robert's  countenance. 

The  poor  old  negress  had  a  heart.  Theyoulll 
trembled — a  shudder  passed  over  him 


DOLORES 


29$ 


"Well,  Anna,  go  to  bed,  I  have  matches,  I 
win  light  my  candle  myself,"  he  replied,  and 
Anna  wished  him  good  night. 

'*  Good  night,"  he  repeated,  partly  in  reply  to 
the  well  meant  wish,  partly  speaking  to  himself, 
and  entered  his  pavilion.  "  1  would  not  wish 
my  worst  enemy  a  good  night  like  this — and 
those  which  are  tn  folUiw  I"  he  sighed. 

A  visiting  card  hiy  upon  his  desk,  with  the 
inscription,  "  JVIr.  Forro  &,  Co.,"  and  under  tljis 
was  written,  with  a  lead  pencil,  "Mr.  P.  C.  L. 
riosting." 

So  the  husband  of  his  female  friend  had  ta- 
ken his  wife  away,  and  had  already  learned 
I'rom  Mr.  Forro  that  Rubert  was  her  neiglibor, 
that  he  was  the  same  Mr.  Walker  with  wliom 
his  partner,  and  he  likewise,  (uf  course,)  were 
doing  bijsiness. 

So  far  all  was  in  order. 

He  went  to  his  closet,  and  found  a  white  rose 
upon  his  dressing  table.  It  seemed  to  be  a  natural 
one.  Robert  raised  it  up  to  enjoy  the  scent,  and 
found  it  singularly  heavy.  It  was  one  artilicially 
arranged  from  Cacadu  leathers,  but  how  could 
the  Cacadu  feathers  be  so  heavy  >  He  examined 
it,  and  discovered  that  the  cup  of  the  irmer 
leaves  could  be  taken  out ;  he  took  it  out,  and  a 
ring  fell  upon  the  floor,  with  the  inscription, 
"  Gloria." 

It  was  a  name  he  had  given  his  female 
friend,  as  he  jestingly  called  her  "  Nossa  Senhora 
da  Gloria."  The  gift  and  the  symbol  agitated 
him ;  he  followed  the  conne.vion  of  ideas,  and 
the  image  of  his  beloved,  which  was  never  absent 
from  him  a  second,  appeared  to  him  in  spirit, 
in  the  arms  of  a  man. 

It  was  late — past  midnight.  His  fancy  wan- 
dered to  the  reality  which  surrounded  his  friend. 
He  put  the  ring  on  his  hand  ;  the  blood  seemed  to 
leave  his  veins  ;  he  stared  fixedly  about  him — his 
eye  caught  the  pistol  which,  loaded  as  usual, 
hung  by  his  bed.     He  thought  of  his  duty  in 

regard   to  the  deliverance  of  Dolores and 

trembled. 

At  last  he  threw  himself  in  an  arm  chair  be- 
side his  bed,  in  which  he  was  still  sitting  when 
the  morning  dawned  upon  him. 


&.#.^^.#>tfVM  — 


CHAPTER    VII. 

THE    HAPPY    MARRIED   COUPI.E. 

Patrick  had  brought  back  the  letter  to  Sally, 
and  talked  a  great  deal  to  her.  She  now  learnt 
from  him,  for  the  first  time,  as  circumstantially 
as  he  coiild  relate  to  her,  who  the  young  lady 
was  whose  life  was  in  danger;  to  whom  the 
baron  was  betrothed  ;  and  nearly  what  sort  of  a 
man  Hinango  was — whose  life  was  the  next 
subject  of  consideration. 

"  if  a  nagur  was  to  be  hired  for  two  patacks 
to  stab  him,"  said  Patrick,  "  be  Jasus  and  I'd  as 
lave  take  the  strike  nieself,  to  kape  it  alf  from 
Captain  Hinango.  1  tell  you  wh.it.  Miss  Caro- 
line, that  same's  a  jintleman  quite  intirely  ;  in 
troth,  a  rale  sailor,  I  tell  you,  as  iver  walked  the 
<Juarter  deck  in  navy  uniform,  and  cast  a  '  keep- 
coarae '  to  the  maa  at  the  helm  into  the  compass. 


"  And  now  couldn't  you  give  ns  a  hint  about 
what  goes  on  here  fornenst,  and  I'll  give  you  a 
chance  to  make  reports  to  the  baron,  so  as  he 
shall  niver  be  the  wiser  but  you're  spying  me  all 
the  time." 

"  Patrick,"  interrupted  the  poor  girl,  "  I  have 
yet  a  commission  to  give  yo«.  If  I  should  re- 
solve to  see  Ca|)tain  Hinango  or  Dr.  Thorfin,  it 
would  be  because  1  seek  their  protection,  to  re- 
turn with  some  family  to  E\irope  ;  but  it  must  be 
with  a  family,  and  not  alone,  .^nd  that  I  can 
do  only  through  the  recommendations  of  such 
men  as  the  two  friends,  as  they  will  grant  me  the 
necessary  confidence,  bi  which  I  may  perhaps 
lay  claim,  after  all  that  the  friends  have  until 
now  learnt  from  me  and  by  me." 

"  And  faith,  its  that  same  they'd  be  glad  to  do, 
itherof 'em,  the  captain  or  Dr.  Thorfin,  if  so  be 
they  can  ;  and  sure  I'll  send  'em  word  all  about 
it  be  Lucy,  for  I'll  not  be  going  there  meself,  or 
the  baron'd  be  alter  finding  out  that  it's  under  a 
false  flag  I'm  sailing." 

"  Can  you  rely  upon  Lucy,  Patrick  ?" 

'*  Is  it  Lucy  ?  be  Jasus,  Miss  Caroline,  and 
I'm  sure  of  her  as  I  am  uf  Ca|it.iin  Hinango! 
She's  niver  been  a  navy  o0icer,  to  be  sure,  like 
him  ;  hut  I  know  her  heart  like  me  <nvn  pocket 
— and  troth  that's  often  empty  ;  and  1  know 
Lncy  right  well,  and  that's  the  truth.  Miss  Car- 
oline; and  I'd  thrust  her  wid  Ihe  whole  red- 
haired  Pat  (ientleboy  ;  and  its  good  care  she'd 
be  taking  of  him,  be  day  and  be  night !" 

Sally  could  hardly  restrain  a  smile,  although 
she  was  by  no  means  in  a  situation  which  was 
calculated  to  excite  one. 

■'  Well,  Patrick,"  replied  she,  "  then  commu- 
nicate, by  Lucy,  to  Captain  Hinango  and  Dr. 
Thorfin,  what  I  have  told  you.  Lucy  may  come 
to  fetch  work  from  time  to  time,  and  in  this  way 
she  can  give  you  intelligence." 

"  And  that's  thrue  for  you,  ma'ra  and  so  I 
know  now  what  course  I'll  be  steering;  and 
shure  I'll  not  lave  the  helm  till  Captain  Hinango 
goes  to  sea  wid  the  .^strata.  Farewell,  Miss 
(Caroline — but  stop  a  bit — and  shure  you'll  not 
be  going  away  from  this  so  long  as  Captain  Ili- 
nango's  here.  We  must  both  of  us  sarve  the 
baron,  and  he  must  3.\rve  us  'till  the  young  lady 
and  all  the  lave  of  them  have  clawetl  out  of  the 
I'larbor.  We  must  hold  on  so  long,  be  night  and 
be  day  !" 

"  1  see  that,"  sighed  Sally,  and  Patrick  took 
leave  and  withdrew. 

We  pass  over  the  events  of  the  night  which 
took  place  after  the  betrothal  and  the  return  of 
Mr.  (iiosting,  and  find  Robert  on  the  following 
morning  in  his  othce  in  the  Rua  Direita,  as  pale 
as  death,  porh.ips  the  result  of  a  cold  that  he 
might  have  taken  in  his  uncle's  park,  at  Bota 
Fogo. 

He  was  just  then  busied  in  correspondence  in 
relation  to  the  colony  at  Santa  Catharina,  as  two 
gentlemen  approached  the  grate  of  his  "  cage." 
One  was  Mr.  Forro,  who  introduced  the  other 
to  him  as  Mr.  Closting. 

Mr.  Robert  Walker  looked  up  from  his  writing 
pa|)er,  and  saw  beside  Mr.  Forro  a  man  whose 
exterior  manifested  no  prominent  quality.  He 
was  a  short,  robust,  square  built  man,  whose 
piercing  look  roved  about  unsteadily. 

"  I  am  happy  to  make  your  acquaintance," 


294 


DOLORES. 


replied  Robert,  as  he  laid  down  his  mother-of- 
pearl  penholder,  and  involuntarily  turned  the 
rin^,  which  since  a  certain  hour  had  remained  on 
his  finger,  and  perhajis  a  little  embarrassed  him. 

"  I  hear  from  inv  v."ife  that  she  has,  for  several 
months,  had  the  honor  of  living  in  yoar  nei2;h- 
borhood  and  under  your  protection,  and  1  thank 
you  heartily  for  every  attention  which  you  have 
shown  her,"  said  Mr.  Clostinp;,  in  the  polite 
manner  of  a  man  of  the  world  of  some  refine- 
ment. 

A  slight  bli7sh  overspread  Robert's  counten- 
ance— as  is  often  the  case  where  one  hears  a 
compliment,  and  should  answer  it  by  another. 
He  arranged  his  reply  as  aptly  as  his  present 
situation,  and  the  indisposition  under  which  he 
now  labored  allowed,  which  latter  made  his  ut- 
terance difficult. 

"  I  yesterday  took  the  lil>erty  of  leaving  you 
my  card,  when  I  brought  aw.ay  my  wite,  who 
sends  her  respects,  and  requests  that  you  will 
dine  with  us  to  day.  You  must  have  become 
acquainted  with  my  house  in  the  city,  through 
Senhor  Forro.'' 

Robert  had  a  hard  struggle  to  undergo.  TTie 
resolution  ivliich  circumstances  forced  upon  him, 
to  avoid  henceforth  the  friend  from  whom  he 
in  spirit  could  never  more  be  separated,  wavered 
at  this  hospitable  invitation,  at  the  thought  of 
seeing  that  friend  again,  although  in  the  presence 
of  a  man  whose  company  was  disagreeable  to 
him,  and  affected  him  as  iron  does  a  somnam- 
bulist. 

"  I  thank  you,"  he  replied,  after  a  pause  ;  "  I 
thank  you  and  your  lady  for  your  kind  invitation, 
and  will  take  the  liberty  of  calling.  Please  give 
her  my  respects." 

Mr.  Forro  now  introduced  the  subject  of 
business,  as  far  as  it  was  necessary  for  them  to 
consult  together,  about  many  particulars  of  the 
commenced  enterprise. 

Robert  improved  the  opportunity  to  conduct 
the  two  men  of  business  into  Mr.  Thomson's 
office,  to  ^'hom  Mr.  Closting  was  now  likewise 
introducelj. 

The  young  man  handed  over  the  affair  to  his 
uncle,  and  returned  to  his  cage,  to  liis  corres- 
pondence. 

Mr.  Fitz,  the  air  pump  controlle*  of  their  Im- 
perial Highnesses  the  Brazilian  Princesses,  sat 
this  forenoon  as  usual  in  his  large  atelier,  and 
chanced  to  be  again  singing  his  favorite  song : 
*'  No  general  has  so  powerful  might,"  etc., 

just  as  Dr.  Thorfin  and  Hinango  entered,  who 
visited  him  from  time  to  time.  "  The  captain  of 
the  Astrala  had  confided  some  instruments  to 
him  which  he  wished  to  have  finished  in  a 
short  time.  The  everhsting  good  humor  of  the 
astronomer  lengthened  out  the  conversation  con- 1 
cerning  this  and  that,  and  at  last  the  company 
was  increased  by  Mr.  Closting,  who  saluted  his 
countrymen  with  much  politeness,  and  related, 
in  answer  to  Mr.  Fitz's  inquiry  in  regard  to  the 
interior  of  Brazil,  what  might  interest  him  and 
those  present. 

Mr.  Fitz,  among  other  things,  questioned  him 
about  the  young  man  whom  tlie  natur.dist  had 
brought  over  as  secretary  from  Kurope,  and 
heard  that  he  had  dismissed  the  "  impertinent 
fellow"  full  two  months  before  from  his  service, 
«nd  did  not  know  what  had  since  become  of  him. 


"He  seemed,  in  other  respects,  to  be  an  in- 
telligent young  man,"  remarked  Dr.  Thorfin 
"  of  much  talent,  and  very  eager  after  knowl- 
edge." 

"  He  was,  indeed,  very  inquisitive,"  said  Mr. 
Closting,  sniiiing:  "  he  concerned  himself  idto- 
gether  too  much  about  things  that  did  not  belong 
to  him.  Otherwise  1  do  not  deny  hisgood  qual- 
ities— not  at  all." 

To  turn  tlie  conversation  upon  another  sub- 
ject, he  informed  them  of  a  rarity  that  he  had 
brouglit  with  him — a  diamond  of  the  second 
chiss  that  he  had  bousjht  forgold  dust.  "Honor 
me,  gentlemen,  all  three  of  you,"  he  added, 
**  with  your  company  at  dinner  to-day,  and  I 
will  make  it  a  pleasure  to  show  you  the  dia- 
mond ;  it  is  something  very  distinirnished  !" 

Mr.  Fitz  and  Dr.  Thoi-fin  accepted  the  invita- 
tion. Captain  Hinaii'^o  politely  excused  liim- 
self,  on  the  ground  tliat  he  was  unfortunately 
obliged  to  go  to  Praya  Grande,  and  should  not 
return  until  late  in  the  evening — which  the  nat- 
uralist **  much  regretted." 

Both  had  always  stood  upon  the  siniiular  foot- 
ing of  social  contact  of  two  men  who  m\itu- 
fually  felt  the  most  decided  repulsion  of  Iheir 
nature,  and  found  no  cause  *'  to  break"  with 
each  other,  because  they  bid  in  fact  never  bee» 
connected.  Mr.  Closting  was  but  too  weH 
aware  that  Hinango  knew  of  his  "  youthful 
pranks,"  by  wliich  he  had  ac<pjire  the  name  ot  a 
"  second  Cartouche,"  i)ut  he  likewise  knew  Hi- 
nango's  former  position,  and  gladly  improved 
the  opportunity  to  take  him  by  the  arm,  in  the 
Rua  Diieita  and  in  the  Rua  do  Ouvidur,  to  ai>- 
pear  intimate  with  hira,  to  usi;  him  as  a  folio  to 
his  somewhat  wormeafen  reputation. 

Robert  incidentally  told  his  uncle  that  he  had 
been  invited  to  dine  with  Mr.  Clostiig,  and  that 
he  had  accepted  the  inviiation.  "  1  don't  like 
that  at  all,"  replied  the  old  Englishman,  "  and 
would  have  been  better  pleased  if  you  had  de- 
clined it.  Never  forget  the  ditTerence  of  c-ontact 
with  men  in  business  and  in  intercourse.  We 
can  do  business  with  men,  and  we  do  business 
with  men,  whose  intercourse  we  must  avoid,  be.* 
cause  it  would  compromise  us.  You  under- 
stand me,  Robert ;  there  lies  the  distinction." 

"  Is  Mr.  Closting's  reputation  then  so  bad?" 
asked  Robert,  "  that  I  must  be  embarrassed  in 
knowing  him  .'" 

"  My  boy,  I  have  informed  myself  sufficiently 
about  him,  and  know  the  history  of  his  whole 
life  pretty  accurately.  If  lie  were  not  such  a 
thorough  scoundrel  as  to  know  how  to  make 
himself  respectable,  1  would  not  have  entered 
into  business  with  him.  Besides,  we  are  pro- 
perly only  in  business  with  Mr.  Forro;  his  name 
IS  not  mentioned.  The  tricks  tliat  he  has  ])l:iyed 
in  Europe  are  whispered  about  here;  but  people 
know  to  a  certainty  that  he  has  three  times  be- 
come bankrupt,  in  a  skilful  manner,  in  dif- 
ferent provinces  in  the  interior  of  tlie  country, 
and  has  cheated  and  stolen  '*  by  note" — and 
that's  sufficient.  But  we  would  not  do  much 
business  in  large  places,  if  we  only  dealt  with 
peojile  vviio  enjoy  an  uiisnllied  reputation  ;  we 
should  soon  keep  limited  bool;s,  my  dear  Rob- 
ert. The  commercial  world  in  our  days  is  com- 
posed of  very  rotten  elements,  and  the  paper  oi 
a  bill  of  exchange  is  olten  efiected  by  the  bad 
odor  of  the  man  who  endorsed  it.     .-Vs  to  your 


DOLORES. 


295 


iiitereoTiTse  with  Madame  Clnstinf;,  as  a  ncishbnr, 
I  have  nothing  a2;ainst  that,"  he  continued,  after 
a  paune,  "  that  is  anotlier  thins^  ;  and  you  can 
keep  up  ynur  friendship  with  her,  as  before — 
and — as  I  lately  told  ynu,  you  can  marry  her  as 
soon  as  she  is  divorced  from  Mr.  Closting — I 
have  nothing  ajainst  it." 

Robert  sat  down  beside  the  old  man,  as  if  his 
knees  would  break  under  him.  He  had  never 
f^iven  the  sliprhtest  information  to  a  living  soul 
in  regard  to  his  unfortunate  relation.  It  was  a 
secret  that  he  kept  most  sacredly  ;  but  his  Uncle 
George  appeared  to  have  seen  through  it — and, 
without  violating  it  on  his  part,  he  could  listen 
to  what  his  uncle  had  to  say  to  him  in  confidence. 

•*  Yes,  yes,  dear  Finhert !  th'it  is  my  view — 
and  my  advice  ;  and  I  repeat  to  you  :  endeavor  to 
bring  about  this  affair  ;  go  to  work  the  right 
way — declare  yourself  to  the  handsome  wife,  if 
you  have  not  done  it  long  since — for  I  have  long 
ago  remarked  which  way  the  hands  pointed. 
Propose  to  her  to  accompany  you  to  Santa  Cath- 
arina.  I  will  build  you  a  bemtiful  vilU  there. 
One  of  our  house  must  live  there,  as  general  su- 
perintendent of  the  colony.  You  are  well  fitted 
for  it.  It  is  a  paradise — the  finest  part  of  Brazil. 
What  the  devil  should  hinder  you  from  living 
happily  there,  with  a  pretty  young  wife,  who 
has  been  a  widow  ?" 

The  magic  picture  of  such  a  future  (in  con- 
tradiction to  his  own  previous  views)  entered 
into  Robert's  soul  and  occupied  his  thoughts. 

He  savvthe  possibility  of  such  an  existence,  for 
he  presumed  that  Senhora  Gracia's  reciprocation 
of  his  feelings  originally  rested  upon  the  ground 
of  her  moral  dislike  to  Mr.  Closting,  and  this 
grountl  seemed  in  part  as  logical  as  probable  ; 
for  no  wife  would  be  able  to  swear  love  to  an- 
other man,  unless  she  abhorred  her  husband  ex- 
cessively. Whether  this  logical  conclusion  is 
true  with  the  female  sex,  which  generally  em- 
braces more  contradiction  within  itself  than 
logic,  may  be  left  for  the  present  undecided. 
The  inconceivable  obstiiiacy  with  which  Gra- 
cia  always  endeavored  to  magnify  the  virtues  of 
her  husband,  when  the  least  mention  was  made 
of  him,  confused  Robert  in  regard  to  all  that 
concerned  this  female  and  his  own  future.  But 
on  the  other  hand  he  bore  on  his  linger  a  symbol 
which  showed  the  bond  of  soul,  louder  than 
words,  and  more  plainly  than  any  glance.  He 
resolved  to  do  his  best  to  clear  up  the  matter, 
as  soon  as  possible. 

"  I  will  enter  Mr.  Closting's  house  in  the  city 
to-day,  and  no  more  hereafter,"  he  remarked  to 
those  propositions,  "  and  afterwards  determine 
if  I  will  ever  see  Madame  Closting  again  at  Da 
Gloria." 

"  I  will  answer  for  it  that  such  will  be  the 
case,  dear  Robert,"  replied  the  old  widower; 
"  and  if  you  should  move  to  Praya  Grande  to- 
to-day,  Madame  Closting  would  find  the  air 
healthier  there,  and  hire  a  villa  near  you  day 
after  to-morrow.  My  dear  Bob  !  I  have  more 
experience  in  such  matters  than  you  imagine ; 
only  act  as  if  you  would  separate  from  your 
friend,  and  you  will  see  if  she  will  be  so  easily 
separated  from  you  ;  if  she  will,  then  she  will 
prove  that  she  only  led  you  around  by  the  nose, 
and  '  trifled  with  you.' " 

**  Trifled  ?"  repeated  Robert,  *'  trifled  with  the 
iife  ol"  a  man  ?" and  he  returned  to  his  cage. 


The  dinner  in  celebration  of  Mr  Closting's 
arrival  took  place. 

Robert  appeared  there,  and  found  the  married 
couple  sitting  upon  an  elegant  sofa,  engaged  in 
cordial  conversation.  The  lady  was  in  a  gala 
dress,  richly  adorned  after  the  Brazilian  fashion 
with  gold  chainB  and  diamonds,  but  was  pecu- 
liarly pale  and  changed,  perhaps  from  the  con- 
trast of  the  ornaments,  which  he  had  not  seen 
her  weir  before. 

She  received  Robert  with  all  cheerfulness  and 
naivete,  and  when  Mr.  Fitz  and  Dr.  Thorlin 
made  their  appearance,  she  bestowed  upon  her 
husband  all  the  pleasing  attentions  and  civilities 
which  an  exemplary  wife  in  the  social  world 
owes,  in  Brazil  as  in  other  civilized  countries. 
Robert  seized  the  first  and  last  means  of  main- 
taining his  self-possession,  by  imagining  to  him- 
self, as  always,  that  his  friend  was  a  young  girl, 
that  had  never  in  her  whole  life  kissed  any  man 
but  him  He  could  have  thrown  any  man  out 
of  the  door,  who  would  have  asserted  that  that 
man**  who  searched  into  the  mysteries  of  na- 
ture "  was  the  husband  of  the  young  girl,  and 
not  her  eldest  brother. 

But  such  a  i>owerful  and  forced  perversion  of 
the  power  of  conception,  seized  upon  and  de- 
ranged the  nerves  of  the  young  man's  brain, 
more  violently  than  he  himself  anticipated. 

The  naturalist  showed  his  diamond  to  the 
guests,  and,  at  the  same  time,  all  the  presents 
which  he  had  brought  to  his  wile,  and  she 
scarcelv  found  words  to  express  her  joy  at  the 
extraordinary  attention  and  providence  of  her 
husband,  and  leaned  upon  his  arm  as  if  there 
was  not  a  more  happy  married  couple  in  the 
world. 

After  supper,  Mr.  Closting  led  the  guests  into 
aside  room,  to  admire  a  great  variety  of  natural 
curiosities,  which  he  had  likewise  brought  with 
him. 

Robert  found  time  and  opportunity  to  whisper 
in  his  friend's  ear,  that,  for  particular  reasons, 
he  would  not  again  visit  her  at  that  place,  but 
that  he  would  expect  her  iu  her  former  neigh- 
bourhood of  Da  Gloria,  in  case  the  symbol  which 
she  had  confided  to  him  had  its  meaning,  as  h« 
presumed,  from  the  seriousness  of  her  nature. 

Gracia  ap'peared  surprised,  and  a  little  einbiu"- 
rassed,  and  was  about  to  give  him  a  low  answer, 
just  as  Mr.  Closting  and  Dr.  Thorfin  accident- 
aHy  came  up. 

"  Do  you  not  think,  doctor,"  asked  Madame 
Closting,  "do  you  not  think  that  it  would  be 
better  for  my  health  to  keep  my  dwelling  on  Da 
Gloria,  at  least  to  pass  most  of  my  time  there  ? 
The  air  here  in  the  city  is  more  oppressive  tome 
than  it  ever  was  before." 

"  That  is  very  natural,"  replied  the  physician, 
*' the  atmosphere  on  Da  Gloria,  and  especially 
where  you  reside,  is  certainly  more  beneficial  to 
your  nerves  than  in  any  of  these  damp  streeti 
in  the  city.  Mr.  Closting  will  surely  compre- 
hend that,  and  not  desire  you  to  leave  the  pa- 
vilion. 

*'  That  is  a  matter  of  course,"  replied  the  hus- 
band ;  "  you  will  live  where  you  are  now,  and  I 
will  move  there  likewise;  it  was  my  plan,  and 
1  hope  that  Mr.  Walker  will  remain  our  neigh- 
bor for  the  present,"  he  added,  looking  at  the 
youth,  who  scircely  heard  what  was  said. 
'*  I  shall  hope  so  also,"  exclaimed  the  lad/ 


«96 


DOLORES. 


•'  Senhor  Walker  will  likewise  remain  constant 
to  our  piann,  that  I  will  presume — will  yo\i  not, 
Senhor  W.Uker  ?  You  will  stay  with  us  on  Da 
Gloria,  and  we  will  continue  our  piano  pluy- 
in""  ■'" 

The  voun?  man  now  understood  the  drift  of 
the  conversation,  and  answered,  that  he  should 
not  remiin  long  in  Rio,  and  therefore  should 
probably  retain  the  dwelling  until  his  departure 
becau^e'he  had  a  dislike  lo  "  moving." 

The  ladv  sought  an  indifferent  subject  as  tlie 
material  tii  interrupt  the  conversation,  and  was 
as  polite  and  friendly  to  Mr.  Walker  as  her  posi- 
tion allowed. 

The  company  separated  after  a  few  hours. 

When  Robert  was  taking  leave,  the  lady  re- 
marked that  she  expected  that  very  evening  to 
have  the  pleasure  of  executing  with  him  a  four- 
hand  composition,  an  indirect  invitation,  which 
he  accented. 

Mr.  Closting  found  young  Mr.  Walker's  ac- 
quaintance, and  the  business  connexion  with  his 
house,  important  in  many  respects,  and  made 
use  of  both  to  conclude  a  new  business,  for  he 
«old  the  celebrated  diamond  to  Mr.  Thomson 
•hortly  after  bis  return,  and  received  about 
Ivventv-two  contos  for  it. 

Mr.'  Thomson  laid  the  jewel  aside  as  his  pri- 
rate  property,  and  intended  to  dispose  of  it  ad- 
vantageously' in  Europe,  as  he_  contemplated, 
•oon  alter  his  marriage  with  Senora  Dolores,  to 
■ndertake  a  journey  to  London  in  her  company. 


-  .^^^^^^4'fSC  /s#^^.*vw»— 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

MASS   MEETING   AT   BIO    GRANDE. 

The  province  of  Rio  Grande,  one  of  the  most 
interesting  countries  on  the  face  of  (he  earth, 
on  account  of  its  natural  productions  and  pic- 
tures^iue  beauty,  extends  from  the  Atlantic 
Ocean  about  four  hundred  miles  into  the  inte- 
rior, and  five  hundred  miles  along  the  c<ast, 
from  San  Paulo  and  Santa  Catharina,  southerly 
to  the  Banda  Oriental,  on  the  borders  of  which 
is  the  principal  port,  Rio  Grande  do  San  Pedro, 
at  the  entrance  into  the  Lagoa  dos  Patos. 

This  province,  originally  settled  by  Vincent- 
ists,*  towards  the  close  of  the  sixteenth  century, 
after  the  Indians  had  been  forced  to  retire  more 
and  more  into  the  interior,  became,  from  its  po- 
iition  between  the  Spanish  and  Portuguese  pos- 
nessions,  gradually  peopled  by  emigrants  from 
both  nations.  It  was  a  frequent  cause  of  quarrel 
between  the  two  crowns,  of  which  one  was  as 
little  able  to  enforce  its  claims  as  the  other, 
until  Great  Britain  finally  had  pity  on  this  para- 
dise of  the  earth,  and  Sir  Samuel  Auchmuty 
planted  the  British  flag  in  the  productive  soil, 
in  the  year  ISOl.  "  The  lessons  in  Spanish," 
which  the  English  received  in  Buenos  Ayros, 
the  "  exercises "  of  which  were  very  legibly 
written  with  their  own  blood,  soon  made  this 
possession  uncomfortable  for  them,  and  they  saw 
themselves  constrained   to  give  it    back  to  the 


•  BraziUaas  from  St.  Viaceat. 


"  miserable  Spaniards,"  from  whose  hands  it 
was  finally  transferred  to  Portugal,  without  any 
actual  consent  on  the  part  of  the  people. 

There  are  provinces  in  all  parts  of  the  world 
the  population  of  which  acquire  a  love  of  free- 
dom and  independence,  as  it  would  seom,  from 
the  air,  or  the  evaporation  from  the  soil,  or,  God 
knows  how,  which  they  manifest  more  than  the 
inhabitants  of  other  countries,  who  are  ex- 
changed by  this  or  that  prince,  in  treaties  of 
peace,  like  wetliers  and  ewes,  for  otlier  wethers 
and  ewes,  and  vegetate  as  exemplary  "  faithful 
subjects,"  and  think  of  any  thing  except  "  lib- 
erty" or  *'  rebellion." 

As  the  province  of  St.  Paulo  has,  up  to  this 
time,  had  the  glory  to  unite  that  spirit  of  liberty 
with  an  undeniable  striving  after  intellectual 
perfection,  and  exhibits  a  population  that  re- 
minds us  partly  of  (lie  Spartans  and  Athenians, 
and  partly  of  the  Swiss;  the  province  of  Rio 
Grande  is'also  elevated  to  a  like  degree  of  moral 
freedom,  although  tlie  state  of  education  among 
the  people  does  not  indeed  equal  tiiat  of  the 
Paolists. 

The  philosophical  education  of  a  Celeste,  as 
the  librarian  of  a  monastery  in  Buenos  Ayres, 
will  not  greatly  surprise  us,  when  we  find  se- 
minaries and  universities  in  St.  Paulo,  in  which 
the  professors  nursue  various  pliilosophical  sys- 
tems, as,  for  instance,  Antonio  Udefonso  Ker- 
reira,  already  at  the  beginning  of  our  century, 
transplanted  Kant's  system  of  philosophy,  in 
the  Portuguese  language,  to  Brazil.  Tlie  intel- 
lectual life  which  undeniably  characterises  those 
provinces,  and  manifests  itself  in  so  many  forms, 
opens  to  our  view  a  world  as  original  as  .strange, 
which  may  be  more  or  less  Ibreign  to  the  north- 
ern nations  of  transatlantic  soil,  because  the 
spirit  of  philosophy  is  not  an  article  of  com- 
merce.  

All  the  so  called  revolutionary  movements 
of  South  America  since  1817,  to  which  we  have 
before  alluded,  evidently  proceed  less  Irom  ma- 
terial questions,  than  irom  the  spirit  which  is 
there  developed  from  itself,  even  though  in 
oppressed  forms. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  province  St.  Paulo, 
and  in  a  measure  their  neighbors  in  Ilio  Grande, 
are  famed  tor  their  noble  physical  appearance, 
as  well  as  for  their  noble  character,  which 
I  shows  itself  in  evei-y  contact,  and  cannot  be  de- 
'  nied  by  tlieir  bitterest  enemies.  As  the  inhab- 
itants of  the  province  of  Minas  Geraes  are  dis- 
tinguished for  a  certain  fondness  lor  I'rench 
luxury,  and  the  imitation  of  refined  European 
manners,  we  find  in  St.  Paulo  and  Rio  Grande 
the  simplicity  of  patriaichal  lite,  which  con- 
tents Itself  with  solid  furniture,  made  there 
from  the  wood  of  the  couulry.  In  accordance 
with  tlie  e.xternal  social  forms  which  recom- 
mend themselves  by  neatness  and  cleanliness, 
we  are  met  by  an  upright,  open,  frank,  and 
hearty  manner  of  the  serious  inhabitants. 

The  population  of  St.  Paulo  and  Rio  Grande, 
descendants  of  Spaniards  and  Portuguese,  i.s 
distinguished  from  those  races  in  Europe  by  a 
fresher  blooming  complexion  and  a  taller  shape 
while  that  Spanish  "  grandeza"  is  retained, 
which  appears  as  "  the  respect  of  a  man  toward* 
himself,"  and  degenerates  into  ridiculous  stitf- 
ness  where  it  is  wanting  and  is  spiritlessly  imi- 
tated. 


DOLORES. 


297 


\ 


\ 


The  contest  about  boundary  and  territory, 
which  has  excitej  the  Spanish  and  Portuguese 
provinces  for  centuries,  and  wag  intended  to 
keep  alive  the  national  hatred,  (by  which  mon- 
archy seeks  to  isolate  one  people  from  another,) 
disappeared  of  itself  the  more  the  spirit  of  lib- 
erty was  developed  in  the  people. 

While  the  Spaniards  and  Portuguese,  wherever 
they  come  in  contact,  meet  each  other  with  a 
certain  mutual  distrust,  both  elements,  in  the 
luxuriant  and  favored  province  of  Rio  Grande, 
melted  down  into  a  harmonious  efficient  whole, 
that  had  stood  four  years  as  a  '*  people,"  when  the 
schooner  Mazzini  had  landed  the  passenger 
Celeste  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  city  Laguna. 

The  Brazilians  of  the  province  of  Rio  Grande 
assert  their  sacred  rights  against  the  encroach- 
ments of  monarchy,  with  a  similar  decided  re- 
sistance as  the  Greeks  once  defied  the  Turks — 
as  the  Circassians  oppose  the  Russians — and  the 
Bedouins  reject  the  "  civilization"  of  the  French. 
We  call  this  people  the  "  Grandes,"  that  we  may 
have  a  name  for  them  when  we  shall  hereafter 
speak  of  them  among  the  Paulisis,  Orientals,  Mi- 
neiros,  Cabocles,  etc. 

The  standing  article  in  the  day's  history  of 
Brazil  at  that  period,  was  the  famous  "campanha 
do  sul,"  the  campaign  in  the  south,  thai  con- 
eumed  more  "  food  for  powder"  than  the  Brazil- 
ian monarchy  could  keep  in  the  field. 

One  Brazilian  man-of-war  after  another  landed 
in  the  principal  ports,  so  called,  "  regular  troops, 
or  standing  army,"  which  could  not  be  brought 
into  rank  and  file  from  pure  "  irregularity,"  and 
(as  a  biting  irony  on  the  word)  could  not  **  stand" 
upon  their  legs  as  an  army. 

We  have  already  beheld  a  sample  of  Brazilian 
permanentos  in  the  interior  of  the  country,  at 
the  arrest  of  Signore  Seratini,  and  can  the  more 
easily  give  an  idea  of  an  entire  army,  consisting 
of  similar  "  barefoots"  driven  together,  who  hung 
their  shoes  on  their  bayonets  after  their  feet  had 
become  so  sore  from  marching  that  they  could 
not  get  thtm  on  again. 

The  province,  as  a  country  in  a  military  point 
of  view,  offered  every  advantage  to  the  insur- 
gents. The  mountainous  chains  which  extend 
along  the  coast  of  Brazil,  (in  places  at  some  dis- 
tance from  it,)  from  Para  upwards  beyond  the 
equator,  penetrate  several  hundred  miles  into 
the  district  of  Rio  Grande,  to  lake  Patos,  which 
is  about  two  hundred  miles  long,  and,  separated 
from  the  oeean  by  a  long  tongue  of  land,  offers 
a  single  entrance. 

The  chief  town,  Rio  Grande  do  St.  Pedro,  at 
this  entrance,  remained  for  years  in  the  pos- 
session of  the  monarchical  troops,  but  all  en- 
deavors on  their  part  to  put  down  the  insurrec- 
tion were  as  difficult  as  fruitless. 

Extensive  plains  and  hilly  country,  surround- 
ed by  high  mountains,  favored  the  movements 
of  the  cavalry  of  the  insurgents,  who,  so  to  say, 
**  grown  up  on  horseback,"  could  await  the  ene- 
my in  the  open  field,  and  not  only  attack  him 
with  the  same  weapons,  but  also  with  lazos,  as 
they  would  do  to  catch  horses  and  oxen. 

If  the  royalists  attempted  an  invasion  of  the 
coast,  tlie  landing  was  rendered  difiicult  by  small 
Tessels  of  war,  like  tlie  schooner  we  mentioned; 
for  the  troops  had  to  disembark  in  longboats, 
and  frequently  sustained  a  total  defeat  before 
33 


they  reached  land.  The  insurgents,  on  tlie  other 
hand,  kept  possession  of  all  the  small  harbors, 
which  afforded  them  communication  with  other 
provinces,  and  their  rear  was,  as  we  may  say, 
covered  by  the  mountains  in  which  the  "not 
standing  "  army  could  not  easily  penetrate. 

In  connexion  with  these  advantages,  the 
product  of  the  country,  celebrated  for  agricultu- 
ral and  grazing  purposes,  and  favored  by  the 
finest  climate  in  the  world,  (whicli  may  be  com- 
pared to  ttiat  of  Southern  Europe,)  afforded  sub- 
sistence and  bestowed  the  blessing  of  peace  dur- 
ing the  contest. 

It  often  happened,  under  similar  circumstances, 
that  a  division  of  troops  sent  off  from  Rio  Ja- 
neiro, only  brought  an  addition  of  force  to  the 
insurgents,  instead  of  strengthening  the  cause  of 
monarchy  by  victory. 

The  Brazilian  government  had  long  sought  a 
support  in  the  German  "  food  for  gunpowder,"  as 
we  have  mentioned  in  the  course  of  this  novel. 
A  traffic  in  human  flesh  was  carried  on,  on  the 
coast  of  Germany,  similar  to  that  on  the  coast  of 
Africa,  and  the  only  difference  between  tho 
slaves  was — in  their  color. 

As  tragically  as  the  Germans  appear  in  many 
chapters  of  the  history  of  the  world  of  the  last 
century,  as  sold  hirelings,  and  have  left  behind 
them  in  Europe  and  the  New  World  blood-spots 
which  do  not  tend  to  the  honor  of  the  mass  who 
sold  themselves  to  the  service  of  tyranny ;  the 
German  troops  in  Brazil,  on  the  other  hand, 
stand  in  a  better  light. 

A  large  number  of  individuals  of  disbanded 
regiments  had  settled  in  Rio  Grande,  and  built 
up  German  towns  and  villages  there,  the  popu- 
lation of  which  were  increased  by  prisoners  of 
war  who  went  over  to  the  cause  of  the  people, 
as  well  as  by  deserters  who  went  over,  "  with  bag 
and  baggage." 

The  imperial  government  had  at  that  time 
sent  two  other  corvettes  to  Rio  Grande  do  St. 
Pedro,  and  several  thousand  men  again  took  the 
field  "  to  put  down  the  rebellion." 

The  insurgents  remained  quiet  in  their  towns 
and  villages,  awaiting  an  attack,  while  a  strong 
detachment  of  cavalry  was  posted  behind  hills 
and  woods,  to  fall  upon  the  enemy's  rear,  if  he 
should  again  take  a  notion  to  show  a  naked  spot. 

We  now  enter  upon  the  free  soil  of  the  bloom- 
ing province  of  Rio  Grande,  in  a  region  on  the 
shores  of  the  Mambitubu,  which  in  its  character 
clearly  calls  to  mind  the  northern  provinces  of 
Italy,  where  the  Alps  form  a  similar  back 
ground  to  fruitful  plains  and  hilly  country,  as  do 
the  Serros  of  the  interior  of  Brazil,  and  towards 
the  east  the  Serro  do  Mar. 

The  insurgents  had  repulsed  an  attack  of  the 
permanentos,  and  had  returned  victorious  home 
to  their  towns  and  villages. 

Before  a  Venda  in  the  neighborhood  of  the 
flourishing  village  San  Rafael,  shaded  by  lofty 
trees,  rich  in  its  fields  and  meadows,  with  mur- 
muring brooks  running  serpentine  through  it 
into  the  rushing  river,  there  was  a  scene,  attended 
by  all  the  liveliness  of  a  revolutionary  epoch. 

A  concourse  of  men,  from  nearly  every  nation 
of  Europe,  and  from  all  the  provinces  of  Brazil, 
which  were  united  in  a  contest  for  life  and  death, 
pressed  upon  each  other. 

Tali  lean  Mineiros,  with  oval  expressive  faces. 


298 


DOLORES. 


in  brnad  brimmoH  hats,  spencers,  and  ponchos, 
\n'j;h  buckskin  hoots  heavily  loaded  with  silver 
sjnirs,  ami  with  silver  han<lles  to  their  swords 
and  dais'ers,  contrasted  with  the  less  lean  Paul- 
Ists,  whose  bhioming  complexions,  browned  by 
the  sun  in  the  long  campanha,  were  visible  in 
a  similar  costume,  no  less  heavily  encumbered 
with  silver  weapons. 

Grandes,  with  long  raven  black  hair,  serious, 
sharply  defined  features,  appeared  in  the  proud 
carriage  of  their  well  shaped  bodies,  at  the  side 
of  innumerable  shades  of  colored  persons  and 
Indians,  in  strong  contrast  with  the  Brazilian- 
bleached  Germans  and  other  Europeans,  whose 
hair  was  as  variously  marked  in  color  as  the 
skin  of  the  negroes,  from  the  blackest  Mosam- 
biquc  to  the  white-bred  colored  offspring  of 
whites  and  cahorles. 

It  was  a  Sunday  morning,  before  the  com- 
mencement of  a  great  mass  meeting. 

.\mong  the  so  called  '-heroes  of  the  day" 
was  an  "  unknown"  person,  who  some  months 
before  had  arrived  in  the  schooner  Mar.zini,  at 
the  seaport  town  Laguna,  from  Patgaonia,  and 
since  then  had  taken  a  part  in  the  battles  of  the 
people.  .Ml  sorts  of  questions  passed  around 
from  mouth  to  mouth,  concerning  the  former  re- 
lations of  a  man  whose  outward  appearance  was 
characterized  by  a  solemn  seriousness,  joined 
with  that  intellectual  dignity  which  imposes 
without  intending  it. 

The  unknown,  our  Celeste,  had  been  wounded 
by  a  ball  in  the  left  shoulder  several  weeks  be- 
fore, and  had  received  careful  attention  at  the 
hands  of  a  family  on  their  plantation  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  village  St.  Rafael. 

A  similar  accident  had  befallen  a  German, 
who  had  gone  over  from  the  imperial  army,  and 
had  fought  the  enemy  at  the  side  of  the  un- 
known. But  the  wound  of  the  German  was  less 
important,  and  had  confined  him  to  his  bed  but  a 
short  time.  He  was  a  mechanic,  a  blacksmith 
by  trade,  a  cavalry  man  by  nature,  and  a  repub- 
lican from  the  spirit  of  the  times,  which  lie  had 
acquired  in  different  countries  of  Europe  since 
the  revolution  of  .July.  He  was  one  of  those 
stereotype  patriots  of  southern  Germany  of  the 
years  ls;il-3J,  "  every  inch  a  rebel,"  and  capable 
of  evi'ry  momentary  sacrifice  from  pure  love  of 
liberty.  He  was  Mr.  Wartling,  a  cousin  of  the 
famous  "  tailor  Preuss,"  proscribed  in  the  states 
of  the  Germanic  Confederation  for  "demagoguish 
princi|des.*' 

He  escaped  to  France,  and  sailed  from  Havre 
dc  Grace  to  Rio  de  Janeiro.  When  there,  Mr. 
Wartling  had  one  evening,  in  patriotic  poetic 
enthusi.ism,  d'*ank  a  glass  of  wine  too  much, 
(althiMr.;|]  he  was  generally  extremely  temperate 
and  abstinent,)  and  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  pa- 
trol, who  "  packed  him  off,"  without  lung  ex- 
amination, as  titod  for  powder,  to  Rio  Grande,  as 
had  happened  in  Huenos  Ayres  to  the  two  friends 
Falsodo  and  Perezoso. 

Mr.  Wartling  had  been  four  years  in  the  Bra- 
zilian service,  and  was  resigned  to  his  fate.  He 
also  Worked  at  his  trade,  learned  Portuguese 
with  the  aid  of  a  grammar,  in  which  he  had  long 
acquired  such  a  proficiency  as  even  to  propa- 
gate republic.in  ifi-'as  in  Brazil. 

He  was  a  man  of  strou"  mind,  a  clear  intellect, 
Rnd  a  warm  heart.  He  had  long  believed  that  a 
smith  like  him  had  just  as  good  a  right  to  be  a 


"  man  "  as  the  minister  of  state,  "  Vast  Council- 
lor," as  he  styled  him,  to  whom  the  emperor  had 
presented  a  fazer.da  with  two  hundred  negroes, 
and  who  corresjionded  as  an  intimate  friend  with 
Prince  Metternich — which  Mr.  Wartling  thought 
superfluous. 

Our  blacksmith  was  as  good  a  republican  as 
any  that  ever  wore  imperial  unllorm,  whether 
Russian  or  Brazilian,  and  he  was  far  more  dan- 
sjerous  and  injurious  in  his  circle,  to  despotism, 
as  a  demagogue,  than  many  authors  whose  lan- 
guage has  been  taken  from  them  by  censorship, 
and  who  live  in  quiet  upon  a  pension  from  court. 

The  owner  or  landlord  of  the  I'azcnda,  which 
supported  a  brilliant  reputation  as  a  venda,  was 
likewise  a  German,  formerly  a  sergeant  in  a 
German  battalion  in  Rio  de  Janeiro. 

Mr.  Bolz,  as  the  fat  landlord  was  called,  just 
then  stood  upon  the  veranda  of  his  hotel,  in  con- 
versaticm  with  Mr.  Breit,  the  schoolmaster  of 
the  village  St.  Rafael,  to  whom  he  WM  telling 
the  "  cursed  adairof  the  Campo  da  Santa  Anna," 
at  Rio  de  Janeiro. 

"  Yes,  yes,  Mr.  Breit,  1  assure  you,  that  my 
hair  stands  on  end  when  I  think  of  it.  I  tell 
you  the  damned  negroes  bore  the  fire  of  o\ir 
closed  square,  let  those  drop  by  their  siiles  who 
could  no  longer  stand,  and  then  rushed  uoon  us 
without  giving  us  time  to  load  again  !  and  dis- 
armed us,  as  God  is  my  judge  !  disarmed  us  I 
and  the  half  of  our  corps  were  left  upon  the 
spot,  killed  with  the  butts  of  their  own  muskets, 
stabbed  with  their  own  bayonets  !  the  damned 
negroes,  they  were  in  a  perfect  fury  against  the 
escravos  brancos,  as  they  called  us.  Yes,  when 
I  think  of  it,  I  drink  a  glass  cachaz  to  brace  my 
nerves  !" 

"  Uncle"  Bolz  did  as  he  said,  poured  himself 
out  a  glass  of  cachaz  and  emptied  it  in  memory 
of  "  that  cursed  affair  of  the  Campo  da  Santa 
.\nna,"  just  as  Mr.  Wartling  joined  them. 

"  Wei!,  have  you  studied  out  your  speech  >" 
his  friend,  Mr.  Bolz,  called  to  him  ;  "  I  am  de 
sirous  to  hear  you,  and  what  you  will  bring  to 
I  market." 

j  "  I  will  read  something  out  of  a  popular  Ger- 
man book,  that  1  have  translated  into  Portuguese; 
you  will  hear  what  it  is." 

"  Is  it  any  thing  historical .'"  asked  the  achool- 

j  master,  a   former  German  or  Prussian  student 

'at  Berlin,  who  had  likewise  taken  up  teaching, 

after    having    been   in   the   German   legion   in 

Brazil. 

"  You  arc  one  of  those  who  keep  to  the  letter 
which  deadens,  who  do  not  know  the  spirit 
which  gives  life,"  said  Mr.  Wartllim,  smiling. 
I'M  know  you  learned  historians!  It  is  indeed 
something  historical  which  I  shall  ofler,  but  not 
out  of  Zschockke's  history  of  the  Wittelsbacher, 
nor  Raumer's  history  of  the  Hoheustauffen,  nor 
from  the  Prussian  history  of  Frederick  the 
Great,  the  author  of  which  also  happens  to  be 
called  '  Preuss,'  as  if  he  had  been  baptized  so  for 
that  purpose;  it  is  nothing  of  that  sort,  but 
something  historical  about  another  king." 

"Say  nothing  against  Prussia  and  the  Prus- 
sian royal  house ;  I  am  a  Prussian,  and  shall 
continue  so  !" 

"  Then  please  to  clear  out  of  Rio  Grande  this 
very  day,  yon  double  rascal  you  I  a  royalist  and 
a  Prussian  besides  !" 

The  landlord  laughed  to  split  hit  sides. 


DOLORES. 


299 


"  I  was  only  jol<!n?,  my  dear  Mr.  Wartling," 
replied  the  schoolmaster,  much  alarmed  at 
having,  in  his  historical  zeal,  forj^otten  that  he 
was  for  the  time  in  Rio  Grande,  where  many  a 
royalist  had  been  hoisted  up  to  a  pine  tree  for 
havina;  opened  his  mouth  too  wide,  and  dis- 
cussed royalist  principles. 

"  Joke  at  Jacobi's,  in  Berlin,  when  you  are 
drinkine;  your  small  beer,  but  here  in  Rio  Grande 
you  had  better  keep  your  royalist  principles  to 
yourself." 

"  But  you  will  acknowledge  the  "  historical 
law,"  which  most  learned  men  in  Germany  con- 
sider the  first,"  cried  the  schoolmaster,  who  had 
no  idea  of  being  silenced  by  a  common  smith. 
You  know  there  are  several  kinds  of  law,  for  in- 
stance, the  Roman  law,  and  a  law  of  succession, 
the  civil  law,  and  the  law  of  nature,  a  muni- 
cipal law,  and  a  historical  law;  and  in  conse- 
quence of  the  historical  law,  we  stand  here  upon 
Prussian  soil  and  ground." 
^  "  What !"  exclaimed  the  smith,  "  are  you  sea- 
sick asliore;  or  are  you  out  of  your  head  .'  what 
kind  of  royal  Prussian  nonsense  is  that  you  are 
talking .'" 

"  I  am  neither  the  one  nor  the  other,  but  I 
speak  the  real  historical  truth,"  replied  Mr. 
Breit.  "  You  must  know  that  a  Prussian  prince 
■was  once  to  marry  a  Portuguese  princess  !" 

"  No,  I  don't  know  any  thing  about  it,'  replied 
the  smith. 

"  That  I  can  excuse  you  for,  for  your  histori- 
cal studies  do  not  seem  to  have  been  very  ex- 
tensive. But  what  is  historical,  remains  his- 
torical. The  marriage  did  not  taka  place,  because 
the  princess  would  not  turn  Protestant,  or  Prus- 
sian— I  say  Prussian,  for  there  is  a  royal  Prus- 
sian religion,  and  that  is  likewise  historical,  and 
it  has  its  church  in  Kio  de  Janeiro.  Well, 
Portugal  endeavored  to  conciliate  the  Prussian 
prince,  and  Prussian  monarchy,  after  the  mar- 
riage had  failed,  and  presented  this  province, 
Rio  Grande,  to  Prussia,  as  a  compensation  for 
the  unconcluded  matrimonial  alliance.  That  is 
historical,  and  in  print;  and  by  historical,  we 
understand  every  thing  that  is  related  historical- 
ly, under  proper  censorship." 

"  The  devil  you  do !"  said  Mr.  Wartling, 
smiling,  and  listened  to  what  he  had  further  to 
say. 

"  You  see,  Mr.  Wartling,  I  am,  to  be  sure, 
here  as  a  republican,  as  you  may  say,  in  the 
service  of  government,  as  teacher,  or  professor, 
as  you  wish;  but  for  all  that,  my  historical 
knowledge  is  not  to  be  called  in  question.  This 
province  is  Prussian,  according  to  historical  law 
Tlie  historical  documents  are  in  Berlin,  and  a 
Prussian  prince  will,  one  of  these  days,  come 
out  here  and  make  good  his  claims,  you  may 
depend  upon  it,  and  it  will  finally  be  all  one  to 
the  people  whether  they  are  Brazilian,  Spanish, 
or  Prussian,  as  long  as  the  historical  law  remains 
in  force." 

"  Are  you  possessed,  Mr.  Schoolmaster  ?"  ex- 
claimed Mr.  Wartling,  "  have  you  been  drink- 
ing too  much  cachaz  ?" 

The  landlord  again  laughed  until  his  sides 
shook,  and  the  smith  continued  : 

"  Schoolmaster,  take  care  !  What  you  have 
just  said  to  me  remains  among  ourselves  ;  but  if 
I  should  translate  mto  Portuguese  to  those  Mi- 
neiros  or  Paulists,  what  you  have  just  been  say- 


ing, they  would,  as  God  is  my  judge,  bring  ycu 
before  a  court-martial  and  hang  you  up — hang 
you,  until  you  woxild  swing  like  a  needle  to  the 
thread,  when  a  tailor  holds  it  up." 

The  schoolma.ster  saw  that  it  was  a  serious 
matter,  and  felt  considerably  uneasy  in  his  royal 
Prussian  loyalty. 

"  Well,  then,"  he  said,  "  let  it  remain  among 
ourselves,  and  I  will  keep  within  my  place  until 
Prussia  make.s  valid  the  historical  law." 

"  You  had  better  go  to-day  to  one  of  the  out- 
posts of  the  permanentos,  and  have  an  imperial 
capote  thrown  erver  you ;  it  will  become  you 
better  than  a  poncho  of  the  Grandes." 

"  There  comes  the  hero  from  Patagonia," 
exclaimed  the  landlord,  looking  in  the  distance, 
and  the  people  put  themselves  in  motion  to- 
wards a  hill,  that  was  appointed  as  the  place 
from  which  the  addresses  were  to  be  delivered. 

Mr.  Wartling  and  the  landlord  mounted  their 
horses,  and  likewise  went  to  the  place,  where 
the  committee  of  arrangements  were  just  then 
receiving  the  unknown. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

MONARCHY. 

Lorenzo  appeared  on  horseback  in  the  dress 
in  which  we  have  already  seen  him  in  Pata- 
gonia, attended  by  officers  of  different  detach- 
ments in  the  picturesque  costume  of  those  pro- 
vinces which  would  offer  to  the  artist  an  inex- 
haustible study  for  tableaux  de  genre. 

Ladies  on  horseback,  in  the  dark  national 
overcoat,  with  pointed  black  broad  brimmed  fur 
hats  and  long  black  locks,  at  the  side  of  others 
in  black  mantillas  ;  their  small  feet  in  stirrups 
made  out  of  the  horns  of  oxen  ;  their  bridles 
and  saddles  covered  with  silver;  thick  sheep- 
skins, with  long  wool  dyed  in  indigo,  for  saddle 
coverings,  or  sitting  upon  tiger  skins,  whose 
lively  colors  contrasted'with  their  dark  dresses, 
and  the  bright  white  of  their  horses — country 
people  in  the  costume  of  the  last  century,  a  kind 
of  Polish  chamara,  worked  with  lace,  and  but- 
tons made  from  Spanish  half  and  quarter  pias- 
tres, in  shoes  with  broad  silver  buckles — Mi- 
neiros  and  Paulists,  in  the  before  described 
ponchos,  part  of  them  made  from  products  of 
the  country,  (like  those  of  the  Patagonians,) 
part  of  them  of  a  light  blue  color,  with  bright 
red  under-lining  thrown  over  the  arm ;  in  high 
buckskin  boots,  buckled  under  the  knee,  and 
projecting  tar  above  the  knee,  forming  a  pocket, 
out  of  which  shone  the  silver  handle  of  a  dag- 
ger ;  silver  spurs  and  stirrups  of  more  than  a 
pound  in  weight ;  high  broad  straw  hats  at  the 
side  of  the  broad  brimmed  fur  hats  of  the  Pau- 
lists— half  savage  mountaineers,  of  different 
complexions,  in  (he  costumes  of  their  different 
tribes,  armed  with  bows  and  arrows :  formed  a 
whole,  in  picturesque  grouping,  on  the  side  of 
a  hill,  that  afforded  a  most  charming  prospect, 
over  blooming  flax  fields  and  meadows,  to  the 
back  ground  of  the  gigantic  mountains,  which 
traversed  Rio  Grande  in  all  directions. 
Tlie  clear  atmosphere  of  a  sultry  summer  day 


300 


DOLORES 


in  February,  favored  a  festival  that  proceeded 
frjm  (he  events  of  the  times,  whose  spirit  more 
or  less  animated  the  multitude,  who  now,  in 
solemn  silence,  arrangied  themselves  on  horse- 
back and  on  foot,  to  hear  the  expected  addresses. 

The  governor  of  the  comarca  appeared  on 
horsebaclt  amons  the  gi^nlic  jacarandas  on 
the  top  of  the  hill,  accompanied  by  Celeste  and 
the  smith,  Wartling,  and  attended  by  an  escort 
that  formed  a  sort  of  staif  or  festival  committee. 

The  smith  made  the  remark,  tiiat  a  speecli 
to  a  large  public  in  the  open  air  would  be  better 
heard  and  understood  if  the  speaker  should  stand 
lower  than  the  people,  for  sound  went  upwards, 
and  in  the  otiier  case  it  would  be  lost  in  th^  air 
above  tlie  public. 

The  governor  thought  this  remark  correct, 
and  its  application  very  practicable.  The  whole 
committee  then  descended  the  hill  in  great 
order,  and  occupied  a  place  in  the  mid.'^t  of  the 
people,  who  now,  being  in  a  sort  of  amphithe- 
atre, head  above  head,  could  see  the  speakers, 
and  hear  their  voices  much  better.  The  presi- 
dent of  the  festival  committee,  an  opulent  fazen- 
deiro,  in  his  rich  poncho,  with  a  pointed  fur 
hat,  his  arms  and  his  horse-trappings  richly 
ornamented  with  silver,  now  sjjoke  in  a  low 
voice  with  the  governor,  and  then  rode  forward 
to  open  the  festival  and  address  the  people. 

All  eyes  were  now  turned  towards  him,  and 
he  seated  himself  in  his  saddle,  and  spoke  • 

"  South  Americans  ! 

"  Citizens  of  the  State  of  Rio  Grande  !  God  be 
with  us,  and  victory  to  the  republic  ! 

"  We  celebrate  to-djy  the  restoration  to  health 
of  two  men  who  have  joined  us  from  remote  1 
countries  of  tiie  earth,  from  pole  and  pole,  and  I 
bearing  arms  with  us  in  the  contest  for  freedom  i 
and  independence:  1  speak  of  the  citizens  Lo- 
renzo Celeste  and  August  Wartling." 

A  joyful   iHVa   interi'upted   the  speaker.     He  1 
waited  until  the  hurrahing  ceased,  and  then  pro- 
ceeded : 

"  The  citizen  August  Wartling,  who  has  been 
several  years  in  South  America,  and  out  of  en- 
thusiasm for  the  cause  of  the  people  came  over 
to  us  from  the  ranks  of  the  mercenaries,  among 
whom  his  hard  fate  had  placed  him  against  his 
own  will,  has  fought  for  years  in  our  ranks  for 
the  freedoni  and  independence  of  our  state  as  a 
future    free   state  of   South  America  !     August  | 
Wartling  is  a  man  from  the  so  called  "  working  I 
classes"  of  the  people,  by  which  we  understand  1 
those  who   work  with  their    hands,  opposed  to 
those  classes  who  do  not  work — or  work   rt'ith 
money — and  opposed  to  that  most  unfortunate  I 
class  who  cultivate  the  field  of  the  mind,  who  | 
live  in  the  realms  of  thought,  in  a  restless  men- 
tal  activity,  working    for  a    future    generation, 
without  recompense  or  prolit  for  themselves. 

"  Wartling  appears  here  amongst  us  as  the 
representative  of  all  those  collected  masses  of 
hand-workers,  of  all  nations  and  countries,  and 
brings  to  yiiu  the  spiritual  greetings  of  all  his 
brethren  in  distant  Europe  !  A  representative  of 
the  intellectual  power  will  follow  him." 

Another  loud  viva  resounded  in  the  air,  and 
the  president  retired  among  the  district  commit- 
tee. Smith  Wartling  gave  his  horse  a  pressure 
with  spur  and  bridle,  and  took  the  place  which 
the  other  had  just  left,  seated  himself  comforta- 
Llj  in  Ilia  saddle,  and  spoke,  saying : 


"  Republicans ! 

"  Free  citizens  of  South  America !  T  first 
thank  you  for  the  sympathy  and  the  regard  that 
I  have  I'ound  among  you,  es[)ecially  since  I  was 
wounded  at  the  side  of  a  man  who  will  address 
you  after  me." 

A  loud  bravo  interrupted  the  speaker,  after 
which  he  proceeded  : 

**  We  here  contend  against  the  mnnarchical 
principle  opposed  to  us.  Yonder,  behind  those 
advanced  posts,  there  stand  the  hirelings  of  the 
empire,  and  their  leaders  assert  the  right  '  by  the 
srace  of  God.'  That  you  may  know  what  mon- 
archy is,  and  how  monarchy  was  established, 
which  assumes  its  ri;;ht  *  by  the  grace  of  God,* 
from  the  Bible,  1  will  here  read  to  you  some 
fragments  from  a  little  populnr  book  of  '  Young 
Europe,'  '  The  old  history  of  king  Saul  1'  Give 
heed  and  listen  !  and  take  the  word  to  heart." 

He  then  drew  out  a  manuscri}>t,  and  read  in 
the  Portuguese  language  as  folUiWS  : 

'* '  The  people  of  God,'  whose  history  contains 
the  documents  of  truth,  were,  from  their  com- 
mencement, a  people  under  popular  govern- 
ment, and  we  find  no  trace  of  monarchy  in  the 
whole  plan  of  creation.  The  people  were  gov- 
erned by  judges  and  the  'elders'  among  the 
people,  and  no  individual  dared  to  step  forward 
with  the  impudent  assumption  of  being  called 
'  by  the  grace  of  God'  to  be  absolute  ruler  over 
any  nation. 

Samuel,  a  venerable  representative  of  the  peo- 
ple, whose  historic  writings  have  come  down  to 
us,  was  a  man  of  great  wisdom,  the  son  of  a  mod- 
est. God-fearing  mother.  He  was,  as  a  child,  in 
favcu-  both  with  the  Lord  and  with  men.  His  spi- 
rit lived  in  the  exalted  knowledge  of  the  Divine 
Being,  in  immediate  consultation  with  him  who 
had  called  him  to  be  a  support  unto  his  jieople, 
and  endowed  him  with  the  everlasting  light  ot 
reason  ;  and  every  thing  that  his  reason  sug- 
gested to  him,  was  considered  by  the  people  as 
the  voice  of  God  ;  and  the  people  recognised  in 
the  man  the  prophet  the  sage  whose  word 
sounded  as  prophecy,  as  the  oracle  of  the  con- 
ception of  pure  reason. 

'  And  all  Israel,  from  Dan  even  to  Beer-sheba, 
knew  that  Samuel  was  established  to  be  a  pro- 
phet of  the  Lord ;  and  the  word  of  Samuel  came 
to  all  Israel. 

'  And  it  came  to  pass  when  Samuel  was  old,' 
as  we  read  in  the  first  book  of  Samuel,  (ch.  viii.,) 
'  that  he  made  his  sons  judges  over  Israel. 

'  And  his  sons  walked  not  in  his  ways,  but 
turned  aside  alter  lucre,  and  took  bribes,  and 
perverted  judgement. 

'  Then  the  elders  of  Israel  gathered  themselves 
together,  and  came  to  Samuel  unto  Ramah, 

'  And  said  unto  him.  Behold,  thou  art  old, 
and  thy  sons  walk  not  in  thy  ways  :  now  make 
us  a  king,  to  judge  us  like  all  the  nations. 

'  But  the  thing  displeased  Samuel,  when  they 
said.  Give  us  a  king  to  judge  us.  And  Samuel 
prayed  unto  the  Lord. 

'  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Samuel,  Hearken 
unto  the  voice  of  the  people  in  all  that  they  say 
unto  thee:  for  they  have  not  rejected  thee,  but 
they  have  rejected  me,  that  I  should  not  reign 
over  them. 

'  According  to  all  the  works  which  they  have 
done,  since  the  day  that  I  brought  them  up  out 
of  Egypt  even  unto  this  day,  wherewith  ttejf 


DOLORES," 


801 


\ 


liafe  forsalten  tne  ;  and  served  other  gods,  90  do 
they  also  unto  thee. 

'  Now,  therefore,  hearken  unto  their  voice  ■ 
howbeit  yet  protest  solemnly  unto  them,  and 
dhow  them  the  manner  of  the  king  that  shall 
reign  over  them. 

'  And  Samuel  told  all  the  vs-ords  of  the  Lord 
nnto  the  people  that  asked  of  him  a  king. 

•  And  he  said,  This  will  be  the  manner  of  the 
king  that  shall  rei^n  over  you  :  He  will  take 
your  sons,  and  appoint  them  for  himself,  for  his 
chariots,  and  to  be  h  is  horsemen ;  and  some  shall 
run  before  his  chariots. 

'  And  he  will  appoint  him  captains  over  fhou- 
gands,  and   captains   over  fifties,    and  will  set 
them  to  ear  his  ground,  and  to  reap  his  harvests, 
and  to  make  his  instruments  of  war,  and  instru 
Inents  of  his  chariots. 

'And  he  will  take  your  daughters  to  be  con 
fectionaries,  and  to  be  cooks,  and  to  be  bakers. 

'  And  he  will  take  your  fields,  and  your  vine 
yards,  and  your  olive  yards,  even  the  best  of 
them,  and  give  them  to  his  servants. 

'  And  he  will  take  the  tenth  of  your  seed,  and 
of  your  vineyards,  and  give  to  his  officers,  and  to 
his  servants. 

'  And  he  will  take  your  men-servants,  and 
your  maid-servants,  and  your  goodliest  young 
men  and  your  asses— and  jiuf  them  to  his  work. 

'  He  will  take  the  tenth  of  your  sheep,  and  ye 
•hall  be  his  servants. 

'  And  ye  shall  cry  out  in  that  day,  because  of 
your  king  which  ye  shall  have  chosen  you ;  and 
the  Lord  will  not  hear  you  in  that  day. 

'  Nevertheless,  the  people  refused  to  hear  the 
foice  of  Samuel :  and  they  said,  Nav  ;  but  we 
will  have  a  king  over  us ; 

•  That  we  may  also  be  like  all  the  nations ; 
and  that  our  king  mav  judge  us,  and  go  out  be- 
fore us,  and  fight  our"  battles. 

The  developement  of  mankind,  then  as  incur 
own  time,  did  not  advance  equally  among  all 
nations  ;  many  heathen  races  were  governed  by 
rude  despotism,  as  entire  nations  are  in  our  days. 
The  people  of  God  appeared  to  be  led  astray  by 
the  splendor  of  royal  magnificence.—  They  de- 
aired  a  martial  leader  in  their  warlike  excite- 
ment, one  who  would  'go  out  before  them;'  a 
king.  '  And  Samuel  heard  all  the  words  of  the 
people,  and  he  rehearsed  them  in  the  ears  of  the 
Lord,'  (chap,  viii.,  v.  21 ;)  that  is,  he  consulted 
God,  through  the  reason  which  enlightened  him. 
•And  the  Lord  said  to  Samuel,  Hearken  unto 
their  Voice,  and  make  them  a  king  ;  and  Samuel 
laid  unto  the  men  of  Isreal,  Go  every  man  unto 
his  city.' 

It  would  scarcely  require  an  especial  dis- 
cussion to  enable  you  to  behold  in  the  words  of 
the  Lord  his  decided  dislike  to  the  monarchical 
principle,  after  we  attentively  regard  the  above 
objection  as  a  formal  threat. 

The  bitter  declaration  of  Providence  against 
the  voice  of  the  people,  who  in  their  foolish 
blindness  desired  a  king,  the  decided  answer  of 
the  Lord  to  Samuel,  '  They  have  not  rejected 
thee,  but  they  have  rejected  me  that  I  should 
not  reign  over  them,'  manifests  the  strongest 
resentment. 

_  A  time  will  come,  said  Samuel,  and  the  na- 
tions of  the  earth  who  acknowledge  the  word 
of  the  Lord,  shall  sigh  under  the  oppression  of 
the  arbitrary  rule  of  an  enemy  of  the  people, 


and  they  will  lament  and  despond,  and  will  cry 
to  the  Lord  in  their  necil  against  their  kintr  whoso 
unlimited  power  they  have  approved  of;  but  the 
Lord  will  not  then  hear  them,  but  refer  them  to 
his  declared  word,  which  they  rejected  and 
would  not  respect,  as  they  have  rejected  him, 
that  he  should  not  reign  over  the  nations  of  the 
earth. 

'  Nevertheless,  the  people  refuseil  to  obey  the 
voice  of  Samuel;  and  they  said.  Nay,  but  we 
will  have  a  king  over  us,'  etc. 

'  And  Samuel  heard  all  the  words  of  the  peo- 
ple, and  he  rehearsed  them  in  the  cars  of  the 
Lord. 

'  And  the  Lord  said  to  Samuel,  Hearken  unto 
their  voice,  and  make  them  a  king.' 

And  who  was  chosen  in  God's  bitter  irony,  to 
be  king  over  the  infatuated  people  .'  The  wisest 
among  the  people,  that  he  might  rule  for  the 
people  in  divine  illumination  of  heart  ?    Nay. 

The  Lord  in  his  anger  had  given  his  consent 
to  the  stubbornly  demanding  people,  and  his  in- 
sulting justice  gave  the  peo])le  such  a  king  as 
the  proud  obdurate  people  deserved,  that  they 
might  learn  what  it  was  to  oppose  the  will  of 
Provi'lence. 

'  Now  there  was  a  man  of  Benjamin,'  (chap, 
ix.,  V.  l,~,  &c,,)  *  whose  name  was  Kish,  the  son 
of  Abiel,  the  son  of  Zeror,  the  son  of  Becho- 
rath,  the  son  of  Aphiah,  a  Benjamite,  a  mighty 
man  of  power. 

'  And  he  had  a  son,  whose  name  was  .Saul,  a 
choice'  (elegant)  'young  man  and  a  goodly;  and 
there  was  not  among  the  children  of  Isreal  a 
goodlier  person  than  he:  from  his  shoulders  and 
upward  he  was  higher  than  any  of  the  people.' 

So  this  interesting  young  man,  distinguished 
by  his — length  of  body,  was  chosen  to  be  king 
over  an  infatuated  people,  and  his  appointment 
took  place  after  the  following  manner,  (chap,  ix., 
V.  3,  &c. :) 

'And  the  asses  of  Kish,  Saul's  father  were 
lost,  and  Kish  said  to  Saul  his  son,  take  one  of 
the  servants  with  thee,  and  arise,  go  seek  the 
asses. 

'  And  he  passed  through  mount  Ephraim,and 
passed  through  the  land  of  Shalislia,  but  they 
found  them  not :  and  they  passed  through  the 
land  of  .Shallm,  and  there  the.y  were  not :  and 
he  passed  through  the  land  of  the  Benjamites, 
but  they  found  them  not. 

'  And  W'hen  they  were  come  to  the  land  of 
Zuph,  Saul  said  to  his  servant  that  was  with  him, 
Come,  and  let  us  return  ;  lest  my  father  leave 
caring  for  the  asses  and  take  thought  for  us. 

'  And  he  said  unto  him.  Behold  now,  there  is 
in  this  city  a  man  of  God,  and  he  is  an  honorable 
man;  all  that  he  saith  cometh  surely  to  pass; 
now  let  us  go  thither  ;  peradventure  he  can  show 
us  our  way  that  we  should  go.' 

In  this  manner  came,  Saul  the  tallest  and 
choicest  youth  among  the  people,  before  the 
prophet  Samuel — he  sought  for  some  runaway 
asses,  and  found crown  and  sceptre. 

And  when  Samuel  saw  the  elegant  Saul,  the 
voice  of  the  Lord  spoke  in  his  mind, '  Behold  the 
man  whom  I  spake  to  thee  of,  this  same  shall 
reign  over  my  people.'  (v.  17.) 

And  Samuel  conversed  with  §aul,  and  invi- 
ted him  to  eat  with  him,  and  quieted  him  about 
his  asses  and  said,  (v.  20,) 

'  And  as  for  thine  asses,  that  were  lost  tliree 


302 


DOLORES. 


days  ttf^o,  set  not  thy  mind  on  them  for  they  are 
found." 

Thou  hast  instead  of  them  found  a  kingdom, 
with  a  great  many  asses. 

And  Samuel  prepared  the  young  man  to  be 
be  monarch  over  the  chihiren  of  Israel,  and  took 
a  vial  of  oil,  and  poured  it  upon  his  head  and 
annointed  him  Iting. 

And  after  all  preparations  had  been  made, 
'  Samuel  called  the  people  together  unto  the 
Lord,'  (to  divine  service,)  '  to  Mizpeh  ; 

'  And  said  unto  the  cl)ildren  of  Isreal,'  (chap. 
x.,v.  18-26,)  '  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God  of  Israel, 
I  brought  up  Israel  out  of  Egypt,  and  delivered 
you  out  of  the  hand  of  the  Egyptians,  and  out  ol 
the  hand  of  all  the  kingdoms,  and  of  them  that 
oppressed  you  : 

'  And  ye  have  this  day  rejected  your  God,  who 
himself  saved  ynu  out  of  all  your  adversities  and 
your  tribulations  ;  and  ye  have  said  unto  him. 
Nay,  but  set  a  king  over  us.  Now,  therefore,  pre- 
sent yourselves  before  the  Lord,  by  your  tribes 
and  by  your  thousands. 

'  And  when  Samuel  had  caused  all  the  tribes 
of  Israel  to  come  near,  the  tribe  of  Benjamin 
was  taken. 

•  When  he  had  caused  the  tribe  of  Benjamin 
to  come  near  by  their  families,  the  family  of 
Matri  was  taken,  and  Saul  the  son  of  Kish  was 
taken  :  and  when  they  sought  him,  he  could  not 
be  found. 

'  Therefore  they  inquired  of  the  Lord  further, 
if  the  man  should  yet  come  thither.  And  the 
Lord  answered.  Behold  he  hath  hid  himself 
among  the  stutf. 

'  And  they  ran  and  fetched  him  thence  :  and 
when  he  stood  among  the  people,  he  was  higher 
than  any  of  the  people,  from  his  shoulders  and 
upward. 

'  And  Samuel  said  unto  all  the  people.  See  ye 
him  whom  the  Lord  hath  chosen,  that  there  is 
none  like  him  among  all  the  people  .'  And  all 
the  people  shouted,  and  said,  God  save  the  king ! 

'  Then  Samuel  told  the  people  the  manner  of 
the  kingdom,  and  wrote  it  in  a  book,  and  laid 
it  up  before  the  Lord.  And  Samuel  sent  all  the 
people  away,  every  man  to  his  house. 

'  And  Saul  also  went  home  to  Gibeah  ;  and 
there  went  with  him  a  band  of  men  whose 
hearts  God  had  touched. 

*  But  the  children  of  Belial  said.  How  shall 
this  man  save  us  .'  And  they  despised  him,  and 
brought  him  no  presents :  but  he  held  his 
peace.'  (v.  27.) 

The  public  appointment  of  Saul  to  be  king, 
bears  so  strongly  the  impression  of  the  tragic- 
comic,  that  we  are  not  surprised  that  some  so 
called  '  sons  of  Belial,'  whose  perceptions  were, 
perhaps,  clearer  than  those  of  the  people,  made 
themselves  somewhat  merry  at  the  new  king. 

The  tribes  of  the  people  were  assembled  as 
to  a  '  church  parade,'  as  a  foretaste  of  the  mi- 
litary method  of  government ;  and  the  venera- 
ble Samuel  arose  and  addressed  the  people,  and 
repeated  the  threatening  of  the  Lord  : 

'  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God  of  Israel :  I 
brought  up  Israel  out  of  Egypt,  and  delivered 
you  out  of  the  hand  of  the  Egyptians,  and  out 
of  tho  hand  of  all  the  kingdoms  that  oppressed 
you,  and  subjagated  you.  And  you  have  this 
day  rejected  your  God,  who  himself  saved  you 
out  of  all  your  adversities,  and  your  tribulations, 


and  ye  have  said  unto  him,  Nay,  bat  set  a.  king 
over  us. 

'  Now,  therefore,  present  yourselves  before 
the  Lord,  by  your  tribes  and  by  your  thousands.' 

This  terrible  voice  of  the  Lord  from  the 
mouth  of  Samuel,  had  so  scared  the  anointed 
of  the  Lord,  that  he  could  easily  see  what  he 
had  before  him,  to  reign  as  king  against  the 
will  and  under  the  express  displeasure  of  the 
Eternal, 

And  as  the  families  come  near,  the  family  of 
Matri  was  taken,  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin,  and 
they  sought  the  tall  Saul,  the  son  of  Kish,  but 
he  could  not  be  found.  Then  they  consulted 
together,  and  said,  'Will  he  yet  come  hither?' 
And  the  Lord  answered,  through  Samuel,  'Be- 
hold he  hath  hid  himself  among  the  stufi'.' 

Then  they  ran  and  fetched  him  out  of  his 
hiding  place  among  the  stulf,  where  he  bad  con- 
cealed himself  in  a  natural  feeling  of 'royal  fear,' 
and  when  he  stood  among  the  people,  he  was 
higher  than  any  of  the  people  from  his  shoulders 
upward. 

And  Samuel  said  unto  all  the  people,  not 
without  some  contempt  and  irony:  'See  ye 
him  whom  the  Lord  hath  chosen  ;  that  there  ia 
none  like  him  among  all  the  people  !' 

And  all  the  people  shouted  and  said,  Viva! 
Hurrah  !  God  save  the  king  !  But  Samuel  re- 
peated once  more  to  the  people  all  the  rights  of 
monarchy,  and  delivered  the  book  of  laws,  and 
then  sent  all  the  people  away,  every  man  to  his 
house. 

And  Saul  also  went  home,  and  there  went 
with  him  a  band  of  men,  whose  hearts  God  had 
touched  by  the  terrible  voice  of  threatening, 
wherefore  they,  from  fear  of  the  Lord,  would 
not  immediately  leave  the  king,  whom  they  had 
demanded  in  their  obstinacy  towards  God. 

But  some  '  sons  of  Belial,'  who  had  quite  well 
understood  the  Lord,  and  comforted  themselves 
that  the  new  monarchy  had  not  been  their  wish, 
made  themselves  a  little  merry  at  the  courageous 
king  who  had  hid  himself  among  the  stuff,  when 
he  should  have  shown  himself  in  his  royal  ma- 
jesty. '  How  shall  this  man  save  us  ?'  said  they. 
They  laughed  and  despised  him  in  the  bottom 
of  their  hearts,  because  they  could  not  see  any 
thing  in  him,  except  tlie  length  of  his  goodly, 
stately  figure,  that  should  require  them  to  revere 
his  royal  majesty.  The  republicans,  the  so  called 
*  sons  of  Belial,'  also  formed  an  opposition,  and — 
brought  the  king  no  '  presents,'  as  did  the  rest 
of  the  people.  But  Saul  behaved  with  monar- 
chical prudence — '  he  held  his  peace  ;'  for  he 
was  now  king,  and  relied  upon  his  royal  strength 
and  power,  without  regarding  the  voice  of  dis- 
content among  the  people,  just  as  now-a-days 
kings  and  princes  are  accustomed  to  do,  after  the 
example  of  the  first  king — of  the  tall  and  stately 
King  Saul. 

Had  it  been  the  will  and  plan  of  Providence  to 
give  the  people  a  king,  to  establish  monarchy  for 
the  welfare  of  the  people.  All-ruling  Wisdom 
would  have  looked  for  other  qualities  in  the 
annointed  than  length  of  body,  by  which  the  king 
should,  as  it  were,  '  stand  above'  all  the  people. 

The  irony  of  God  is  confirmed,  from  century 
to  century,  down  ^o  the  present  day,  for  little  is 
asked  about  the  character  and  wisdom  of  a  king: 
if  there  is  only  a  king  there,  all  the  people  shout 
and  say :  '  God  save  the  king  !' 


DOLORES, 


803 


\ 


\ 


Had  Providence  stlected  the  wisest  from 
nmon^  tho  people,  to  rule  with  discretion  and 
judgement,  then  indeed  would  the  defenders  of 
the  monarchical  principle  have  a  reason  for  as- 
serting tlieir  opinions. 

But  the  fate  of  the  first  kin?  confirms  the  un- 
mistakcably  spoken  dislike  of  God  to  monarchy. 

If  Providence  had  given  tiie  people  who  in 
their  stubborn  obstinacy  desired  a  king,  a  wor- 
thy, so  called  "  good  king,"  it  would  have  shown 
monarchy  to  the  people  in  an  advantageous  light, 
and  such  would  have  been  a  contradiction  by 
God  of  himself,  who  had  re 'used  the  desire  of 
the  infatuated  people,  with  powerful  threats. 

'  Wait  now  infatuated  ungrateful  people — ye 
have  not  rejected  my  prophet  but  me,  that  I 
should  no  longer  be  your  king — ^just  wait,  I  will 
show  you  what  the  monarchy  is  that  ye  desire,  I 
will  send  upon  you  the  hard  oppression,  of  mon- 
archy, and  ye  shall  cry  out  in  that  day  because 
of^your  king  which  ye  shall  have  chosen  over 
you,  and  the  Lord  will  not  hear  you  in  that 
day: 

After  such  a  threat,  the  Lord  could  not  con- 
tradict himself,  and — made  the  people  a  king  in 
his  wruth — such  as  we  see  the  kings  in  the  his- 
tory of  all  nations,  from  Saul  down  to  the  pres- 
ent day." 

The  voice  of  the  smith  now  fell  without  any 
particular  rhetorical  conclusion  and  he  continued: 

"  There  are  so  called '  free  states' — republics — 
which  arrogate  to  themselves  democratic  princi- 
ples, as  they  call  their  mask,  and  carry  on  a 
slave  trade,  a  man-trade,  with  black  and  with 
white  slaves.  If  this  state  here,  for  whose  free- 
dom we  shed  our  blood,  should  ever  become  such 
a  free  state,  a  German  smith  would  be  ashamed 
in  his  grave  that  he  had  sacrificed  his  life  for 
8uch  so  called  freedom. 

May  Rio  Grande  sustain  the  principle  of  free- 
dom in  the  reasonable  and  natural  form  of  a  re- 
public, in  despite  of  all  the  glittering  bayonets  of 
a  rotten  and  wormeaten  monarchy;  may  Rio 
Grande,  as  a  flourishing  republic,  become  at- 
tached to  the  future  Grand  Union  of  the  United 
States  of  South  America — attached  by  the  sacred 
bond  of  Humanity,  whose  spirit  manifests  itself 
in  our  hearts,  in  our  conviction  and  in  our  faith, 
now  and  forever .'  Ora  e  sempre." 

Wartling  had  been  interrupted  in  many  parts 
of  his  address,  by  the  loud  applause  of  the  peo- 
ple, and  the  like  happened  when  he  had  reached 
the  above  end.  He  drew  back,  and  Celeste  rode 
forward  on  horseback,  as  he  had  appeared  there, 
and  took  his  place. 

The  eyes  of  all  rested  upon  him.  Since  his 
arrival  so  many  things  had  been  said  among  the 
people  about  him,  that  a  particular  curiosity  was 
excited  in  many  to  see  him.  The  ladies  espe- 
cially had  taken  a  lively  interest  in  him,  and 
liad  endeavored  to  manifest  their  sympathy  in 
every  way,  while  he  lay  sick  of  his  wound. 

Celeste  now  appeared  before  the  people,  and 
the  impression  of  his  presence  caused  the  silence 
of  deatli  to  prevail,  instead  of  the  loud  tumul- 
tous applause  which  greets  the  people's  favorite 
when  he  mounts  the  spealter's  stand.  His  coun- 
tenance was  pale,  in  consequence  of  moral  and 
physical  sufferings — exposed  to  wind  and  weath- 
er in  the  open  field  siace  his  flight  from  Buenos 
AjTes. 


The  Patagonian  head-handkerchief  enveloped 
his  head,  from  under  which  appearad  a  few  of 
the  growing  hairs  on  the  temples.  But  so  much 
the  longer  was  his  dark  beard  which  fell  upon 
his  breast,  and  covered  the  Ujjper  lip  in  propor- 
tionate length.  lie  looked  around  about  him 
upon  the  assembled  multitude,  then  laid  the  bri- 
dle of  his  horse  over  the  tiger  skin  which  covered 
the  saddle. 

The  deathlike  silence  continued.  A  holy  spirit 
of  devotion  seemed  to  accompany  him,  and  to 
render  the  hearts  of  all  susceptible  for  the  ex- 
pected word. 


~'**r^^*-t-^9S'*^^^'^^**^~ 


CHAPTER    X 

THE    SPEECH    FBOM    THE    SADDLE 

And  Lorenzo  seated  himself  conveniently  in 
his  saddle,  and  spoke,  saying  : 

"  Strange  and  peculiar  days  have  come  for 
earth, 
In  course  of  things  ;  most  wonderfully  moves 
A  spirit  in  the  hearts  of  human  kind  ; 
With  shape  and  form  it  seeks  to  clothe  itself, 
T'  assume  a  substance  somewhere  ;  and  to  mould 
What  human  beings  call  Society. 

The  spirit  that  we  have  no  word  to  name. 
Which  we  can  but  anticipate — not  prove. 
Endeavors,  in  its  working  here  on  earth, 
The  statutes  of  the  future  to  set  forth  ; 
To  lay  the  groundwork  of  a  better  culture, 
To  bring  to  pass  a  kingdom  long  foreseen  ; 
I  mean  the  kingdom  of  our  God  on  earth. 

Cast  we  a  desultory  glance  behind. 
O'er  the  world's  history — we  recognise 
iVIankind  originally  raised  above 
The  situation  of  minority 
Through  the  idea  which  we  call  Religion. 

We  see  religions  multiplying  still ; 
Each  after,  or  from  out  of  others  formed, 
From  one  eternal  primitive  religion, 
In  whatsoever  form  it  shows  itself. 
At  the  same  time  we  mark  transitions  strange 
In  the  world's  epochs  : — periods  waste  and  void, 
Without  all  faith,  without  idea  ; — epochs 
When,  as  it  were,  hardly  the  breath  of  life 
Rules  at  the  moment ; — periods,  I  say. 
In  which  mankind  is  moved  by  nought  beside 
Outward  appearance  ;  while  a  sore  disease 
Spoils,  as  it  were,  and  wastes  the  very  life 
Of  mental  vigor,  that  should  rouse  them  up 
Anew,  and  which,  as  spirit  of  the  future, 
Must  first  destroy  and  put  away  old  forms, 
As  happened  twice,  thousands  of  years  ago. 

Profoundly  sunk  in  slavery  and  in  serfhood. 
Mankind  once  lay,  in  rude  idolatry 
Of  mammon  and  of  sensuality. 
Men  paid  their  homage  to  the  golden  calf. 

And  Moses  came,  sent  forth  ijy  God  himself, 
A  nation  to  construct  without  a  king. 
Who  were  to  recognise  one  king  alone. 
Him,  only  Him — Jehovah  Zebaoth! 
And  through  long  ages  did  the  spirit  still 
Unfold  itself  in  the  Mosaic  law. 


304 


DOLORES. 


The  TTorship  of  one  God,  which   stood  opposed 

To  heatheni:)h  idolatry,  and  spread 

Itself  abroad,  as  the  renewing  siiirlt 

or  />'//■  and  energy; — but  /ove  was  wanting. 

Reason  and  revelation  shadoaed  forth. 
The  dawn  of  a  new  epoch  for  the  world  ; 
The  prophets"  bodings  ncwbecame  more  loud 
Than  faith  in  forms  and  cold  formalities. 
Which  o.ilv  bv  the  priesthood  were  maintained; 
And,  'midst  the  prophets'  lamentation,  rose 
The  comforting  announcement  of  the  future. 

Waste,  ruin,  now  extended  everj-where; 
The  heart  of  man   still  throbbed,  but  did  not 

live. 
Like  some  fair  marble  statue  then  stood  man 
Upon  this  rich  and  beauteous  earth  of  ours — 
So  lifeless,  and  inspired  by  no  soul. 
All  in  those  days  was  marble — man,  as  well 
As  the  proud  fanes  of  his  magnificence — 
And  cold  and  unsusceptible  as  stone. 
Man,  and  the  world,  and  life,  and  nature,  all. 
All  was  one  heap  of  .stones — Creation  petrified. 

Now,  sent  by  God,  the  Son  of  Man  appeared  ; 
The  Word,  by  prophets'  visions  long  announced. 
Was  now  made  flesh,  and  Love  came  down  to 

earth. 
And  justice  and  equality  were  taught 
By  the  scorned  Nazarene,  who   now  proclaimed 
The  reign  of  peace — the  kingdom  of  our  Lord. 

The  .Son  of  Man  sealed  and  confirmed  his  word 
By  dying  on  the  cross  a  martyr's  death. 

Jesus'  disciples,  wonderfully  moved 
By  love's  blest  spirit,  tansht  continually 
After  his  death,  still  seeking  to  extend 
The  doctrines  of  Equality  and  Love  ; 
The  claims  of  earthly  Justice.     And  they  lived 
In  harmony  and  fellowship  together. 
Pattern  alike  to  heathen  and  to  Jew. 

Wlien  Jesus  had  been  dead  some  sixty  years, 
The  name  of  Christian  first  originated  ; 
And  tho<:e  who  'oore  this  name,  the  company 
And  fellowship  of  the  disciples,  grew 
And   gathered    strength,  while  despot's  vainly 

souKht 
To  weaken  and  uproot  them  ;  strong  they  grew 
Through  all  the  persecuting  hate  of  tyrants  ; 
While  all  the  mighty  of  the  earth  pursued. 
With  bitterness  and  rage,  the  principle 
Of  that  Eijuality  which  Jesus  taught. 

The  Christians  bled.     Victim  on  victim  fell ; 
Blood  flowed  in  torrents,  and  one  martyr  died 
After  another — crucified  and  burnt. 
And  with  the  crisped  and  burning  bones  of  one 
The  pile  w'as  kindled  to  consume  the  next. 

iiut  out  of  all  the  martyrs'  blood  and  death, 
The  spirit  of  true  holiness  arose 
And  waxed  strong  and  povs'erful  through  itself. 

The  thrones  of  princes  then  began  to  shake, 
And  trembling  moved  about  the  crowned  heads. 
Now  were  the  opposing  principles  displayed, 
The  power  of  se/f.shne.'ss,  and  that  of  loce. 
The  might  of  spirit  soaringly  arose 
From  earthly  clay  up  to  its  own  bright  sphere. 

At  length  the  Emperor  Constantine  assumed 
Dominion  o'er  the  persecuted  Christians  ; 
And  with  him  came  the  fathers  of  the  church. 
To  mould  ihe  forms  of  such  a  novel  doctrine. 


Bathed  in  the  blood  of  martyr's,  faith  }:ad  «\0W 
Become  religion,  and  was  called  the  church. 

But  tyranny  remained  unable  stiU 
To  uproot  Faith,  and  tear  (!own  the  Idea 
Prom  that  exalted  spirit-height  whence  sho 
Dispensed  her  light  to  all  the  human  race. 

Impossible  it  was  quite  to  suppress 
Jesus'  puie  doctrine  ;  therefore  Despotism 
Possessed  itself  of  the  "  Idea" — prudently 
Impressing  with  it  "  a  fiilse  coinage,"  which 
It  gave  the  people — and  that  was  the  Church, 
Which,  as  "  religion,"  passes  now  on  earth. 

From  day  to  day  the  elements  fermented. 
Of  Selfishness  and  Love  ;  while  here  and  there 
Truth's  Spirit,  dignified  and  great,  apppeared 
In  forms,  as  events  of  the  centuries. 
The  brilliant  epoch  of  mankind  shows  forth 
In  Christian  combat  for  the  Holy  Grave. 

The  Primitive  Idea  remained  in  force, 
The  human  Heart  was  full  of  inspiration, 
And  penetrated  by  the  light  of  Fai;h, 
Man  then  despised  the  paltry  gauds  of  earth, 
Lite's  splendor  and  magnificence,  from  love 
To  God,  whom  in  the  Son  of  Man   he    knew 

And  the  two  elements  fermented  still, 
And  in  the  Templar's  Was  evinced  the  spirit 
Of  life  and  energy — and  Jacob  Molay, 
With  three  companions,  fell  beneath  the  powei 
Of  despotism,  which  had  long  ago 
United  with  the  church  ; — Molay  was  burnt ; 
And  on  the  band  of  Templars  now  abide 
The  curses  of  all  crowns  ;  and  Mclay's  dust 
Strewed  to  the  winds,  is  execrated  still. 

The  church  was  now  a  worldly  sov'reignty  ; 
A  government  that  ruled  o'er  all  the  nations 
Which  owned   themselves  as  so  called   Chris- 
tendom ; 
And  blood-stained  popery's  chief  oflScer 
Was  to  its  shame — the  executioner. 

Johannes  Huss  appeared,  to  rend  Bohemia 
From  such  disgraceful  servitude,  and  he 
Was  burnt  like  Molay  ;  but  his  spirit  lived  j 
It  struggled  on  and  onward,  forty  years, 
And  to  this  day  it  is  not  quite  extinct. 

Three  centuries  ago,  truth's  spirit  rose 
And  stirred  itself  inhuman  hearts. — Some  priests 
And  monks  seceded  from  the  Papal  chair ; 
Nevertheless,  they  still  continued  priests. 
They  preached  reform — but  wanted  alteration 
Only  in  forms— the  substance  still  remained  : 
The  church  as  it  had  been ;  and  as  we  see 

Significantly  in  the  English  church 

The  brilliant  fruits  of  jiriestly  reformation. 

The  old  building  was  new  timbered  and  re- 
paired 
With  wooden  balconies  ;  and,  like  old  women. 
They  wrangled  and  contended  about  words. 
Those  men  of  reformation,  separated 
For  phrases — ne'er  having  recognised 
The  sjnrit  that  inspired  the  Son  of  Man. 
They  pieced  new  cloth  upon  old  garments,  and 
Like  the  five  virgins,  they  went  out  to  meet 
The  bridegroom — destitute  of  living  oil 
To  trim  their  lamps,  and  so  they  went  astray 


DOLORES, 


80& 


The  rich  and  splendid  edifice  anew 
With  earthly  ti'appings  was  adorned,  but  still 
Remained  a  temple  of  despotic  power, 
Of  every  tyrant's  arbitrary  will ; 
And  by  degrees  the  church  has  settled  down 
Into  an  instrument  of  state — become 
A  police  court — religion  and  the  glow 
Of  faith  are  now  extinct  within  her  pale. 

The  priests  preach  loudly  of  the  nullity 
Of  earthly  goods,  of  patience,  and  denial, 
While  they  live  impudently  on  in  splendor, 
Enjoying  luxury  and  sensual  revels. 
They  preach  uprightness  and  equality, 
And  serve  with  venal  and  disgraceful  duty 
The  throne,  and  monarchy,  and  tyranny, 
AVhich  thev  support; — thus  murder  upon  mur- 
der,' 
Accomplishing  on  men,  who  struggle  for 
Humanity  ;  and,  most  unheard  of  baseness. 
Murders  on  murders  they  commit  upon 
Whole  nations  who  are  striving  after  freedom. 

They  preach  humility — submissiveness 
And  slavery — and  siibjection  to  the  axe 
Of  the  anointed  executioner, 
Who,   smeared  with    blood,  maintains   his   so 

called  right, 
By  '  grace  of  God,'  and  loads  with  curse  and  ban 
Honor,  and  virtue,  and  the  love  of  man. 

— This  is  the  state  of  Christian  doctrine  now  ; 
But  clear  as  light,  and  still  unfalsified, 
Th'  idea  of  his  divine  original 
Displays  itself  in  man ;  and  even  now 
Does  the  blest  spirit  of  the  Nazarene, 
Lilie  a  pure  ray  of  light,  the  source  of  being, 
Gleam  forth,  and  draw  men  upward  to  itseli, 
Above  the  mass  of  gross  materialism. 

Nations  there  are,  and  have  been,  who 

have  called 
Themselves   '  God's   chosen  people,'  and   who 

claim 
Pre-eminence  in  goodness  above  others. 
In  former  times  the  Jews  appeared  so,  now 
They  are  the  Tories — and  in  history 
They  play  the  selfsame  part. 

But  those  who  think 
They're  better  than  all  others,  prove  themselves 
Worse  than  all  others  by  the  tliought  itself. 

This  tin-ead  conducts  us  to  the  following  curse. 
Which  God  pronounced  by  Samuel  on  the  Jews : 
'  In  my  just  anger  will  I  cast  you  off!' 
Thus  said  the  Lord  !  '  for  ye've  rejected  me 
From  ruling  over  Israel  as  your  king  !' 

And  when  the  carpenter's  poor  son  appeared. 
Preaching  contempt  for  every  earthly  good  ; 
To  send  away  from  human  kind  the  chains 
Of  mammon,  and  of  sensual  delight ; 

The  venal  Jews  sold  their  deliverer. 

The  Jews  then  disappeared  as  a  nation. 

And  Christianity — Christ's  doctrine — now 
Is  falsified  to  priestcraft ;  and  ere  yet 
Two  thousand  years  have  passed,  we  find  on  earth 
But  a  dark  trace  of  Christianity  : 
Love's  spirit  is  opposed  by  calculation  ; 
Materialisrti  overrules  the  Spirit ; 
And  on  the  edifice  oi  selfishness. 
Colossal  as  the  tower  of  Babel,  stands 
Britannia,  greater  than  all  states  on  earth 
Through  usury  and  shameful  peculation. 
3H 


The   Tories  make  a  traffic  of  mankind 
And  of  Christianity  ;  religion  is 
Only  an  article  of  trade  with  them  ! 
And  in  contempt  of  Jesus'  doctrines,  there 
The  people  starve  while  priests  luxuriate  ! 
And  thus  two   dominations  rear  them- 
selves : 
The  Popedmn  and  the  Church  of  England;  still 
The  two  are  only  one  ;  'tis  but  the  priesthood 
In  twofold  form — the  garments  only  differ 
Of  the  well  nourished  priests ;  and  if  the  Popedom 
Is  hated  by  the  English  high  fanatics. 
The  hatred's  only  caused  by  jealousy. 

Britannia  has  already  set  her  foot 
In  South  America — our  struggle  here 
Has  lasted  twenty  years,  for  death  and  life, 
And  here  and  there  disarmed,  we've  armed  anew. 
Since  first  in  Pernambuco  we  proclaimed 
That  a  Republic  was  the  end  we  sought. 

Disgracefully  betrayed  and  sold,  we  see 
The  people's  strength  in  South  America 
Through  Britannia — through  Britannia  ! 

Curses  on 

The  throne  that  to  its  state  hyiiocri.'y 
Perverts  Christianity — in  maintenance 
Of  a  vile  system  of  deceit  and  lies  ! 
Curse  on  Britannia's  cabinet,  upheld 
By  priests,  and  scorning  its  own  suffering  people. 
It  seeks,  in  countries  far  remote,  to  span 
The  nations  in  the  yoke  ol  slavery. 

Far  as  the  waves  of  ocean  foaming  roll. 

Great  Britain   girdles  towns,  and    lands,  and 

countries. 
Nation  on  nation,  trades  in  realm  on  realm, 
Unnerves  the  orient,  and  threatens  now 
T'appropriate  the  fruits  of  twenty  years 
Of  struggle  here,  as  British  Property. 

And  now,  my  brethren  !  know  for  what 

we  fight. 
And  know  against  what  enemy  we  struggle. 

The  time  will  come,  when  over  all  the  earth 
Nation  on  Nation  rouse  themselves  to  fight ; 
The  freedom  of  all  countries  to  establish 
On  pure  religion's  primitive  idea  ; 
And  then  all  enmity,  and  scorn,  and  rage. 
Shall    concentrate    themselves  in  royalty; 

monarchy  I 
The  royalist  will  stand  forth  as  enemies 
Of  freedom  and  of  mankind,  and  the  struggle 
AVill  grow  more  fearful  than  it  e'er  has  been. 
And  with  more  bitterness  be  carried  on. 

Then  shall  the  spirit  of  humanity 
Be  armed  for  life  and  death  'gainst  monarchy. 
The  name  of  royalist  then,  shall  be  a  curse; 
The  world  will  turn  away  from  all  who  bear  it ; 
And  wheresoe'era  royalist  wends  his  way, 
T'escape  the  scaff'old,  or  evade  a  shot. 
Royalist  themselves  will  close  their  doors  against 

them — 
Who  never  pity  their  own  countrymen. 
When  splendid,  rich,  as  is  Great  Britain  now. 

Accursed  in  selfishness  and  infamy. 
The   Tory   in  despair  shall  curse  himself— 
And  as  Britannia  in  her  blindness  now 
Commits  a  suicide  on  her  own  poor  people  • 
A  Castlereagh  on  Castlereagh  shall  then, 
With  his  own  blood,  inscribe  Britannia's  end. 
In  the  great  book  of  the  world's  history — 
And  tb«D  Great  Britain  sball  no  more  be  found. 


SOS 


DOLORES. 


Dispersea  o'er  all  the  world,  as  now  the  Jews, 
TheBtiiTviug  Tories  then  shall  chaffer  with 
The  jewels  of  the  crown,  and  with  the  mantle 
Of  the  last  king  of  England — and  the  sceptre, 
Britannia's,  for  old  silver  shall  be  sold. 
By  Tories  in  a  foreign  land.    And  thus 
You  see  Britannia's  present  situation, 
And  this  will  also  be  Britannia's  end." 

But  Erin's  sons  and  Caledonia's  sons 
Shall  stand  as  people  in  their  sacred  right. 
Delivered  from  '  Britannia's  golden  chains' 
Upon  the  ruins  of '  Britannia's  throne,' 
In  brotherhood  receiving  in  their  arms 
'  The  englisli  people'  to  reconciliation, 
All  hatred  and  all  vengeance  disappears. 
Before  the  spirit  of  humanity  ; 
When  mankind  will  awake  in  resurrection. 
Thus  is  my  prophecy  of  future  days  : 
The  Revelation  of  Humanity. 

Amen." 

Hardly  had  Celeste  uttered  the  last  words,  with 
the  glow  of  inspiration  which  characterized  his 
whole  discourse,  and  had  from  time  to  time 
seized  upon  the  hearts  of  the  people  with 
threatening  effect,  when  a  youth  came  forward 
from  a  group  of  citizens,  and  approached  the 
circle  which  now  surrounded  the  speaker. 

A  musical  choir  began,  by  the  arrangement  of 
the  standing  committee,  the  world-famed  Mar- 
seillaise, and  many  Iiundred  voices  accompanied 
the  powerful  "  AUons-enfans"  ! — 

A  staff  officer  in  Celeste's  neighborhood  in- 
formed him  that  a  youth  had  arrived  from  Rio  de 
Janeiro,  who  desired  to  speak  to  him.  Celeste 
had  dismounted  from  his  horse  to  lie  down  on 
the  grass,  exhausted  by  the  physical  exertion  of 
his  speech,  and  still  weak  in  consequence  of  his 
wounds.  He  turned  around,  as  if  he  did  not 
comprehend  what  they  announced  to  him. 

"  Did  you  say  that  a  youth  had  arrived  from 
Rio  de  Janeiro,"  inquired  he,  after  a  pause;  "  it 
surely  is  not ?" 

"  It  is  Horatio,"  said  a  gentle  voice  in  the 
crowd  near  him,  and  the  nephew  of  Alphonso 
flew  into  his  arms. 


—  -  *«**^^^^  ^  #^^^..yw— 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE    woman's    curse. 

Gracia  lived  on  in  those  eternal  convulsions 
and  struggles  of  all  the  powers  of  her  wounded 
soul.  Little  as  she  was  able  to  explain  to  her- 
self how  it  was  possible  that  a  sentiment  which 
contradicted  her  social  duties,  could  overpower 
her  to  such  a  degree  as  it  had  drawn  her  towards 
the  kindred  soul,  still  less  had  she  been  able 
hitherto  to  suppress  it.  She  recognised  in  this 
sentiment  the  support  of  her  inward  life,  which 
was  first  aroused  when  her  social  relations  had 
destroyed  her  peace  of  mind.  The  more,  how- 
ever, she  now  endeavored  to  maintain  this  point 
d'appui  of  her  spiritual  existence,  the  more 
deeply  did  she  stray  into  the  labyrinth  of  the 
rigid  contradiction  between  her  heart  and  the 
forms  of  social  life. 

The  more  she  became  clear  in  the  conscious- 


ness of  loving  Robert,  the  more  deeply  did  sha 
feel  the  degradation  of  herself  in  a  union  which 
rested  upon  deceit,  and  whose  consequences  and 
conditions  she  had  first  seen  through  when  it  will 
too  late.  In  these  struggles  and  convulsions, 
which  she  had  hitherto,  as  far  as  possible,  en- 
deavored to  conceal  from  her  beloved,  arose,  (ac- 
cording to  her  views,)  the  monster  of  necessity, 
sustaining  itself  upon  animal  relations  without 
love. 

In  the  most  evident  contradiction  with  her- 
self, she  continued  a  connexion  which  lay 
founded  upon  the  regulations  recognised  as  the 
basis  of  the  social  world  ;  while,  on  the  other 
side,  she  at  the  mere  touching  of  the  paper  on 
which  a  female  had  written,  trembled  and 
shrank  before  the  thought  that  Robert  might 
have  only  given  his  hand  to  another  woman  in 
conversation.  Even  her  excessive  jealousy  was 
a  contradiction  in  herself 

The  natural  sentiment  of  jealousy,  which  is 
founded  upon  human  weakness,  disappears  in 
two  extremes  of  circumstances. 

Love,  (in  the  sense  of  the  word  which  we  have 
so  often  designated,  and  in  the  idea  of  which  we 
maintain,)  nourished  and  confirmed  in  the  being 
whom  a  bond  of  mutual  love  has  fastened  for 
ever,  knows  no  jealousy.  Indifference — which 
misuses  a  social  form  to  content  the  animal  de- 
mands of  nature,  and  in  rigid  opposition  to  the 
sentiment  of  love,  requires  neither  soul  nor  in- 
tellect, but  only  a  body — knows  just  as  little  ol 
this  sentiment. 

Jealousy  proceeds  not  so  much  from  suspicion, 
as  from  the  diffidence  of  a  heart  which  is  mar- 
tyred by  the  anxious  uncertainty,  the  painful 
doubt :  vv'hether  it  is  capable  and  in  a  condition 
to  answer  all  the  demands  of  its  kindred  heart 
in  every  respect:  whether  the  beloved  recog- 
nises and  returns  its  love  in  the  degree  in  which 
itself  feels  it :  whether  no  being  on  earth  has  over 
been  able  to  produce  a  similar  effect  on  the  be- 
loved heart,  as  the  loving  heart  experiences 
within  itself. 

Jealousy,  of  course,  vanishes  where  such  a 
blessed  conviction  prevails,  of  the  love  that  "  be- 
lieves in  love  "  and  never  doubts ;  and  in  the 
other  case,  where  love  was  never  the  question, 
where  animal  instinct  in  the  place  of  love  formed 
a  bond  that  rested  upon  egotism.  The  egotist 
overrating  all  his  powers  and  capabilities,  knows 
no  jealousy,  because  he  cannot  imagine  that  there 
exists  a  man  in  the  world  who  would  be  able 
more  punctually  to  satisfy  all  the  demands  of 
the  so  called  love  of  a  being  than  himself.  In  the 
self-conciousness  of  infallible  egotism,  (which 
as  arrogance,  knows  how  to  make  itself  pass,)  lies 
in  part  the  ground  of  the  inconceivable  decep- 
tion by  which  a  man  is  able  to  fascinate  a  being 
who  is  as  strange  to  him  in  heart  and  intellect, 
as  the  egotist  himself  is  foreign  to  the  inward 
life. 

Egotism  knows  as  little  jealousy  as  love,  be- 
cause the  former  considers  itself  perfect  in  the 
above  respect,  and  the  latter,  in  the  conciousness 
of  mortal  imperfection,  lives  in  the  conviction 
of  the  mutual  love,  which  "  believeth  in  love, 
endureth  all  things,  hopeth  all  things  ;"  which 
dissolves  itself  in  the  unity  of  the  kindred  soul, 
and  interweaves  the  existence  of  love,  with  th» 
idea  of  Eternity. 
We  will  not  institute  the  question :  whether  • 


DOLORES. 


307 


being  like  Gracia,  United  in  happy  social  rela- 
tions with  such  a  man  as  Robert,  would  ever 
have  experienced  jealousy.  We  doubt  it,  since 
we  recognise  in  both  that  original  affinity  of 
Soul  Upon  which  their  love  rested. 

We  will,  however,  institute  tlie  question  :  how 
the  interior  of  a  being  like  Gracia  must  be  dis- 
turbed, when  she  trembled  before  the  thouglit 
of  finding  occasion  for  the  slightest  jealousy, 
while  she  maintained  before  the  eyes  of  her  be- 
loved, a  relation  that  inflamed  in  the  youth,  of 
whose  love  she  vvas  conscious,  not  exactly  jeal- 
ousy, but  a  sentiment  of  injured  honor  for  which 
psychology  has,  as  yet,  found  no  significant 
word. 


\ 


The  thought  of  the  possibility  of  a  realization 
of  his  love  in  social  forms  liad  never  occurred 
to  the  youth  till  she  herself  awakened  (his  idea 
within  him,  which  was  afterwards  confirmed  by 
his  uncle. 

This  gentleman  considered  everything  in  life, 
and  life  itself,  only  from  the  practical  side; — 
even  marriage  was  to  him  a  business,  and  what 
appeared  here  and  there  as  love,  was  only  to 
him  the  introduction  to  business.  Mr.  Thom- 
son in  his  relations  to  the  female  sex,  upon  the 
point  of  matrimony,  was  as  great  an  egotist  as 
ever  possessed  himself  of  the  hand  of  a  female. 
He  felt,  in  proud  self-contentment,  that  he  was 
in  a  condition  to  satisfy  all  the  external  demands 
of  a  woman,  and  as  he  himself  knew  of  no  de- 
mands of  the  heart,  he  could,  very  naturally,  not 
conceive  that  the  heart  had  in  general  its  de- 
mands. 

Robert  loved  Gracia  in  the  purest  sense  of 
the  word.  The  thought  wliich  his  uncle  had 
awakened  within  him  required  the  dissolution 
of  the  connubial  bond,  which  had,  so  to  say, 
infused  the  individuality  of  his  beloved  into  a 
stranger,  since  she,  to  speak  in  .Scripture  lan- 
guage, had  become  "  one  flesh"  with  this  foreign 
element. 

Gracia's  relations  to  Robert,  however,  required 
not  so  much  a  public  divorce,  as  a  physical  sepa- 
ration from  the  man  whom  she  had  never  loved, 
and  by  whose  connubial  contact  she  was  de- 
graded. 

Sufficient  moral  grounds  of  divorce  had  ex- 
isted, long  before  Robert  came  into  Gracia's 
neighborhood,  and  every  woman  in  her  situation, 
possessed  of  moral  self-conseiousness,  v^ould  be 
in  duty  bound  to  part  from  a  man  whose  influ- 
ence could  only  more  and  more  demoralize  her. 
Senhora  Gracia  appeared  to  have  perceived  this, 
before  she  made  advances  to  Robert,  and  gave 
him  her  explanation.  But  the  longer  the  de- 
moralizing influence  of  a  mean  nature  upon  a 
noble  one,  in  the  physical  bond  of  matrimony, 
endures,  so  much  the  more  does  the  woman  (or 
in  an  opposite  case  the  man)  lose  in  moral  self- 
consciousness  and  honorable  sentiment.  The 
woman  imbibes,  without  knowing  or  desiring  it, 
the  worldly  perceptions  and  views  of  life  of  the 
demoralized,  characterless  husband — through 
the  "  unity  of  the  flesh,"  whilst  she  gradually 
suppresses  her  moral  delicacy  of  sentiment  in 
all  that  regards  the  characterlessness  and  the 
crimes  of  her  husband.  There  are  few  wives 
who  do  not  soon,  with  natural  penetration,  (a 
certain  female  instinct,)  see  through  the  individ- 
uality of  their  husbands,  because  the  inward  life 


(as  we  formerly  intimated)  is  universally  more 
easily  and  highly  developed  in  woman  than  in 
man  ;  but  there  are  few  women  who,  with  the 
cultivation  of  the  inward  life,  at  the  same  time 
develope  their  moral  force — and  come  forth  as 
morally  independent — against  the  characterless- 
ness and  meanness  of  the  husband — who  clothes 
and  feeds  them,  and  is  to  provide  for  their  chil- 
dren. The  demoralization  of  marriage  without 
love  lies  founded  (as  we  have  likewise  formerly 
intimated)  in  the  ordinances  of  the  church  and 
state,  which  have  instituted  marriage  as  a  cove- 
nant of  propagation,  without  taking  into  consid- 
eration the  natural  consequence  of  such  a  cove- 
nant upon  the  rising  generation. 

AUhougli  Robert  had  never  given  utterance  to 
the  thought  of  separation,  still  the  distracting 
feeling  pres.wd  upon  him  for  which  we  know  no 
word,  and  which  urged  the  dissolution  of  an  ani- 
mal relation  that  (according  to  Gracia's  declara- 
tion) had  never  been  founded  in  love,  and  so  long 
as  it  subsisted,  remained  a  twofold  crime  against 
nature  and  love, 

Robert  found  himself  in  his  pavilion  on  that 
evening  after  the  family  dinner,  when  his  friend 
was  announced,  and  greeted  him  with  her  cus- 
tomary heartiness  and  unconstraint.  It  was  diffi- 
cult for  him  to  find  a  proper  mode  of  reply,  since 
a  tenfold  impression  raged  within  him  from  the 
reception  of  the  ring  and  the  return  of  the  hus- 
band. 

As  a  reply  to  the  first  impression,  he  had  a 
like  symbol  ready  since  that  morning,  as  the 
present  required.  The  return  of  the  personified 
inimical  principle  of  his  sentiments — was  a  sub- 
ject he  had  determined  to  touch  upon,  when  the 
ring  gave  him  exactly  the  occasion  he  desired. 
The  unhappy  youth  follow-ed  the  natural  prompt- 
ings of  his  character,  and  thanked  his  friend  in 
the  first  place  with  undissembled openness  for 
the  symbol  he  had  received,  adding  that  he  pos- 
sessed a  like  one,  in  case  she  had  recognised  in 
sacred  earnest  its  signification.  He  dared  not, 
however,  give  utterance  to  the  natural  stipula- 
tion, abstractly  from  a  public  separation,  the 
possibility  of  which  affected  him  as  a  foreign 
suggestion. 

Gracia  accepted  the  symbol  of  "  Eternity"  with 
expressions  of  sincere  joy,  and  anticipated  him 
by  requiring  an  explanation  of  wherefore  he 
would  not  visit  at  her  husband's  house  in  the  city. 
The  young  Englishman  fell  into  the  most  pain- 
ful embarrassment.  He  must  give  a  wife  only 
the  lightest  intimation  of  the  position  of  her 
husband  as  a  citizen.  He  looked  back  upon  his 
entrance  into  the  dwelling,  and  upon  the  mani- 
fold information  and  assertion  of  his  friend  that 
she  had  never  loved  her  husband,  and  would  love 
him,  and  him  only,  to  eternity.  He  hinted  in 
the  most  delicate  expressions  at  the  valid  grounds 
that  must  subsist,  through  which  she  herself  ex- 
perienced so  decided  a  repulsion  against  Mr. 
Closting  as  she  had  at  least  asserted,  and  brought 
it  home  to  her  perceptions  whether  many  others 
might  not  be  deterred  from  seeking  personal  in- 
tercourse with  him  upon  the  same  grounds  which 
caused  her  repulsion, 

Madame  Closting  sank  into  an  armchair  and 
gazed  inquiringly  at  her  friend,  "  What  do  you 
mean  to  say  by  that .'"  said  she,  with  an  expres- 
sion of  amazement. 


308 


DOLORES. 


"  'Wliaf  you  sufficiently  understand  yourself, 
since  ynu  have  manifested  that  valid  grounds  of 
the  repulsion  on  your  part  exist." 

"  What  have  the  grounds  of  my  repulsion  to 
do  with  the  standing  of  my  husband  as  a  citi- 
zen ?"  inquired  she,  with  evidently  wounded 
self-love.  "  You  will  not  undertake  to  impugn 
the  character  of  my  husband,  as  you  hint  at  rea- 
sons that  should  occasion  people  to  avoid  his 
society  .'  If  you  say  a  single  word  to  the  prejudice 
of  my  husband,  I  must  doubt  your  character, 
since  you  traduce  him  from  envy,  %vhile  he  is 
worthy  as  a  man,  of  all  respect  and  friendship  on 
your  part." 

Robert  turned  pale,  and  sank  likevfise  upon  a 
chair  opposite  his  friend. 

The  declaration  of  the  wife  was  simple,  brief, 
and  concise.  It  was  the  declaration  of  a  woman — 
in  her  social  position  as  a  wife  and  mother,  and 
90  far  right,  if  it  had  only  not  concerned  a  man 
who  had  long  since  lost  his  credit  as  a  citizen — 
and  been  directed  to  a  man  who  was  placed  in 
such  delicate  relations  towards  her,  to  whom 
she  had  given  her  heart  for  ever,  or  at  least  had 
sworn  to  do  so, 

"  You  will  not  surely  regard  the  reports  and 
tattle  which  the  mean  envy  of  some  countrymen 
of  my  husband  has  put  in  circulation,  who  are 
wanting  in  practical  ability  for  business,  and 
endeavor,  on  that  account,  to  cast  suspicion  upon 
his  character,  because  they  are  less  successful 
than  he,  who  is  making  his  fortune  here  ?" 

"Do  you  mean  by  this  Hinango,  madam?" 
inquired  Robert,  suddenly,  in  a  tone  of  iniured 
honor. 

Gracia  trembled  at  the  sound  of  this  ice-cold 
word — she  sprang  up  and  seized  Robert's  hand, 

"  Robert,  you  do  not  love  me,  and  wish  to 
part  from  me .'"  cried  she,  with  tears  starting 
from  her  eyes. 

"  Gracia  !   are  you   deranged  .'"  inquired  the 
youth,  pressing  her  hand  between  both  of  his 
"  You  love  another — you  love  Dolores." 
"  Dolores  !"    cried   Robert,   e-pringing    as    if 
struck  by  liglitning  ;  "  how  did  you"  know  that 
name,  which  has  not  passed  my  lips .'" 

"  See  I  now  !  only  see  how  violent  you  are  !  is 
not  my  suspicion  well  founded  .'  if  the  poetess 
were  indifferent  to  you,  how  could  you  then  be 
so  shocked  at  my  words  ?" 

"  1  conjure  you  to  tell  me  how  you  learned 
the  name  Dolores  ?  from  whose  ciouth  did  you 
hear  it !" 

"  From  the  mouth  of  my  husband,"  replied 
the  wife,  smiling ;  "  he  knows  your  so  called 

'  sister,'  and " 

"  And  stands  in  connexion  with  the  Baron  de 
Spandau,  to  deliver  her  to  Rosas  in  Buenos 
Ayres." 

It  was  now  Gracia's  turn  to  tremble.  She 
sank  into  her  armchair  again,  and  gazed  ear- 
nestly at  Robert. 

"  In  connexion  with  the  Baron  de  Spandau, 
to  deliver  her  to  Rosas,"  repeated  she  slowly, 
with  an  inquiring  tone  of  the  most  profound 
horror. 

"  Gracia  !  Gracia  !"  now  cried  the  young  En- 
glishman :  "  a  shameful  game  has  been  played 
with  you  until  now,  and  even  now  they  are 
playing  the  same  towards  you  !  Do  you  know 
who  Dolores  is?  Dolores" is  the  being — who 
from  the  scaffold  of  her  beloved  oa  the  river  La  | 


Plata,  saved  her  own  life  by  flight,  fo  escape 
a  similar  fate ;  and  as  her  protector,  together 
with  Hinango,  Providence  led  me  to  Brazil,  to 
this  precipice  on  which  I  now  stand — in  relation 

to  you. 

"  Through  my  reverence  for  Alphonso  and 
his  beloved,  and  through  Hinango's  friendship 
for  me,  I  believed  myself  to  be  worthy  of  vour 
love,  and  of  being  understood  and  apprecfated 
by  you  ; — and  now  doubt  me  still  I  repeat  that 
exclamation  of  unheard  of  doubt — whether  I  love 
you  !" 

"  Forgive  me,  Robert,"  said  the  woman,  after 
a  long  pause,  with  a  feeble,  tremulous  voice. 
A  web  of  hell  encloses  me  and — you ;  but  be 
assured  that  my  husband  ig  as  little  connected 
in  this  respect,  with  the  infamous  Baron  de 
Spandau,  as  I  am  ;  I  pledge  myself  for  that. — i 
know  him  too  well  to  believe  him  capable  of  a 
base  transaction — to  say  nothjrvg  of  such  treach- 
ery in  regard  to  the  life  of  a  female." 

Robert's  brain  was  in  danger  of  bursting.  Tha 
domain  of  alwolute  lunacy  revealed  itse-If'to  him 
so  far  as  this  woman  most  he  an  inhabitant  of 
this  domain,  thus  to  bring  forward  declaration 
upon  declaration,  which  must  either  be  against 
her  convictions,  or  the  result  of  an  inward  dis- 
turbance, in  which  the  soul's  mirror  received 
the  appearances  of  the  outward  world  distorted, 
and  returned  their  reflection  again  in  the  colors 
of  a  foreign  element. 

Let  your  husband  have  Icamt  the  circum- 
stances of  Dolores  where  and  through  whom  he 
may,  I  conjure  you,  for  the  sake  of  our  love,  (if 
it  be  still  sacred  to  you,)  to  tell  me  in  what  res- 
pect he  spoke  to  you  of  her — what  he  has  said 
to  you  about  her  ?" 

"  Nothing — but  that  you  ran  away  with  her 
from  Buenos  Ayres,  and  that  she  has  hliherto 
passed  for  your  sister  in  Bota  Fogo.  He  said  it 
was  a  secret — but  he  knew  the  reality." 

"  And  you  then  immediately  believed  this 
communication,  and  probably  believe  in  it 
now  ?" 

"  No — no,  Robert !  by  all  that  is  holy,  I  do 
not  believe  that  you  love  this  being — who,  be- 
sides  .stands  too  high for  me ever 

to  be  onlv  worthy  of  raising  my  eyes   to 

her if  you  had  ever  considered  her  as  other 

than  your  sister." 

She  spoke  the  last  words  with  a  certain  mus- 
cular convulsion  of  her  countenance,  which  ex- 
pressed itself  around  the  lips,  and  large  teat 
drops  fell  suddenly  down  upon  her  pale  cheeks. 
Robert  was  again  agitated  and  impressed  by 
the  tone  of  profbundest  sadness  which  accom- 
panied these  words,  as  well  as  by  the  dec- 
laration itself,  which  revealed  to  him  the  un- 
hapi)y  pangs  of  jealousy  in  the  depths  of  her 
heart. 

"  Gracia  !  Gracia  !  I  cannot  comprehend  yon, 
and  who  will  ever  dare  to  boast  that  he  does 
comprehend  a  woman  ?  Shall  1  now  set  before 
you  your  parallel  in  relation  to  the  characters  of 
Mr.  Closting  and  myself,  as  you  have  expressed 
it  ?  shall  I  explain  the  grounds  of  my  repul- 
sion  >" 

"  Do  not  speak  of  him  '.  do  not  mention  his 

name  !"  cried  the  poor  woman  hastily,  and  with 

violence  ;  "  I  conjure  you  be  silent  about  him  I — 

be  silent  about  him  !" 

"  Well,  I  wiU  be  silent  about  him ;  but  the 


DOLORES. 


309 


\ 


Benliment  that  you  have  con6rmed  and  conse- 
crated in  me,  will  not  be  silent,  it  will  speak 
aloud  in  my  soul  for  ever  !  Do  you  remember 
your  words — '  for  eternity  ?'  " 

"  I  have  said  it  once,"  replied  Gracia,  with 
decision,  "  and  I  do  not  recall  it — if  1  even  feel," 
added  she,  witii  the  same  sadness  as  before,  and 

with  tears,  '*  if  1  even  feel  that  you  never 

would  have  made  advances  to  me if  this  un- 
fortunate heart  had  not  first  revealed  its  senti- 
ments lo  you." 

"Good  heavens  1"  cried  Robert,  clasping  his 
hands,  '*  what  is  tliis  in  you  that  is  for  ever  and 
eternally  torturing  you  with  doubts  of  my  love 
for  you  ?  You  make  me  regularly  mad  by  every 
revelation  of  your  heart.  If  the  belief  in  love 
is  wanting  in  you,  then  you  do  not  love ;  for 
faith  and  love  are  one.  If  you  are  unable  to 
think  or  to  conceive  that  my  being  resolves 
itself  into  the  consciousness  of  your  reciprocal 
love,  then  the  sentiment  of  love  is  foreign  to 
you — that  is  bringing  me — to  the  grave  !" 

"  Yes,  I  can  conceive  it,  Robert '.  I  under- 
stand you  !  your  sutferings  are  unheard  of — and 
I  have  caused  them." 

"  Not  you — and  not  myself.  I  can  as  little 
reproach  you  as  myself;  but  I  require  justice 
from  you,  and  in  that  you  are  wanting  !  You 
ire  unjust  towards  me,  while  you  tremble  before 
a  thought — which  nourishes  your  jealousy,  and 
rerpiire  from  me  the  endurance  of  a  reality; — 
that  I  should  suffer  what  I  suffer,  that  I  should 
endure  what  I  endure  !" 

"  Can  I  do  otherwise  ?"  inquired  she,  with 
profound  anguish,  seeming  to  have  forgotten 
what  she  had  remarked,  while  reading  the 
**  Psychology  of  Love,"  since  she,  in  case  she 
had  not  forgotten  it,  now  proclaimed  herself"  to 
be  a  goose,  or  her  husband  a  monster." 

"  Yes,  you  can  do  otherwise  if  you  will.  I 
repeat  this  assertion  !  You  are  morally  free  as 
a  woman,  even  if  a  slave  of  social  regulations ; 
a  slave  of  him  who  bought  you  at  a  nominal 
price  !  A  negro  slave  maintains,  in  such  a  case, 
her  moral  freedom  ;  and  do  you  not  possess  the 
same  force !" 

"  Frightful !  frightful !"  sobbed  the  unfortu- 
nate woman  ;  "  to  compare  me  vvith  a  uegro 
slave — to  call  me  a  slave — to  treat  me  so  !  No  ! 
you  do  not  love  me  !  you  never  loved  me  !  an 
unaccountable  delusion  has  fooled  me  ! — thank 
God  ! — it  is  past — it  is  torn  away  !  It  is  well  that 
it  has  happened  so — that  it  has  come  to  this  ! 
Thank  God !  it  is  well — to  treat  me  so!  No! 
that  is  too  hard  !  He  would  not  have  treated  me 
so  !  he  never  has  used  me  sol  he  has  too  much 
feeling  ever  to  treat  me  in  such  a  manner  ! 
Frightful ! — unheard  of!" 

Robert  stood  there  like  a  statue  whose  foun- 
dation is  undermined.  But  instead  of  being 
agitated,  he  heard  with  all  tranquillity  the  lan- 
guage of  a  feverish  delirium  which  had  posses- 
sion of  his  friend.  He  approached  her,  to  take 
her  hand  consolingly. 

"  Back  !  back !  monster  !"  cried  she,  with  a 
savage  glance,  the  ray  of  whicli  was  physically 
perceptible  to  him ;  "  back  !  touch  me  no  more  ! 
never  again — never  more,  with  your  devil's 
claws,  which  look  like  human  hands  !  Get 
away  from  me,  Satan  I  I  curse  you  as  the  most 
treacherous  being  on  earth  !  take  yourself  off, 
or  J  will  call  the  negresses  to  put  you  out !" 


Robert  made  his  study  in  the  domain  of  the 
higher  psychology,  as  a  young  physician  ob- 
serves the  paroxysms  of  fever  in  a  patient  of 
whose  cure  he  entertains  the  most  well  founded 
hopes. 

The  whole  manliness  of  his  character  dis- 
played itself  at  tliis  moment  in  all  its  grandeur, 
as  he  (contrary  to  former  ebullitions)  did  not  in 
the  least  lose  his  self-possession,  but  tranquilly 
heard  all  these  objurgations,  and  would  have 
withdrawn,  if  he  had  not  happened  to  be  in  his 
own  apartment,  which  the  patient  appeared  to 
have  forgotten. 

Madame  Closting  gazed  around  her  with  a 
broken  glance,  through  her  tears,  looking  with- 
out seeing,  then  recovered  herself,  and  rising 
from  the  armcliair,  hastened  to  the  door.  .She 
cast  a  wandering  glance  back  upon  her  friend, 
while  she  cried  out  to  him,  "  Monstre  que  vous 
etes,"  and  slammed  the  door  after  her 

Robert  endured  the  explosion  of  this  "  mys- 
terical "  mine  with  all  the  tranquillity  of  a 
young  artillerist,  who  would  be  ashamed  of  him- 
self if,  from  the  fear  of  being  blown  up  into 
the  air,  he  were  to  resign  or  desert  a  position 
which  he  had,  in  the  proud  consciousness  of  his 
manly  character,  once  assumed  or  entered  upon. 
His  heart  appeared  endued  with  sublime  force. 
It  bore  such  moments,  but  his  nerves  would  not 
endure  them;  they  became  physically  diseased, 
through  the  impression  of  the  scene — the  occi- 
sion  of  v/luch  was  dated  four  years  before,  and 
in  which  he  felt  himself  blameless.  He  sank 
into  reflection. 

An  hour  afterwards,  as  he  left  the  pavilion  to 
enjoy  the  coolness  of  the  evening  air,  he  beheld 
Madame  Closting  on  the  arm  of  her  husband, 
walking  up  and  down  in  the  garden,  in  conver- 
satisn  u|»on  domestic  affairs,  for  the  improvement 
of  their  comfortable  arrangements,  as  if  the 
young  lady  had  never  exchanged  a  word  with 
her  neighbor. 

Mr.  Closting  greeted  the  young  Englishman, 
and  inquired  after  his  health,  while  the  lady 
contemplated  him  with  a  glance  of  coldness 
and  contempt^that  might  be  pai'doned  in  her 
as  a  woman.  Robert  felt  and  endured.  He 
was  one  of  those  men  who  willingly  excuse 
every  evil,  in  so  far  as  they  look  bacK  upon 
its  origin,  and  do  not  in  the  least  forget  what 
they  have  once  met  with  of  beautiful,  and  good, 
dnd  noble. 

Robert  recollected  in  this  hour  the  childlike 
earnest  request  of  the  young  Brazilian  lady,  in 
tlie  presence  of  Dr.  I'horfin,  "  tiiat  he  would 
pardon  her  if  she  should  ever  wound  him  by 
her  passionate  violence,"  as  he  had,  by  anti- 
cipation, long  ago  fulfilled  this  request.  The 
peculiar  inward  nature  of  his  friend  did  not 
appear  to  him  in  the  least  disfigured  through 
these  convulsions,  which  he  regarded  as  the 
tragical  consequences  of  an  incurable  nervous 
disturbance,  whose  cause  he  recognised,  and 
whose  eflect  he  endeavoured  to  bear,  as  far  as 
his  human  strength  would  admit — because  he 
loved. 


SIO 


DOLORES. 


CHAPTER    XII. 


SECRET    MKAStJRES. 


Mk.  Habakkuk  Daily  had  directed  his 
journey  into  the  interior  of  the  country,  towards 
that  town  whose  charming  enviror;s  had  once 
so  peculiarly  fascinated  the  naturalist's  secre- 
tary, and  arrived  at  the  place  of  his  destination 
the  more  safely,  as  the  caravan  was  ordered 
thither  to  which  he  had  joined  himself  at  Porto 
d'Estrela. 

After  he  had,  as  Mr.  Stone,  concluded  his 
successful  business  with  Mr.  Schweinfurter,  he 
bore  the  name  of  Dujour,  under  which  he  could, 
in  case  of  need,  legitimate  himself  by  some 
family  papers.  On  his  arrival  at  this  flourishing- 
town,  he  casually  made  the  acquaintance  of  a 
young  man  who  was  politely  helpful  to  him  in 
obtaining  information  respecting  his  father. 
This  yonng  man  was  Mr.  Bankoff,  (or  Banko, 
as  the  Brazilians  pronounced  his  name,)  who 
had  a  situation  in  a  ?nagasin  des  beaux  arts, 
there.  He  obtained  leave  of  absence  for  a  week, 
from  his  principal,  to  accompany  the  grandson 
of  the  unfortunate  old  grimpeiro  into  the  moun- 
tains, and  Mr.  Habakkuk  at  length  entered  the 
dwelling  of  his  murdered  father,  and  found  his 
grandfather  occupied  with  his  gold  washing,  as 
we  have  before  seen. 

The  four  wives  of  the  murdered  man  thanked 
young  Mr.  Banko  with  all  the  lamenting  ex- 
pressions of  feeling  of  good  humoured  negresses, 
that  he  had  conducted  to  them  their  four-fold 
stepson,  and  rejoiced  above  measure  at  finding 
him  so  well  grown  and  manly,  stronger,  and 
already  almost  larger  than  his  deceased  father. 

Mr.  Habakkuk  had  learned,  through  the 
authorities  of  the  flourishing  town,  that  his 
father  had  been  murdered  in  such  a  place,  and 
huried  in  such  a  place  ;  that  the  investigation, 
and  burial,  and  other  expenses,  had  amounted 
to  so  and  so  much,  which  sum  a  certain  Senhor 
Closting  had  punctually  paid,  as  the  former 
friend  of  the  murdered  man. 

Mr.  Banko  kept  a  close  mouth  and  a  fixed 
countenance  in  every  conversation  with  Mr. 
Habakkuk  in  relation  to  the  murder — about 
which  he  alone  could  give  information ;  but  lent 
a  serviceable  hand  to  the  son  in  all  that  concerned 
the  neglected  administration  of  the  miserable 
fazenda,  which  included  the  living  and  lifeless 
property  of  the  murdered  man,  that  had  now 
fallen  into  possession  of  Mr.  Habakkuk  as  heir. 

Strictly  as  Mr.  Banko  endeavored  to  govern 
glance  and  speech,  and  deportment,  when  the 
murder  became  the  subject  of  the  daily  conver- 
sation, it,  nevertheless,  by  no  means  escaped  the 
clever  Mr.  Habakkuk  ;  that  he  knew  more  than 
he  had  told  as  yet  He  learned  from  his  four 
stepmothers,  that  a  valuable  diamond  belonging 
to  their  man  must  be  hidden  somewhere — which 
was  valued  at  about  twenty  contos.  This  sum 
was  no  trifle,  and  agreed  with  all  that  Mr. 
Habakk\ik  had  by  degrees  heard  of  the  "  worth  " 
of  his  father,  (as  it  is  called  in  English.) 

Mr.  Closting,  as  the  intimate  friend  of  the 
murdered  man,  had  during  some  days  before  and 
after  his  interment,  put  the  books  and  papers  of 
the  grimpeiro  in  order,  and  handed  them  over 
to  the  four  women,  none  of  whom  could  either 
read  or  WTilo. 


Mr.  Dujo'jr  had  passed  his  life  as  a  man  of 
business,  and  as  such  had  had  no  friend  ;  for 
absolute  egotism,  which  recognises  nothing  but 
personal  interest,  dissolves  and  disperses  all 
friendship  according  to  the  old  proverb  ;  "  no 
friendship  in  trade."  He  had  recognised  no 
higher  aim  than  to  amass  property,  and  no  higher 
enjoyment  of  life  than  the  satisfaction  of  his  ani- 
mal necessities  in  fourfold  conjugal  life.  No 
one  in  the  neighborhood  has  sou;;ht  intimate  as- 
sociation with  him,  as  he  held  himself  aloof  from 
the  world — contracted  vvithin  his.business,  which 
had  been  his  world.  No  one  had  been  intimate 
with  him  in  life  who  might  be  able  to  give  in- 
formation about  his  **  worth  "  at'ter  his  death. 

Mr.  Habakkuk  repeatedly  conversed  at  largo 
with  Mr.  Banko  atiout  the  inquiry  alter  the  dia- 
mond— which  had  now  become  the  principal 
thing  with  him.  As  the  result  of  all  these  con- 
sultations, the  latter  revealed  to  him  the  possi- 
bility of  falling  upon  the  trace  of  the  diamond  in 
case  Mr.  Daily  would  permit  him  to  carry 
through  the  aliair  as  he  might  think  best,  in 
consequence  of  the  heir's  remarking,  as  above 
mentioned,  that  the  young  man  who  had  been 
acquainted  with  his  father  in  the  last  days  of  his 
life,  knew  something  which  he  kept  secret,  he 
agreed  all  the  sooner  to  this  proposal — and  it 
was  resolved  that  they  should  return  to  Rio  de 
Janeiro  in  comjiany. 

Mr.  BarJio  had  desired  that  the  negro  Fran- 
cisco might  attend  them,  since  he  had  not  only 
often  held  in  his  hand  the  diamond  in  question, 
but  had  been  employed  from  his  childliood  in 
diamond  mines,  and  possessed  in  the  business  a 
certain  technical  knowledge,  by  which  he  might 
serve  as  an  "  expert"  in  case  of  need. 

We  find  the  two  travellers,  attended  by  Fran- 
cisco, in  the  small  German  tavern  in  the  Rua 
do  Cano — at  Rio,  where  Mr.  Habakkuk  first  ap- 
peared when  he  arrived  from  Buenos  Ayres. 

Mr.  Banko  had  made  the  stipulation  Tliat  he 
was  to  act  entirely  independently  in  this  aflSiir. 
and  desired  his  companion  to  call  himself  thence- 
forward, Mr.  Stone,  or  to  assume  some  other 
name,  and  to  hold  himself  aloof  from  all  commu- 
nication with  strangers. 

Mr.  Habakkuk  promised  to  follow  his  direc- 
tions, excepting  as  far  as  he  was  obliged  to  an- 
nounce his  arrival  to  the  house  of  Walker  &.  Co. 

Mr.  Banko  had  no  objection  to  this,  and  after 
this  visit  of  announcement  had  been  made,  Mr. 
Daily  in  a  peculiarly  excited  mood,  entered  the 
billiard  room  in  which  we  once  found  the  Boto- 
cudan  Prince  and  Dr.  Merbold. 

Mei-hold  lived  from  time  to  time  in  Rio,  and 
was  just  playing  a  game  of  billiards  with  Mr. 
Banko  as  Mr.  Habakkuk  called  the  latter  aside. 

The  lawful  inheritor  of  the  diamond  was 
obliged  to  restrain  his  impatience  until  the  game 
w^vs  played  out,  as  the  discreet  young  German 
wished  to  avoid  all  appearance  of  having  any- 
thing important  to  say  to  the  Englishman  or 
Frenchman  from.  Buenos  -\yres. 

"  Hey  !  the  devil !"  cried  Dr.  Merbold,  looking 
up  from  his  halls,  "  there  is  my  fellow  voyager 

of  the  Nordstjernan  !  How  are  you Mr. ? 

what's  your  name .'" 

"  Mr.  Vaily,"  interrupted  Habakkuk,  inquir- 
ing likewise  alter  the  health  of  the  entomologist. 

"  ilr.  Vaily,  sure  enough  !  Have  you  met  Mr. 
Glostiog,  and  doae  any  business  with  him  i  He's 


DOLORES. 


311 


here  now.  He  has  been  home  about  a  fortnight. 
Mr.  Fitz  will  tell  you  where  he  lives !" 

The  sun  ol'tlie  murdered  man  was  much  em- 
barrassed, at  the  retrospect  upon  his  business 
with  Mr.  Schweinfurter  in  the  absence  of  the 
naturalist — but  soon  collected  himself,  however, 
and  with  his  peculiar  assurance  answered  exactly 
as  lie  thoui^ht  suitable. 

Mr.  Banko  had  finished  his  game,  and  now 
slowly  betook  himself  to  an  adjoining  apartment, 
where  Mr.  Habakkuk  seated  himself  beside  him. 

"  Only  think !"  began  he,  "  Mr.  Thomson 

has  just  been  talking  with  me  about  my  journey 
into  those  diamond  mountains,  and  told  me  in- 
cidentally that  he  had,  within  a  fortnight,  pur- 
chased a  di.imond  ffir  twenty-two  conto  di  reis, 
from  a  naturalist,  and  when  I  asked  him,  quite 
by  accident,  what  the  name  of  this  man  was,  he 
mentioned  Mr.  Closting  "' 

Banko  started,  but  collected  himself,  how- 
ever, and  whispered  in  his  ear :  "  I  counsel  you 
once  more,  observe  my  doctrines.  Be  silent ! 
Do  not  let  it  be  observed  that  you  have  ever 
heard  the  name  of  Closting.  It's  bad  enough 
that  this  old  granny,  that  the  entomologist  knows 
you.  Remember,  as  soon  as  we  take  a  single 
false  step  here,  we  are  lost !  our  lives  are  at 
hazard.  You  knew  long  ago  that  a  man's  life 
only  costs  two  patacks  to  end  it." 

ilabakkuk  acknowledged  the  danger,  and  pro- 
mised to  keep  himself  passive. 

"  Stay  at  home  for  some  days,"  whispered  the 
young  German,  "  and  I  will  say  that  you  are 
eick,  exhausted  with  your  journey — they  will 
bring  you  your  meals  into  your  room." 

Mr.  Banko  returned  to  a  conversation  on  in- 
different subjects  with  Dr.  Merbold  in  the  billiard 
room,  and  the  heir  of  the  grimpeiro  retired  to 
the  solitude  of  his  sleeping  apartment. 

The  Baron  de  Spandau  walked  with  hasty 
steps  back  and  forth  in  his  private  garden  before 
the  house  of  Fortuna.  It  was  midnight,  and  the 
clear  starlight  came  glimmering  down.  He 
seemed  to  expect  some  one,  and  did  not  remove 
but  a  few  steps  from  the  gate — that  he  might  be 
at  hand  hiniielf  when  the  bell  rang.  The  blinds 
of  the  upper  story  were  closed.  Bebida  tottled 
round  in  the  lower  part  of  the  house  ;  otherwise 
all  was  dark  and  still. 

There  was  a  gentle  ringing,  and  the  baron  hur- 
ried to  the  gate.  Senhor  de  Monte  Video  came 
down  the  steps— with  him  was  a  young  negro. 

"  That  is  the  Senhor  who  w'ants  to  speak  to 
you,  take  notice  of  him  that  you  may  know  him 
again,"  whispered  Senhor  Prole. 

"  Si  Senhor,"  said  the  negro.  "  What  is  your 
name  ?'  inquired  tlie  baron. 

"  Moloch." 

"  1  wish  to  order  you  to  come  to  the  island  of 
Cobras,  and  will  designate  the  place  to  you. 
Will  you  know  me  again  ?" 

"  .Si  Senhor,"  replied  the  negro,  staring  sharply 
at  tile  "  Senhor  Branco." 

"  There's  a  millreis  for  your  walk  this  even- 
ing ;  now  you  can  go." 

"  Si  Senhor,"  said  the  negro  again,  and  Sen- 
hor de  Monte  Video  gave  him  a  rendezvous  for 
the  next  day,  and  let  him  out  of  the  gate. 

A  long  pause  ensued.  A  lean  snake  glided 
obliquely  across  the  path  upon  which  both  stood. 
The  leaves  of  the  bananas  rustled  slowly  in  the 


zephyr  of  the  tropical  midnight.  Nothing  else 
stirred. 

"  He  is  going  to  sea  about  this  time,"  began 
the  principal  spy,  "  or  at  least  designs  to  go  to 
sea.  If  he  takes  this  Astrala  outside  of  the  Su- 
gar Loaf,  then  an  expedition  to  Santa  Catharina 
is  of  no  avail,  or  at  least  its  consequences  are 
very  uncertain." 

"  He  must  then  be  despatched  beforehand,  I 
see  that,"  replied  Senhor  Prole  ;  "  and  this  negro 
is  safe.  He  is  horribly  ill  used,  and  would  stab 
ten  whites  instead  of  one  for  a  tritle — if  they  are 
only  white.  The  fellow  breathes  nothing  but 
revenge." 

"  Very  well.  I  rely  upon  your  choice — and 
besides,  *  dead  men  tell  no  tales,'  especially  as 
the  fellow  whom  he  is  to  despatch,  is  more  mis- 
chievous than  ten  furoupilhas." 

"  That  will  very  naturally  be  our  protection," 
assented  the  blood  broker. 

"  Come  in  and  take  a  glass  of  wine  !"  said  the 
baron,  after  a  long  pause. 

Senhor  Prole  accepted  the  invitation,  and  both 
seated  themselves  at  the  round  table  in  the  front 
room  of  the  villa. 

"  Dabedicadem,"  muttered  Bebida,  as  she 
brought  t;lasses  and  bottles,  and  awaited  a  glass 
tor  herself,  and  a  second  for  Senhora  Fortuna. 

Her  wish  was  complied  with,  but  she  found 
the  door  fastened  which  led  into  Sally's  room — 
and  supposed  that  it  was  bolted  on  the  inside 
and  that  Senhora  P'ortuna  was  asleep.  She 
placed  the  glass  upon  the  table  in  the  front  room 
of  the  upper  story,  and  went  into  the  garden  and 
laid  down  upon  a  bench — to  rest  after  the  day's 
work. 

Sally  was  at  her  post  at  the  key  hole  of  the 
alcove,  and  observed  the  countenance  of  the 
baron  and  the  movement  of  his  lips  when  he 
spoke,  as  soon  as  he  had  taken  his  place  at  the 
table.     He  was  singularly  pale,  as  if  he  were  ill. 

"  He  cannot  very  well  be  despatched  until  the 
evening  of  the  day  after  to-morrow,"  began  the 
spy,  after  he  had  emptied  a  couple  of  glasses. 

"  He  will  not  be  ready  before  then  either," 
replied  Prole,  drinking  likewise.  "  Mr.  Fitz  is 
still  arranging  an  instrument  for  him — an  astro- 
nomical circle,  or  whatever  the  thing  is  called — 
and  he  often  works  a  little  slowly." 

"  Moloch  must  then  wait  in  the  evening  until 
he  steps  into  his  boat  from  the  stairs  at  the  quay 

Dos  Pescadores,  and  hand  him  the ,  and  give 

him  the  rest,"  continued  the  Baron,  looking  un- 
easily around  him,  as  if  he  wished  to  satisfy  him- 
self that  he  spoke  unheard. 

"  He  must  then  step  into  a  boat  in  the  neigh- 
borhood," said  Prole,  "  row  up  to  the  captain's 
boat,  give  him  the  stroke,  and  pull  him  imme- 
diately into  the  water — before  his  people  can 
prevent  it." 

"  Very  well,  very  well,"  replied  the  chief, 
rising.  It  seemed  as  if  something  wrought  upoa 
him,  as  if  he  must  look  around  alter  the  doors 
which  led  into  the  alcoves — but  nothing  was 
there. 

Sally  had  remarked  that  her  looking  through 
the  old  hollowed  out  keyhole  without  a  metal 
guard,  had  produced  this  ellcct  upon  the  man 
which  he  experienced ;  as  our  glance  is  able, 
perhaps,  in  the  box  of  a  theatre,  to  cause  a  persoa 
to  look  around  at  us — if  it  possess  auificieat 
magnetic  fluid. 


312 


DOLORES 


She  feareil,  hy  a  continuance  of  this  eye-strike, 
to  expose  herself  to  danger,  and  leaving  the 
alcove,  she  found  herself  upon  the  stairs  in  an 
instant,  and  soon  in  the  front  room,  where  Bebida 
had  phced  the  wine.  Then  she  felt  herself  in 
security,  since  she  could  easily  regain  her  own 
room.  She  had  heard  enough — more  than  enough 
Her  heart  throbbed  almost  to  bursting.  She 
looked  around  her  as  if  seeking  for  help.  She 
felt  herself  alone  and  forsaken,  and  consoled 
herself  with  the  thought  that  Lucy  would  be 
there  on  the  next  day  for  more  work. 

"  A  young  German  h;is  arrived  with  Mr. 
Daily,  who  was  formerly  in  Mr.  Closting's  ser- 
vice, and  will  go  out  in  the  .'\strala — as  a  cadet, 
or  somethiui;  of  the  military  sort." 

"  That's  like  him.  The  fellow  is  also  infected 
with  the  ideas  of  "  Young  Europe" — reads  pro- 
hibited books,  and  sings  rebel  songs  at  his  wine!" 

"  Our  Patrick  does  not  appear  to  stand  in 
connexion  witli  the  opposite  party ." 

"  Why  do  you  think  so  ?" 

"  Beca\ise  he  stays  with  you,  and  does  not  go 
out  in  the  .^strata." 

"  Hem,"  returned  the  baron  thoughtfully,  "  I 
don't  take  that  for  any  proof  of  his  doctrine.  He 
may  conceal  something  else  behind  it;  at  least 
I  shall  not  take  him  with  me  on  board  the  Santa 
Catharina.  Apropos,"  continued  he,  "  have  you 
taken  care  of  the  letter  for  Captain  Tumble !" 

"  I  sent  it  to  the  post  by  Patrick." 

"  Why  did  you  not  take  it  yourself?" 

"  Because  I  then  saw  the  negro,  Moloch,  pass- 
ing, just  as  I  had  sealed  it — and  was  obliged  to 
hurry  after  him  and  call  him  aside.  It  was 

impossible  for  me  to  go  to  his  furious  masters 
after  him,  and  it  was  exactly  the  time  to  put  the 
letter  in  tlie  mail  bag  for  Santos." 

"  Well,  we  will  hope  that  it  may  be  taken 
care  of.  I  see  very  well  that  you  could  not  be 
in  the  two  places  at  once.  Patrick  has  not  yet 
given  any  ground  for  suspicion.  He  is  very 
punctual  in  all  that  we  entrust  to  him — never- 
theless— prudence  on  our  part  is  always  neces- 
sary  .     How  did  you  find  the  Captain  of  the 

Caza  .■'  what  sort  of  fellow  is  he  .'" 

"  A  brutal  Englislunan — coarse  towards  every 
body  that  is  subordinate  to  him  ;  but  he  was 
tolerably  cordial  with  me.  It  seemed  to  be  of 
importance  to  him  to  capture  Dolores — and  Hi- 
nango,  if  he  could  catch  him  !  I  believe  he 
would  even  let  Dolores  go  for  that,  for  he  knows 
all  that  happened  to  the  cutter.  A  sailor  has 
returned  to  Buenos  Ayres,  and  reported  that  Hi- 
nango  commanded  the  Nordstjernan  at  that  time, 
and  cut  away  the  masts  of  the  cutter." 

"  The  cursed  fellow,  nevertheless,  belongs  to 
me.  Captain  Tumble  may  have  claims  upon 
Dolores — I  know  what  price  is  set  upon  Hinan- 
go's  head,  and  of  that  no  one  shall  receive  a  per 
centage  but  you,  Senhor  Prole." 

"  I  thank  you.  Monsieur  le  Baron.  You  are 
very  right.  I  deserve  also,  in  fact,  an  indemni- 
fication for  the  caning  in  Monte  Video." 

"  That  you  shall  have,  if  Moloch  aims  his 
stroke  well." 

"  Captain  Tumble  will  not,  however,  wait  an 
hour  after  the  arrival  of  the  mail  from  Rio  He  is 
a  decided  fellow.  I  explained  to  him,  however, 
that  you  are  just  as  punctual,  Monsieur  le  Baron, 
and  just  as  decided." 

"  Even  allowing  that  the  letter  should  miss 


him  in  Santos,  it  would  be  sent  directly  to  Buenos 
Ayres  ;  the  address  of  the  Caza  is  sutficient,  and 
there  are  yet  six  weeks — seven  weeks — .  Ho 
can  still  easily  come  back  from  La  Plata  river  to 
Santa  Catharina." 

"  Certaitily,"  assented  Senhor  Prole,  emptying 
his  glass,  and  after  drinking  another,  took  leave, 
for  it  was  very  late. 


?   #%^#^.^MW— 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

THE    INVISIBLE    HAND. 

HiNANGo  had  received,  through  Patrick,  the 
baron's  letter,  which  should  have  been  despatched 
by  mail  to  Captain  Tumble,  of  the  brig  La  Caza, 
in  the  road  of  Santos.  He  hastened  to  commu- 
nicate it  to  his  friend  Dr.  Thorfin.  It  ran  as 
follows  : 

"  At  your  desire,  which  has  been  made  known 
to  me  by  Senhor  P ,  and  as  you  expect  a  writ- 
ten assurance  on  my  part,  before  you  seek,  under 
some  pretence  or  other,  the  permission  of  your 
admiralty  to  anchor  at  the  appointed  time  in  the 
road  of  Santa  Catharina,  I  take  the  liberty  to 
offer  you  the  following  explanation. 

*'  The  expedition  for  the  appointed  object  can- 
not take  place  from  here  before  the  lath  of 
March.  I  pledge  myself,  however,  (in  ease  sick- 
ness or  death  shciuld  not  overtake  me  before  that 
time,)  to  manage  the  embarkation  here  on  the 
said  15th  of  March,  and  to  set  sail  for  Santa  Ca- 
tharina on  the  same  day. 

"  I  desire  you,  therefore,  to  calculate  the  time 
which  a  sailing  vessel  (dependant  on  wind  and 
weather)  will  require  to  arrive  there,  and  to 
await  me  there  in  company  with  the  appointed 
object. 

"  That  you  may  know  the  vessel  on  board  of 
which  I  am,  I  will  cause  a  white  flag  with  a 
green  wreath  to  be  hoisted  on  the  foremast  so 
soon  as  I  see  a  vessel  of  war  wliich  is  likely  to 
be  yours. 

"  I  will  take  care  that  the  schooner  brig  which 
is  equipping  here  as  a  man-of-war,  under  the 
X**'**  flag,  shall  not  take  me  under  convoy,  nor 
arrive  there  before  me.  Should,  however,  this 
(or  any  other  man-ot'-war  under  an  enemy's  fliig) 
obstruct  the  delivery  of  the  aforesaid  object  on 
board  of  your  brig,  then  I  desire  you  to  do  all  in 
your  power  to  destroy  the  hostile  sail,  and  in 
case  of  urgent  necessity  I  will  land  first  at  Santa 
Catharina. 

"  According  to  your  desire,  I  also  declare  that 
I  am  ready  to  share  the  sum  with  you,  which  is 
held  forth  for  the  expedition  of  the  object,  and 
empower  you  to  make  this  document  available 
as  a  guarantee  in  this  aft'air,  according  to  your 
pleasure. 

"  Should  it  be  impossible,  for  me  (notwith- 
standing all  my  cares  and  endeavors)  to  deliver 
the  person  aforesaid  to  you,  on  board  of  your 
vessel,  I  have,  nevertheless,  claims  upon  the  sum 
which  is  ofl'ered  for  the  discovery  of  the  same, 
and  offer  in  the  above  case  to  share  the  same 
with  you  likewise ;  as  I  shall,  on  the  other  hand, 
take  care  in  the  same  case  to  fullil  the  comiois- 


DOLORES. 


313 


slon — with  which  those  in  high  places  have 
honored  me,"  etc.,  etc. 

"  Our  Patrick  deserves  to  be  set  in  gold !"  ob- 
served Dr.  Thorfin,  when  he  had  read  the  above 
letter,  '*  and  we  know  now  where  we  are." 

"  The  afTair  is  now  in  our  hands  !"  remarked 
Hinango,  "  since  Captain  Tumble  evidently  will 
not  come  to  Santa  Calharina,  as  this  document 
is  wanting  for  his  guarantee,  which  he,  as  we 
perceive  hag  made  a  stipulation.  Horatio  must 
be  in  Rio  Grande  now,  and  we  may  reckon  with 
certainty  that  the  Mazzini  will  be  found  at  Santa 
Catharina  before  tlie  1.5th  of  March — let  him 
be  where  he  may,  even  if  he  were  now  in  Monte 
Video,  our  communication  through  Horatio  will 
find  him." 

"  Fewer  difficulties  appear  now  to  stand  in  the 
way  of  our  plan  than  I  had  feared  at  the  begin- 
ning," observed  Thorfin.  "  In  any  case,  how- 
ever, Robert  must  be  on  board,  for  without  him 
Dolores  would  be  constantly  exposed  to  the  so 
called  care  of  the  old  widower,  and  to  the  vil- 
lany  of  the  baron." 

"  I  see  that  well,"  assented  Hinango.  "  In 
Robert's  attendance  she  can,  perhaps,  in  case  of 
the  most  urgent  need,  fly  to  Barigaldi  or  to  me, 
and  save  herself.  Robert  would,  in  such  a  case, 
show  all  the  firmness  of  his  character,  which 
we  have  hitherto  become  acquainted  with,  apart 
from  his  unfortunate  relations  to  his  neighbor." 

The  doctor  was  silent,  and  seemed  not  willing 
to  express  the  anxiety  which  Hinango  himself 
participated  in,  without  giving  way  to  it  for  the 
moment. 

"  I  am,  above  all  things,  now  anxious  about 
you,  however,"  said  Dr.  Thorfin,  interrupting  the 
ensuing  silence.  "  Take  care  of  yourself  Ormur  : 
you  may  expect  a  dagger — a  stab  at  two  patakos 
any  evening  !" 

"  I  am  convinced  of  that.  It  must  be  a  sudden 
attack  backwards,  over  the  shoulder,  if  I  do  not 
ward  oft'  the  blow.  You  know  I  never  go  un- 
armed, and  especially  in  the  evening." 

Mr.  Fit3  interrupted  the  conversation ;  he 
made  his  appearance  with  Mr.  Banko,  who  had 
begged  him  to  conduct  him  to  Dr.  Thorfin's. 

Banko  requested  the  doctor  to  allow  him  a 
few  words  in  private,  which  request  was  imme- 
diately granted,  and  the  doctor  went  aside  with 
him. 

The  young  German  explained,  after  a  brief 
preface,  that  he  came  about  a  particular  affair,  in 
which  he  required  the  confidence  of  a  man  like 
Dr.  Thorfin,  in  order  to  be  able  to  fulfil  his  duty. 

*'  You  know  Mr.  George  Thomson,"  continued 
he.  "  I  have  learnt  that  thi  gentleman  has  not 
long  since  purchased  a  diamond  worth  about 
twenty  contos.  Without  expressing  the  least 
suspicion,  accusation,  or  assertion,  against  any 
person  whatever,  I  beg  you  to  procure  me  the 
opportunity  of  seeing  the  diamond,  in  company 
with  a  negro  who  serves  me,  and  in  your  pres- 
ence— I  require  nothing  further.  The  result  of 
this  inspection  will  then  perhaps  lead  to  some- 
thing more." 

Dr.  Thorfin  observed  the  young  man  with  pe- 
culiar attention  as  he  listened  to  him.  The  open 
unembarrassed  mien  which  we  have  already  de- 
signated in  Mr.  Banko,  had  something  prepos- 
sessing. The  subject  of  the  request  was,  more- 
over, not  so  significant  in  itself  as  the  result 
40 


might  prove  to  be,  according  to  a  sudden  suspi- 
cion which  was  aroused  in  the  doctor. 

"  When  do  you  wish  me  to  introduce  you  to 
Mr.  Thomson  .'"  inquired  he,  after  a  brief  reflec- 
tion upon  the  awakened  suspicion. 

"  So  soon  as  possible,  perhaps  to-day  or  to- 
morrow if  it  is  agreeable  to  you.  I  will  be  hero 
as  soon  as  you  lilce  it." 

"  Very  well,"  replied  Dr.  Thorfin,  "  then  I 
will  desire  Mr.  Thomson  to  take  the  diamond  to 
town  with  him,  to  save  us  the  distance  to  Bota- 
Fogo,"  and  both  again  returned  to  the  room  to 
Captain  Hinango  and  Mr.  Fitz. 

Mr.  Fitz  had  conducted  the  young  German  to 
Captain  Hinango  the  day  before,  that  he  might 
engage  him  as  "  a  fifth  wheel  to  the  waggon," 
on  board  the  Astrala,  {as  the  air  pump  control- 
ler expressed  himself,)  which  Senhor  Prole,  like 
a  zealous  deputy  spy,  had  already  learnt,  since 
having  been  introduced  to  the  astronomer  by  Mr. 
Closting,  and  often  went  there.  Hinango  did 
not  appear  disinclined  to  place  the  young  man 
under  some  charge  or  other,  either  as  clerk  or 
purser,  or  as  cadet  of  the  marines ;  and  con- 
cluded the  engagement,  in  case  Mr.  Banko  could 
be  ready  for  departure  in  three  days. 

The  latter  was  in  the  highest  degree  rejoiced 
at  this,  since  his  plan  stood  in  connexion  with 
the  undertaking  for  the  designation  of  the  mur- 
derer— that  he  might,  in  case  of  need,  immedi- 
ately find  safety  somewhere,  in  the  event  that,  a 
dagger  might  also  be  directed  against  him. 

We  leave  the  chacara  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Nossa  Senhora  da  Gloria,  and  hasten  into  the 
lonely  silent  street  near  the  Campo  da  Santa 
Anna,  where  Sally  awaited  Lucy,  her  seam- 
stress, with  increasing  impatience,  upon  whose 
appearance  Hinango's  life  now  depended — inso- 
much as  she  alone  could  be  made  the  medium  ot 
warning. 

The  forenoon  passed  away,  and  still  Lucy  did 
not  come.  A  little  negro  girl  made  her  appear- 
ance in  her  place,  with  the  insignificant  gar- 
ment which  was  carried  back  and  forth  as  a 
pretext  for  intercourse. 

"  Senhora  Lucy  sick — hab  fever — can't  come," 
reported  the  negro  girl. 

Sally  had  already,  since  that  moment  in  the 
alcove,  experienced  likewise  a  sort  of  fever,  and 
truly  a  very  violent  one,  and  now  was  almost  in 
despair,  as  good  counsel  was  more  precious  than 
ever. 

How  in  the  world  should  she,  directly  or  in- 
directly, convey  to  Captain  Hinango  the  warn- 
ing which  might  protect  him  from  the  stroke  of 
Moloch's  dagger .' 

The  baron  had  already  almost  conceived  sus- 
picions, as  the  result  of  Sally's  espionage  had 
not  fallen  out  entirely  to  his  satisfaction.  .Should 
she  write  a  few  words  and  send  them  to  the 
post .'  through  whom  ?  throug  the  negro  girl, 
who  hardly  knew  whether  a  post  office  was 
"  eaten  with  a  fork  or  a  spoon  .'" 

Should  she  send  her  chamber  maid,  Bebida, 
to  Da  Gloria  .'  Little  as  Dabedicadem  might  be 
worth,  (according  to  English  human  valuation,) 
Sally  might,  nevertheless,  be  certain  that  Dabe- 
dicadem would  be  stolen,  as  she  had  never  been 
in  the  street  yet,  excepting  when  she  had  been 
taken  to  auction  to  be  sold,  or  when  she  went 
out  to  get  water  from  the  next  fountain,  or  when 
she  was  sold  again. 


su 


DOLORES. 


Sally  had  hitherto  strictly  declined  entering 
into  personal  intercourse  with  Captain  Hinango 
or  Dr.  Thorliii,  on  manifold  grounds,  amonjjst 
which  prudence  predominated,  which  slie  was 
obliijed  to  observe  for  the  rescue  of  Dolores. 

She  dismissed  the  negro  girl,  with  the  re.|Uest 
that  she  would,  in  any  case,  come  again  on  the 
following  day,  dressed  in  her  best,  as  she  de- 
sired her  attendance*  for  a  walk,  without  having 
as  yet  formed  any  resolution  what  she  should 
do,"  and  whom  she  should  seek. 

At  the  hour  which  he  had  designated  to  Mo- 
loch, through  Prole,  the  Baron  de  Spandau  went 
to  the  island  of  Cobras,  to  the  southeast  corner 
of  the  wall  of  the  "  house  of  correction,"  the  most 
suitable  rendezvous  which  he  could  possibly 
have  appointed — for  it  was  silent,  and  deserted, 
and  solitary  tliere. 

Three  wandering  negro  musicians,  slaves  of  a 
speculator,  who  made  use  of  their  talent  for  his 
own  gain,  had  formed  a  group  in  the  shade  of  a 
high  wall,  fur  a  general  rehearsal  of  their  in- 
teresting concert. 

One,  a  gloomy  Mandengo,  played  the  melan- 
choly sounding  Marhimba,  the  half  of  a  gourd, 
with  nine  steel  springs  of  different  strength  in- 
side, which,  touched  like  the  keys  of  a  piano- 
forte, produced  a  hollow,  expressive  harmony. 
A  tall  Con^o  plaved  his  favorite  national  in- 
strument, the  Oi'o-Congo,  the  gourd  fiddle, 
whilst  a  robust  Kabenda  beat  the  Sacca-socca, 
a  half  dozen  of  quasi  kettle  drums,  likewise  the 
halves  of  gourds,  of  various  sizes,  covered  with 
leather,  and  variously  tuned.  All  these  seemed 
wholly  absorbed  in  their  art,  with  true  enthu- 
siasm, and  without  regarding  the  unhappy  Kir- 
raboo,  who,  for  the  time,  alone  formed  the  sole 
audience  to  the  concert.  It  was  Piloloch  ;  he 
stood  there,  with  his  empty  basket  beside  him, 
as  negre  de  gagne,t  who  was  going  about  in 
pursuit  of  business. 

The  Senhor  Branco  whom  he  had  seen  the 
evening  before  by  moonlight,  now  appeared  to 
him  in  the  clear  light  of  the  sun  as  bad  as  he 
was. 

The  Kirraboo  approached  him  in  a  quiet,  iso- 
lated, and  solitarv  corner  of  the  colossal  walls. 

Moloch  was  a  distinguished  young  negro  from 
the  race  of  the  Kirraboos,  in  the  interior  of 
Afric.i,  near  the  equator — an  Ethiopian  ai-isto- 
cv.-it— a  young  man  "  of  good  family,"  descended 
from  parents  who  were  richer  in  gold  dust  than 
the  baron  in  baseness— and  that  is  saying  a  great 
deal.  He  v-.'as  about  seventeen  years  old,  with  a 
perfectly  well  made  body,  of  middling  stature, 
and  well  knit.  His  countenance  was  adorjied 
with  artificial  warts,  from  the  middle  of  the  fore- 
head, down  to  the  point  of  the  nose. 

In  the  endless  wars  of  the  Ethiopian  tribes 
amongst  themselves,  he  was  transp.irted  to  the 
coast  as  prisoner,  tliere  sold  or  exchanged  for  a 
couple  of  pieces  of  calico,  and  not  long  before, 
had  been  disembarked,  with  three  or  four  hun- 
dred of  his  black  country  people,  from  various 
tribes,  not  far  from  the  bay  of  Santa  Anna. 

•  No  woman,  of  whatever  class  she-may  l)e,  excepting 
slaves,  walks  out  in  Rio  witliout  the  attendance  ol  a 
man  or  maiit-servaol. 

t  ihcse  fuimeilv  designated  ni-gres  de  gagne  carry, 
without  i;xceptioui  on  tticir  heads,  a  Bat  wide  basket,  ol 
about  four  feet  square. 


Moloch  had  never  seen  a  white  man  until  he 
fell  into  the  hands  of  the  slave  trader,  who  put 
him  in  chains,  and  biought  him  chained  across 
the  ocean.  He  had  been  ill  used  by  white  men, 
and  treated,  while  on  board,  as  one  of  a  drove 
of  cattle  that  is  taken  to  market— abused  by 
whites  before  he  had  been  sold  to  a  white  man 
in  Rio  de  Janeiro,  who  required  of  him  to  un 
derstand  wliat  he  was  ordered  to  do  in  Portu 
guese,  and  ordered  him  daily  some  hundred 
lashes  "  because  he  was  a  stupid  headstrong 
brute,  that  would  not  hear  and  would  not  obey." 
.Senhor  Prole,  the  accidental  witness  of  such 
usage,  had  recognised  in  him  "his  man,"  and 
given  him  to  understand  what  was  necessary. 

Moloch,  with  every  hour,  foamed  with  more 
savage  fury  against  the  whites,  and  the  oppor- 
tunity of  despatching  a  single  white  man  was  to 
him  a  real  joy,  as  a  diminution  of  the  debt 
which  he  and  his  colored  brethren  claimed  from 
the  whites. 

"  Your  name  is  Moloch,  and  you  know  me  ?" 
said  the  baron  to  him. 

"  Si  Senhor,"  replied  the  distinguished  negro 
from  the  equator. 

"  Do  you  see  the  schooner  brig  there,  with 
the  blue'  and  white  flag  : — blue,  like  the  sky, 
and  white,  like  my  linen  :  do  you  understand?" 

"  Si   Senhor — little — black-^mast,  so " 

he  indicated  the  oblique  direction  of  the  masU 
of  the  Astrala. 

"  Do  you  know  where  the  stairs  Dos  Pesca- 
dores are— the  landing  place  up  there  .'" 

"  Si  Senhor!  landing  place  Dos  Pescadores! 
boat — canoe — much — capitaons — much  I" 

•'  Well,  take  notice  of  the  boat  of  the  captain 
from  the  schooner  brig ;  pass  over  to-day,  and 
to-morrow,  and  the  day  after  to-morrow." 

"  Si  Senhor  !  boat — schoon— brig — capitaon 
— to-day — to-morrow — si  Senhor,  and  to-morrow 
again !  Si  Senhor." 

The  spv  took  his  hat,  and  made  use  of  it  as 
the  model   of  a  boat.     "  See  here,  the  boat  is 
black  outside,  with  a  white  strijie  on  the  edge." 
"  Si  Ser.hor— black— white  stiMpe  on  edge." 
"  Inside  vellaw,  like  this  straw  hat." 
"  Si  Senhor— inside  vellow,  like   this  straw 
hat. 

"  And  behind  them  is  a  star,  painted  on  the 
left  here !" 

"  A  star,  si  Senhor — left — here  !" 
"  The   captain   is  something  taller  than  T — 
slender— dark  hair — straight  nose — with  mous- 
taches." 

"  With  moustaches  !"  exclaimed  the  negro  in- 
quiringly, and  did  not  appear  rejoiced  by  this 
intimation,  which  may  be  explained  by  the  pe- 
cuUot  preference  which  the  negroes  universally 
entertain  for  those  whites  who  wear  mmistaclies 
— since  they  distinguish  them  from  the  English 
and  other  trades-people  who  consider  and  treat 
the  negro  as  merchandise. 

The  baron  appeared  not  to  remark  this  scru- 
ple of  the  Ethiopian,  and  continued  , 

"  He  is  dressed  like  me — in  black  merino 
frock  coat — entirely  black— and  wears  a  straw 
hat,  like  this." 

"  Dressed  like  me— black— all  black — si  Sen- 

j  hor,"  reiterated  the  Ethiopian. 

I       "  Like  me  !  stupid   fellow — you   are   almiist 

naked,  and  your  pantaloons  are  a  grayish  white  '." 

I  interrupted   the  baron,  and  now  designated  to 


DOLORES. 


315 


him  the  hour  when  the  captain  on  the  following 
er  third  evening  would  probably  get  into  his  boat 
at  the  stairs  D03  Pescadores.  AH  tiie  rest  he 
had  already  arranged  through  Senhor  Prole. 

Moloch  now  received  for  the  present,  five 
millreis  to  buy  himself  a  dagger,  in  case  he  could 
not  hire  one  !  Five  millreis,  was  a  monstrous 
capital  for  a  negre  de  gagne — and  the  two  sepa- 
rated 

Moloch  hastened  to  the  shore  and  entered  a 
negro  boat  hollowed  out  of  the  trunk  of  a  single 
tree,  with  whose  conductor  he  made  an  agree- 
ment that  he  should  take  him  on  an  excursion, 
and  then  rowed  around  one  vessel  after  another, 
till  they  came  to  the  Astrala,  where  he  observed 
very  attentively  the  captain's  boat  which  lay 
alongside,  so  that  he  might  know  it  again  at  the 
stairs  Dos  Pescadores.  It  was  now  so  much  the 
easier  for  him  to  find  "  his  man,"  who  would  step 
into  this  boat  as  captain. 

Sally  did  her  best  at  the  baron's  nightly  visit, 
to  manifest  her  jovial  humor,  and  to  mount  to 
the  highest  possible  extravagance.  She  played 
the  guitar  with  true  passion,  and  sang  her  fa- 
vorite song,  "  Tlie  devil  take  melancholy,"  etc., 
and  jestingly  informed  her  friend  of  the  expira- 
tion of  her  service,  as  she  observed  she  had 
claims  upon  an  eternal  "  leave  of  absence,"  as  she 
had  served  him  sufficiently,  and  announced  her 
intention  of  going  to  sea  as  sailor,  to  hunt  for 
snipes  in  Australia. 

The  baron  made  earnest  out  of  the  jest,  with 
out  suspecting  that  she  in  fact  entertained  the 
design  of  parting  from  him,  since  he  informed 
her  that  he  was  going  to  Bahia  after  a  few  weelcs, 
and  unhappily  could  not  very  well  take  her 
with  him. 

She  managed  as  well  as  she  could  to  express 
her  sorrow  on  that  account,  in  the  most  touching 
manner  possible,  and  had  now  the  desired  occa' 
sion  for  sinking  into  reflection,  for  which  she 
had  rich  materials  in  her  troubled  mind. 

The  time  arrived  at  which  Dr.  Thorfin,  with 
Mr.  Banko  and  the  negro  Francisco,  from  the 
diamond  mountains,  made  their  appearance  in 
Mr.  Thomson's  cabinet,  where  the  latter  showed 
them  the  diamond. 

"  That's  he  !"  cried  the  expert  negro,  as  he 
contemplated  the  stone,  "  that's  he  !"  and  durst 
say  no  more,  since  the  young  German  had  sti-ictly 
forbidden  him  to  betray,  even  by  a  look,  on  what 
grounds  this  inspection  took  place. 

"  Can  this  diamond  have  been  sold  to  a  third 
or  fourth  person,  and  originally  stolen  ?"  in- 
quired Mr.  Thomson  of  the  doctor,  who  was 
contemplating,  with  a  searching  glance,  the 
countenances  of  the  negro  and  the  young  German. 

"  Very  possible,  replied  Thorfin  ;  how  often 
has  such  a  diamond  already  been  transferred  by 
unrighteous  means  !" 

"  As  regards  my  purchase,"  continued  Mr. 
Thomson,  "  I  have  it  from  very  honest  hands — 
from  a  man  whom  you  know,  and  against  whom 
I  cannot  naturally  entertain  any  suspicion." 

"  That  is  certainly  not  the  question,"  remarked 
Thorfin,  in  an  indifferent  tone. 

"  To  be  sure  not,"  affirmed  Mr.  Banko,  "  al- 
though the  honesty  of  many  Europeans  who 
transact  business  here  with  large  sums  is  fre- 
quently not  so  genuine  as  the  diamond." 


"  Very  acutely  and  justly  observed,"  replied 
the  Englishman — and  Mr.  Banko  returned  thanks 
for  the  favor,  apologized  for  having  interrupted 
Mr.  Thomson  in  his  business,  and  withdrew 
with  his  negro. 

"  Can  there  have  been  unfair  dealing  with 
this  dianiond  ?'  began  Mr.  Thomson,  in  a  low 
voice  to  Dr.  Thorfin,  when  they  were  alone. 
"  One  hears  so  much  and  so  many  things  about 
this  Mr.  Closting,  and — nevertheless  he  stands 
in  high  repute  here  with  some  of  the  ministers, 
and  has  been  a  sort  of  charge  d'affaires  accred- 
ited from  here  to  different  legations,  concerning 
colonization  and  the  like,  as  I  have  learned 
through  our  friend,  His  E.tcellency  Von  Knip- 
hausen." 

All  that  may  very  well  agree  with  rascality," 
observed  the  other ;  "  it  is  well  known  that  the 
most  thoroughgoing  intriguants  pursue  in  our 
time  the  most  fortunate  career,  especially  at 
monarchical  courts,  which  could  not  longer  sub- 
sist without  such  creatures." 

"  That  becomes  more  and  more  clear  to  me," 
returned  Mr.  Thomson.  "  But  in  our  commer- 
cial world  also,  we  have  most  confoundedly 
clever  fellows.  Just  think  what  has  happened 
to  us.  We  had  two  boxes  of  Chili  stones — a 
very  superior  assortment ;  there  were  sapphires 
among  them  worth  fifty  pounds  sterling  a  piece  ; 
they  were  smuggled  from  on  board  a  vessel  be- 
fore Buenos  Ayres,  and  back  again  into  the  city, 
because  the  captain  would  not  take  thfln  with 
him — were  well  sealed — carefully  kept.  The 
boxes  went  to  Hamburg,  and  were  destined  for 
St.  Petersburg,  exported  as  minerals ;  and  what 
do  you  think  !  when  the  boxes  were  opened  in 
Hamburg,  there  was  just  nothing  in  them  but 
worthless  minerals  !  as  they  were  called  on  the 
smuggling  bill  of  lading.  Is  not  that  a  cursedly 
clever  theft .'  But  where  did  it  take  place  .'  and 
who  has  carried  it  through  ?  God  knows.  We 
have  perfectly  safe  people  in  our  service,  upon 
whom  no  suspicion  can  fall !  the  captains  were 
just  as  honest ;  and  now  explain  the  joke,  if  you 
can ! —  Old  Mr.  Walker,  in  Buenos  Ayres, 
laughed  himself  almost  ill  about  the  clever  fel- 
low who  has  so  imposed  upon  us. —  Let  him 
be  who  he  may,  he  is  a  clever  fellow,  that  all 
must  admit !" 

Dr.  Thorfin  could  not  avoid  laughing  with 
Mr.  Thomson  at  himself,  and  at  the  letter  of  old 
Mr.  Walker,  which  he  communicated  to  him. 
He  acc^mpanied  his  friend  to  tlie  exchange, 
where  they  parted — with  the  expectation  of 
soon  seeing  each  other  again  in  Bota  Fogo. 

Sally  could  hardly  await  for  the  arrival  of  the 
little  negro  girl  on  the  same  forenoon.  The 
little  one  appeared  neatly  washed  and  dressed,  to 
walk  behind  Senhora  Fortuna,  or  Mrs.  Adams, 
as  deputy  chambermaid.  But,  whither  should 
Sally  turn  her  steps  .''  to  captain  Hinango,  on 
board  the  Astrala  .'  That  would  be  as  improper 
as  unsuitable.  To  the  young  painter  at  the 
academy,  under  the  pretext  of  observing  the 
paintings  and  statues  ?  He  had  gone  away  to 
Rio  Grande,  long  ago.  To  .\lvarez  de  la  Barca 
He  was  in  the  fortress  Do-Vilcalhon  as  a  state 
prisoner.  To  Dr.  Thorfin,  whose  dwelling  she 
certainly  could  probably  find,  as  Lucy  had  de- 
scribed it  to  her  .'  He  appeared  (lie  only  person 
to  whom  she  could  confide  Hinaugo's  fate.     But 


316 


DOLORES. 


to  arrive  at  the  Gloria  she  would  be  obliged  to 
go  through  the  principal  street,  which  led  past 
there  towards  Bota  Fogo,  and  she  knew  long 
ao-o  that  her  successor,  the  future  Baroness  de 
Spandau,  lived  there,  and  that  her  friend  rode 
back  and  fortli  through  the  street  daily,  at  vari- 
ous times. 

If  he  should  meet  her,  what  pretext  should 
she  assume,  in  case  he  encountered  her  not  far 
from  the  abode  of  the  physician  >  To  meet  lier 
out  tliere  would  be  sufficient  to  create  sbspicion 
against  her  ;  for  in  case  she  reiiuired  a  phy- 
sician, her  friend  would  see  to  it  tiiat  one  should 
come  to  her. 

All  these  considerations  remained  in  her  way, 
and  she  did  not  know  what  was  to  be  done. 
Suddenly  it  occurred  to  her  tliat  Lucy  had  told 
her  of  Signora  Serafini,  to  whom  she  had  been 
recommended  a.s  seamstress  by  Dr.  Thorfin. 

"  Did  you  ever  wait  upon  Miss  Lucy  to  the 
lady  from  Bahia,  whose  hu.-iband  is  a  prisoner 
here  in  the  fortress  upon  the  bay  .'"  inquired 
she  of  the  little  negro  girl. 

"  .Si  Senhora  !  at  Pray"  Granda.    Si  Senhora  !' 

"  You  know  her  house  then  ;  you  know  where 
she  lives  .'" 

"  Si  Senhora !  know  where  she  lives — little 
house — yellow— door   green — know   where  she  , 
lives."  I 

"  In  Heaven's  name  then  !"  sighed  Sally,  and 
hastily  made  her  toilet  as  simply  and  properly 
as  her  destination  and  the  aim  of  her  visit  re- 
quired. 


stances)  to  the  lady  of  a  state  prisoner,  who, 
watched  by  the  secret  police,  dreaded  all  inter- 
course with  strangers ;  the  name  and  the  little 
attendant  of  Lucy,  nevertheless,  served  to  ob- 
viate all  difficulty. 

But  there,  for  the  first  time,  as  she  was  obliged 
to  eiicouriter  the  searching  and  inquiring  gaze 
of  the  servants,  did  the  danger  to  which  she 
had  o.vposed  herself  fall  heavily  upon  her 
heart. 

The  prudence  of  the  lady,  in  not  permitting 
the  entrance  of  any  person  who  might  serve  the 
police  as  a  spy,  intimated  to  the  poor  girl  the 
watchfulness  with  which  the  police  probably 
observed   her;    and   if   the   baron   should  ever 

learn  that  she  had  been  there she  would  be 

lost. 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

FEM.4.LE    CHARACTER. 

Sally  walked  over  the  Campo  da  Santa  Anna 
accompanied  by  her  little  female  servant.through 
the  brilliant  Rua  do  Ouvidor,  the  long,  narrow, 
coquettish  and  self-selling  Brazilian  Paris  :  Rich  i 
in  bijouterie,  luxury,  and  milliners'  shops,  and  j 
not  less  rich  in  materials  fur  a  dozen  novels,  if 
the  female  inhabitants  would  reveal  their  Mys- 
teries, which  they  have  transported  to  Brazil 
from  Havre,  or  Marseilles,  or  Bordeaux. 

She  walked  slowly  furtlier  and  further  around 
the  right  hand  corner,  into  the  Kua  Uireita — 
across  the  Largo  do  Pazo,  where  the  German 
"  Philosopher*  of  the  Largo  do  Pazo"  was  walk- 
ing back  and  Ibrth,  as  usual,  with  his  harlequin 
cap,  who,  while  he  lived  quite  comfortably  on 
the  benevolence  of  the  citizens,  made  himself 
very  merry  behind  their  backs  about  the  "  fools 
without  caps,  who  worked  for  him  that  he 
might  go  promenading." 

Sally  arrived  at  the  Imperial  Palace,  and  at 
length  on  board  the  steamer  that  went  to  Praya 
Grande. 

After  a  delightful  excursion,  she  stepped  out 
on  the  opposite  shore  of  the  bay,  and  followed 
the  little  negro  girl  to  the  garden-house  which 
Signora  Serafini  inhabited. 

Difficult  as  it  might  have  been  in  any  other 
case  to  obtain  admission  (under  existing  circum- 


•  A  well  linown  beggar  in  Rio. 


Signora  Serafini  inhabited  a  chacara  upon  an 
elevation  at  Praya  Grande,  not  far  trom  San  Do- 
mingo, whose  site  afl'orded  a  view  of  the  fortress 
Do-Vilcalhon,  where  her  husband  was  confined 
in  chains. 

The  window  of  an  unpretending  furnished 
apartment  overlooked  that  wonderful  "  compo- 
sition of  nature,"  which  the  variously  animated  . 
bay  in  the  foreground,  and  the  colossal  chain  of 
mountains  offer,  above  which  the  jagged  points 
of  the  "Corcovado"  and  the  "  Tijouca"'  rose  so 
majestically. 

The  wife  of  the  imprisoned  faroupilha  chose 
this  window  as  her  favorite  spot,  and  seemed  to 
be  similarly  fettered  there  with  invisible  chains, 
as  he  in  his  dungeon  to  an  iron  ring  in  the  floor. 
.Angelica's  body  sat  there  at  the  embroidering 
frame,  at  her  writing  desk,  or  before  a  book, 
while  her  soul  lingered  near  that  "  half  of  her 
being,"  whose  unity  neither  the  space  nor  any 
violent  separation  could  dissolve. 

The  before  mentioned  chain  of  mountains  did 
certainly  rise  majestically  above  the  here  and 
there  cultivated  and  luxuriously  verdant  hills 
and  slopes,  at  the  foot  of  which  lay  the  capital 
of  the  empire,  with  its  shining  cupolas  and 
steeples.  The  moveable  "  staffage  "  of  the  mag- 
nificent painting  was  changed  every  moment  in 
manifold  variations,  by  the  innumerable  sails 
of  every  size,  from  the  "  floating  world  "  of  a 
shi4)  of  the  line,  to  the  miserable  negro  canoe, 
in  which  the  Ethiopian  fisherman  fastens  a 
piece  of  linen  to  the  broken  shaft  of  a  young 
tree.  The  restless,  stirring  life  fluctuated  up  and 
down,  in  all  imaginable  Ibrms,  before -Angelicas 
sight,  from  the  first  suddenly  streaming  r.iys  of 
the  morning  sun,  until  the  evening  twilight,  or 
the  transition  in  the  day-bright  moonlight. 

A  thousand  objects,  from  that  world  of  sails 
upwards  into  the  clouds,  which  rested  from 
time  to  time  upon  the  tops  of  the  mountains, 
would  have  attracted  the  attention  of  any  ob- 
server at  that  window.  Angelica's  look  flew 
over  the  earthly  paradise  from  San  Christova 
to  the  "  Sugar  Loaf,"  without  lingering  upon 
any  point  of  the  inexhaustibly  rich  picture-— 
except  one.  It  was  the  mass  of  stone,  which, 
rising  upon  rocks,  formed  the  fortress  Do-Vil- 
calhon, washed  and  surrounded  by  the  mirror 
clear  element,  that  splashed  at  the  foot  of  the 
hill  upon  which  she  dwelt,  and  had,  in  a  mea- 
sure, become  a  means  of  connexion  between  the 
prisoner  and  his  wife. 
1     Angelica's  gaze  rested  for  hours  upon  the  per- 


DOLORES, 


817 


\ 


pendictllar,  p;igantic  walls,  distant  from  her 
Several  Eni^lish  miles,  from  whose  port  holes 
the  colossal  mouths  yawned  towards  her,  whose 
rattling  thunder  would  be  the  only  language 
that  would  bear  any  greeting  from  her  husband 
in  the  fortress  to  her  at  Praya  Orande. 

Those  magic  charms  of  nature  around  about 
her  seemed  to  have  lost  their  attractive  effect 
upon  Angelica's  mind.  As  far  as  they  heightened 
by  the  contrast  of  the  splendor  and  magnificence, 
of  the  beauty  and  luxuriousness,  of  the  grandeur 
and  variety,  so  much  the  more  the  pain  of  sepa- 
ration, the  consciousness  of  the  loneliness  that 
penetrated  the  unfortunate  lady. 

There  is  a  threefold  unity  of  being  upon 
earth  ;  we  will  describe  it  here  :  The  platonic, 
(or  spiritual,)  the  animatic,  (or  unity  of  the 
soul,)  and  the  animal,  (unity  of  the  flesh ;)  but 
the  last  is  only  a  momentary  union. 

The  Platonic  Unity  is  the  spiritual  connexion, 
without  a  particular  merging  into  one,  of  the 
animatic  life,  by  the  nerve  fluid. 

The  Animatic  Unity  is  formed  by  the  merging 
and  mutual  dissolution  of  two  souls  in  the  myste- 
rious moments  of  the  outstreamingand  receiving 
of  that  vital  fluid,  of  the  ray  of  the  glance,  that 
seems  to  flow  from  the  whole  body.  It  is  the 
unity  by  a  mutual  giving  and  receiving  of  the 
*'  fluid  of  life,"  the  dissolution  of  the  existence 
of  both  in  one  being. 

The  animatic  unity  presumes  the  platonic 
(spiritual)  unity;  it  is  founded  upon  it,  and  can- 
not take  place  without  it,  as  it  requires  a  like 
depth  of  feeling,  a  like  degree  of  development, 
of  the  inward  life. 

The  platonic  unity  of  two  beings  of  different 
sexes  involuntarily  strives  after  animatic  unity  ; 
it  is  the  natural  condition  of  the  attraction  of  the 
inward  life  itself 

The  third  (so  called)  unity,  is  the  "  Unity  of 
the  flesh"  as  the  scriptures  designate  it  and  the 
church  privileges  it.  It  is  a  "  formal  unity" 
without  regard  to  mind  and  soul,  about  which 
the  church  concerns  itself  the  least,  when  it  re- 
ceives the  "  flesh  tax." 

The  platonic  unity  represents  the  Spirit, 
(mind,)  the  animatic  the  Soul,  the  Mosaic,  (imity 
of  the  flesh,)  the  Body,  (sensuality.) 

In  pursuance  of  this  definition,  the  sacrament 
of  marriage  (as  the  privilege  of  the  Mosaic  unity 
of  the  flesh)  is  also  confined,  in  accordance  with 
the  New  Testament,  only  to  physical  existence, 
without  reference  to  the  inward  life  either  here 
or  hereatT;er. 

The  Mosaic  unity  (of  the  flesh)  shows  us  man 
in  the  state  of  animal  desire,  (lust,)  as  far  as  he 
leaves  father  and  mother  and  cleaves  to  a  wo- 
man from  sensuality.  The  church  privileged 
sensuality,  when  it  fixed  the  sacrament  of  mar- 
riage without  regard  to  soul  and  mind,  to  char- 
acter, heart,  or  morality. 

Animatic  unity  is  the  bond  of  Divine  love, 
illustrated  in  human  nature.  This  unity  is  the 
triumph  of  life.  In  accordance  with  the  regula- 
tions of  the  world,  it  does  not  generally  evade 
the  marriage  ceremony  ;  it  is  of  too  noble  a  na- 
ture to  cheat  the  church  of  its  "  tax."  The 
formal  social  ceremony  of  marriage,  appears  to 
the  lovers  in  animatic  unity  subordinate  in  the 
highest  degree ;  fpr  there  is  certainly  no  need  of 
any  compulsory  measures  of  "  ecclesiastical  po- 
lice"  to  "  force"  the  wife  in  animatic  unity  to 


any  "  performance  of  duty,"  nor  to  bind  the  hus- 
band to  his  post.  The  term  "  love"  dissolves 
in  itself  the  term  "  duty."  The  mother  watches 
her  sick  child,  not  from  duty,  but  from  love. 
Moral  freedom  recognises  no  duty  of  slavery. 
Slavish  service  and  bond  of  love,  are  diflerent 
things. 

The  term  "  love"  presumes  mutual  conscious- 
ness, the  recognition  of  inward  dignity,  upon 
which  "  respect"'  is  founded.  Where  there  is  no 
respect  there  can  be  no  love ;  and  where  the  first 
is  procured  by  deception,  disappears  at  unde- 
ception,  and  love,  having  no  foundation,  van- 
ishes; the  "duty"  also  ceases — to  which  the 
"  church  of  sensuality"  made  the  woman  the 
man's  "  subject." 

As  man  is  distinguished  from  the  animal  by 
the  consciousness  of  the  inward  life,  the  anima- 
tic unity  is  distinguished  from  the  unity  of  the 
flesh,  of  animal  instinct.  The  **  love"  of  many 
a  mother  to  her  children  is  often  only  atiimal 
instinct,  in  which  many  animals  are  known 
to  excel  even  woman.  But  where  spiritual  love 
tied  the  bond,  and  the  inward  life  of  the  man 
was  developed  in  the  child,  the  love  of  the 
mother  is  elevated  to  a  higher  degree,  to  self- 
consciousness,  that  is  wanting  in  "  instinct." 
The  mother,  without  the  consciousness  of  the 
sympathy  to  her  husband,  loves  "  herself"  in 
her  child,  and  her  love  is  egotism.  The  mother, 
on  the  contrary,  bound  by  the  spiritual  tie  of 
sympathy,  loves  in  her  child  "  her  husband," 
from  whose  embrace  sprung  the  "  pledge"  of 
love.  The  mother  without  sympathy  will,  in 
decisive  cases,  sooner  abandon  her  husband  than 
her  children.  A  wife  in  the  animatic  bond 
leaves  her  children  to  share  the  dangers  or  the 
fate  of  her  husband,  when  circumstances  oblige 
her  to  choose  one  or  the  other.* 

Signora  Serafini  received  this  "  strange  girl, 
who  came  on  an  errand  from  Miss  Lucy."  Sally 
begged  for  a  private  audience,  and  after  a  brief 
introduction,  revealed  the  occasion  of  her  com- 

The  wife  of  the  state  prisoner,  whom  Dr.  Thor- 
fin  and  Hinango  occasionally  visited,  looked  ear- 
nestly at  the  *'  strange  girl,"  and  first  inquired 
whether  she  knew  Captain  Hinango  ? 

"  Only  by  name.  I  have  never  seen  him." 
"  What  moves  you  then  to  expose  yourself  to 
such  danger  as  evidently  threatens  you  in  case 
it  should  be  discovered  that  you  have  been  with 
me,  and  the  object  of  your  visit  should  be  sus- 
pected .'" 


*  The  history  of  Russia  afforda  a  remarkable  con6r' 
mation  of  this  assertion.  In  consequence  of  the  conspi- 
racy at  the  death  of  Alexander,  (in  the  year  18:2.5,)  there 
were,  among  others,  about  thirty  confederates  of  Mora- 
vielf,  from  the  higher  classes,  condemned  to  hunt  sables 
and  to  work  in  the  mines  of  Siberia.  The  most  of  tliese 
young  princes  and  counts  were  married.  Many  of  their 
ladies  were  unacquainted  with  the  others,  and  several 
were  separated  from  each  other  many  hundred  miles. 
Without  any  reciprocal  understanding,  each  wife  re- 
solved to  follow  her  husband  in  chains.  1  hey  com- 
mitted their  children  to  the  care  of  their  relatives  or 
friends.  But  one  of  these  high-hearted  ladies  did  not  ac- 
company her  husband  ;  she  was  the  wife  of  a  well  known 
prince,  (Tr — k — y,)  who  had  ofi'ered  to  betray  the  con- 
spiracy to  the  Emperor  Nicholas,  to  obiain  favor  and 
pardon.  He  was,  notwithstanding  his  olfer,  sentenced 
to  Siberia.  He  bore  the  chains  of  his  companions,  but 
instead  of  the  company  of  true  love,  he  bad  carried  with 
him  the  contempt  of  a  woman  of  whose  love  be  bad  Qever 
been  worthy. 


S18 


DOLORES. 


"  I  know  that  Captain  Hinango's  life  is  worth 
more  than  mine ;  and  if  I  lose  mine,  and  save 
him  thereby,  perhaps  Eternal  Justice  will  weigh 
my  pure  intentions — against  many  errors  into 
which  my  lot  has  drawn  me." 

The  lady  appeared  surprised,  and  contempla- 
ting the  unhappy  girl  with  sadness,  she  said: 
"  Dr.  Thorfin  told  me  of  a  warning  for  the  res- 
cue of  our  female  friend — whose  name  perhaps 
you  know.  Did  this  warning  come  also  from 
you  .'" 

"  You  mean  the  poetess,  Dolores .'  I  have 
also  endeavored  to  do  for  her  what  I  held  to  be 
my  duty." 

Angelica  %vas  silent,  and  again  sank  into  re- 
flection ;  her  eyes  became  moist — her  lips  quiv- 
ered. 

"  Poor  unfortunate — noble  gi^l,"  said  she  at 
length,  it  is  you  also  then  of  whom  Dr.  Thorfin 
has  spoken  to  me,  who  wished  to  return  to  Eng- 
land m  company  with  a  family." 

"  I  have  expressed  my  wish  to  Dr.  Thorfin 
and  Hinango,  through  an  Irish  sailor,  who  is 
respected  by  those  gentlemen." 

"  Will  you  not  go  to  my  fazenda  in  the  moun- 
tains, on  the  borders  of  Goyaz  ?  I  have  left  my 
children  behind  there,  under  safe  care,  to  be  sure, 
but  perhaps  it  would  be  of  service  to  you  to  for- 
get, somewhere  withdrawn  from  the  world,  that 
yon  have  been  betrayed  and  injured  as  a  woman. 

"  I  have  come  here,  Senhora  to  beg  you,  to 


implore  you,  if  possible,  to  send  the  warning  to 
your  friend.  Captain  Hinango,  not  to  go  alona 
and  unarmed  tonight  or  to-morrow  evening,  and 
in  general,  so  long  as  he  may  he  here,  to  tha 
stairs  Dos  Pescadores. 

"  His  murder  is  determined  upon  ;  the  negro 
is  engaged  who  is  to  stab  him.  As  regards  my 
future,  I  thank  you  for  your  sympathy,  and  may 
speak  to  you  about  it  hereafter.  A  man  in  whose 
hand  my  life  also  fluctuates,  will  go  away  in  the 
middle  of  March — perhaps  you  will  permit  me 
then — when  I  am  free — to  trouble  you  again 
with  my  visits." 

The  wife  of  the  prisoner  found  few  words  to 
reply,  excepting  the  sacred  assurance  that  she 
would  immediately  do  her  utmost  with  respect 
to  Hinango;  she  then  pressed  the  hand  of  the 
poor  girl,  and  accompanied  her  through  her  gar- 
den to  a  gate,  to  draw  off,  as  much  as  possible 
from  her  the  eyes  of  observers. 

Sally  betook  herself  to  the  Cirque  Gymnastique 
of  Signore  Chiarini,  whose  tumultuous  music  was 
just  then  drumming  into  the  air  the  stormy  over- 
ture of  the  "  Escape  from  the  Seraglio." 

No  one  appeared  to  have  remarked  what  she 
had  particularly  wanted  in  Praya  Grande,  and 
even  the  baron  was  very  well  satisfied  with  tha 
pretext — that  she  had  visited  the  circus  of  the 
celebrated  Signore  Chiarini — when  he  found  tier 
at  the  right  time  of  the  evening,  in  a  n^gligl, 
OQ  her  sofa. 


*^*^^^®'»»#*»#rt«w.* 


I 


DOLORES. 


BOOK   VIII. 


CHAPTER    I. 


The  force  of  the  nerve  fluid  in  the  glance 
of  man,  (as  the  organ  of  the  soul,)  manifests  it- 
self in  animatic  magnetism,  insomuch  as  its 
operation  is  capable  of  producing  magnetic  sleep. 
The  communion  of  kindred  souls  between  them- 
Belves  by  means  of  this  organ  is  a  mutual  receiv- 
ing and  giving,  a  transfer  of  interior  being,  whose 
alternate  operation,  as  it  were,  increases  the  sub- 
stance of  the  nerve  fluid  of  two  persons  with 
each  other,  forming  an  animatic  unjty,  in  which 
(so  to  say)  one  soul,  attracted  into  the  other, 
lives  in  that  other. 

A  single  glance  may  give  us  information  of 
the  most  secret  emotion  in  the  sanctuary  of  the 
soul,  and  the  impression  of  such  a  glance,  which 
(in  a  manner)  infuses  soul  into  soul,  is  able  to  ac- 
company us  indissolubly  throughout  our  whole 
lives — inwoven   with   our  being,  as  part  of  our 

BOUls. 

Spirit  and  spirit  can  unite  without  the  encoun- 
ter of  the  glance,  as,  for  example,  we  feel  our- 
selves akin  to  the  spirit  of  an  author,  or  enter  into 
relationship  with  him,  by  reading  his  works. 
The  medium  of  connexion  for  the  union  of  souls 
is  the  organ  of  the  soul :  the  magnetic  fluid  of  the 
glance. 

The  youth  Robert,  whose  individuality  would 
belong  in  that  category  which  we  have  designa- 
ted as  fire  or  air  magnetic,  had  lived  until  this 
time  (so  to  say)  in  Gracia's  soul,  from  which  he, 
as  it  were,  had  received  a  portion  into  himself, 
in  exchange  for  a  like  portion  of  his  animatic 
existence. 

A  similar  exchange  of  the  inward  life  can  of 
course  only  take  place  between  animatic  (fire 
and  air  magnetic)  beings,  and  is,  on  the  contra- 
ry, impossible  between  animal  (earth  and  water 
magnetic)  natures,  or  on  the  part  of  one  such  in 
intercourse  with  a  being  of  the  first  category  ;  for 
no  glance  fluid  can  operate  where  the  animatic 
force  is  not  developed.  The  glance  of  an  animal 
nature  is  certainly  capable  of  the  expression  of 
the  element  in  which  it  moves,  whether  this 
element  be  sensuality,  instinct,  frivolity,  etc. ; 
but  the  animal  nature,  like  its  operations,  is 
rigidly  opposed  to  the  element  of  the  inward 
life,  in  which  it  is  deficient. 


It  follows  from  the  above,  that  an  animatic 
being  of  either  sex  experiences  no  mutual  ope- 
ration of  animatic  fluid  in  connexion  or  inter- 
course with  animal  nature,  to  whom  this  element 
is  foreign,  since  it  cannot  operate  where  it  does 
not  exist. 

On  the  other  hand,  many  phenomena  of  the 
social  world  around  us  are  explained  through 
the  above  principle,  in  which  beings  united  in 
the  most  intimate  manner  with  each  other 
through  this  mysterious  bond  of  animatic  life — ■ 
exist  spiritually  in  each  other,  and,  so  to  say, 
"  fast  bound,  are  fettered  to  each  other." —  Simi- 
lar phenomena,  which  in  the  middle  ages  were 
counted  in  the  category  of  Witchcraft,  according 
to  the  above,  have  their  foundation  in  natural 
causes. 

The  countless  number  of  suicides,  (which 
heartless  materialism  ascribes  to  everyday  Love 
stories,  and  scoffs  at  as  laughable  occurrences 
in  the  ridiculous  province  of  sentimentality,)  in  a 
thousand  cases  find  their  explanation  in  a  dis- 
eased state  of  the  nerves  of  those  unfortunate 
beings,  who,  in  the  manner  above  designated, 
feel  their  animatic  existence  injured,  suddenly 
disturbed  and  interrupted,  or  relaxed,  through 
the  opposing  hostile  principle  of  the  animatic 
element. 

The  reality  of  the  "  distant  effect"  in  the  ani- 
matic sphere  is  a  matter  of  experience,  which 
belongs  neither  to  the  province  of  witchcraft  nor 
to  that  of  "  ridiculous  sentimentality  or  foolish 
love  stories." 

The  Distant  Effect  in  magnetic  rapport  is  sim- 
ilar to  the  timeless  movements  of  an  electi'o- 
magnetic  telegraph  !  thought  and  sentiment 
operate  timeless  in  far  distance. 

Robert  endured  (in  his  physical  existence) 
the  operation  of  a  similar  animatic  rapport 
through  the  month-long  exchange  of  the  ghince 
fluid,  in  so  much  as  the  animatic  life  prevailed 
in  him,  and  had,  as  it  were,  overpo\vered  his 
entire  being. 

The  neighborhood  of  Gracia  had  in  a  manner 
become  a  necessity  of  his  existence.  He  felt 
himself  fettered  by  that  mysterious  bond,  (foun- 
ded upon  the  higher  entity  in  man,)  in  so  far  as 
we  (according  to  the  system  of  Garringos)  re- 
cognise the  soul's  life  as  primitive  existence, 
whose  form  or  instrument  is  the  subordinate 
shell  of  the  body. 


820 


DOLORES. 


Robert  became  physically  ill  by  the  distur- 
bance of  his  nerves,  through  the  distant  opera- 
tion of  the  voluntary  or  intentional  injury  of  his 
nature,  by  the  woman  in  whose  existence  he 
lived  animatically. 

Similar  to  the  above  mentioned  effect  of  the 
electro-magnetic  telegraph,  the  unfortunate  felt 
every  contact  of  the  inimical  animal  principle 
with  th(;  separated  part  of  his  being,  which 
systemHfically  ruined  and  disturbed  it.  The 
destruction  of  his  mind  became  reciprocally  a 
destruction  of  his  nerves  ;  and  his  existence  upon 
earth,  undermined  by  such  sufferings,  was  nearly 
a  physical  impossibility. 

Every  |)sychologist,  in  traversing  the  province 
of  ani malic  magnetism,  would  have  found  his 
illness  as  natural  as  the  wound  fever  after  an 
amputation,  without  being  able,  as  a  physician, 
to  prescribe  a  recipe  for  replacing  the  separated 
portion  of  his  being.  The  misfortune  vt'  such 
sutierings  lie  specially  in  the  mystery  which 
they  occasion,  and  many  a  suflerer  would  be  res- 
cued in  such  cases,  if  the  cause  in  itself  did  not 
require  at  the  same  time,  also,  the  stipulation  of 
endurance  without  soothing  participation. 

Robert  passed  some  days  in  self-abstraction, 
in  the  mechanical  performance  of  his  daily 
business,  which  did  not  make  very  serious 
claims  upon  his  intellect.  He  endeavored  to 
conceal  his  illness  from  himself.  He  passed 
through  the  garden  which  surrounded  the  t,vo 
pavilions  at  his  departure  and  return,  and  occa- 
eionally  met  his  friend,  in  company  with  her  hus- 
band or  the  little  one,  and  instead  of  the  former 
greetings,  encountered  a  contemptuous  glance, 
with  which  she  turned  her  back  upon  him. 

The  youth  observed  the  tone  of  social  civility 
towards  the  lady,  as  towards  her  family,  now  as 
before.  He  considered  his  friend  as  an  invalid, 
a  suflerer  who  was  overtaken  by  a  fever  which 
had  robbed  her  of  her  interior  self-conscious- 
ness, as  a  high  fever  deprives  a  person  of  exte- 
rior consciousness.  He  had  become  acquainted 
with  her  being  as  a  soul,  and  was  so  much  the 
more  convinced  of  her  noble  nature,  since  he 
felt  the  operation  of  her  spiritual  life  in  him- 
self, which,  according  to  logical  consistency, 
could  not  have  taken  place  if  it  had  not  existed 
in  her 

By  what  means,  and  with  what  powerful  dis- 
turbance the  woman  endeavored  to  tear  herself 
asunder  from  the  "  monster,"  who  had  not 
dared  originally  even  to  allow  his  sentiments  of 
sympatliy  towards  her  to  be  perceived,  may  be 
conjectured. 

Perhaps,  however,  the  unfortunate  being  ex- 
perienced a  not  less  violent  reaction  of  the 
sulierings  of  her  friend,  notwithstanding  she, 
seized  by  a  delirium,  endeavored  suddenly  to 
break  a  bond  which  might  certainly  be  violated 
by  female  caprices,  to  an  agitating  degree,  but 
could  not  be  rent  in  her. 

The  intentional  dissolution  l'.  tl.e  in-tuatic 
unity  of  the  two  beings,  through  the  deadening 
and  destruction  of  the  inward  life  in  the  woman, 
by  the  subjection  and  solution  of  her  nobler 
nature  in  the  element  of  animal  vegetation,  was 
murder,  undeniable  murder,  of  the  kindred 
spiritual  life  of  the  youth.  Only  such  an  ani- 
matic  suicide  of  the  woman,  (more  horrible  than 
any  physical  one,)  was  able  to  dissolve  the  rap- 
port in  the  kindred  being,  as  occurs  in  hundreds 


of  cases,  and  at  the  same  time,  also,  Causes  phy» 
sicai  suicide  at  a  more  remote  period. 

Eight  days  had  passed  since  their  separation, 
when  Gracia  entered  Robert's  apartment  one 
evening,  under  the  pretext  of  asking  fur  some 
pieces  of  music  which  she  had  forgotten  there. 
Her  quivering  lips  were  hardly  able  to  utter  the 
request. 

She  remained  standing  in  the  middle  of  the 
room,  gazing  before  her  with  a  convulsively 
disturbed  countenance,  and  appeared  then  to 
perceive  that  Robert  approached  her  to  hand 
her  the  leaves  of  music.  She  seized  them,  and 
allowed  them  to  drop  on  the  floor  beside  her. 

Her  glance  raised  itself  to  the  glance  of  her 
friend,  and  a  second  of  such  communion  em* 
braced  what  an  hour  of  similar  elfusion  in  words 
would  have  been  incapable  of  expressing. 

"  Robert !"  was  at  length  the  single  sound 

which  the  unhappy  woman  exhaled  from  her 
oppressed  heart,  as  she  sank  on  the  breast  of 
her  friend  in  a  similar  swoon  as  in  that  hour 
when  the  acknowledgement  of  her  sentime."its 
forced  itself  from  her. 

It  was  a  state  of  inward  convulsion,  which 
extended  itself  to  all  the  physical  organs,  and 
of  course  dried  the  tears  and  suppressed  the 
words  within  her. 

It  was  the  unfortunate  woman,  impressed 
with  the  guilt  of  an  unheard  of  wounding  of 
the  friend  on  whom  she  had  once  bestowed  her 
most  sacred  confidence,  and  who  had  always 
shov/n  himself  worthy  of  it.  It  was  the  word- 
less petition  for  forgiveness,  in  the  singular  con- 
sciousness that  the  petition  was  already  lullilled. 
It  was  the  swoon  of  shame  in  retrospect  upon 
herself. 

"  You  have  not  wounded  me — you  have  not 
injured  me,"  began  Robert,  as  the  unhappy  one 
regained  her  physical  censciousness.  "  1  have 
once  known  you,  and  have  never  deceived  my- 
self. I  feel  that,  in  the  operation  of  your  nature 
upon  me.  1  separate  character  from  tempera- 
ment— nature  from  a  state  of  sulTering.  I  love 
you,  and  in  this  word  lies  all — all  that  I  can  s.ay 
at  this  moment  for  your  consolation.  I  live  m 
you,  and  your  suil'erings  are  mine.    Vour  b'lund- 

less  misfortune  is   my ■."     He    witheld  the 

gloomy  word,  and  gazed  in  the  eyes  of  his 
friend,  who,  still  absorbed,  heard  his  words, 
and  hardly  dared  encounter  his  glance. 

Mr.  Closting  had  returned  to  Rio  at  the  inti- 
mation of  his  partner  that  his  presence  was 
necessary  for  the  business  in  Santa  Catharina. 

V/ithout  wandering  into  the  prosaic  province 
of  the  money  business  of  a  man  who  began  in 
Brazil  with  nothing,  and  had  got  so  far  through 
his  "  praiseworthy  industy,"  that  his  "worth" 
amounted  to  a  considerable  sum,  (as  he  at  least 
himself  intircated,  that  he  might  sustain  his 
credit,)  we  merely  remark  that  some  indiscreet 
people,  as,  for  example,  Mr.  Francis  Rossbriick 
and  others,  announced  themselves  to  him  so 
soon  as  his  return  became  known. 

The  indiscretion  of  certain  people  proceeded 
so  far,  as  to  consider  him  their  debtor  for  tole- 
rably large  sums,  which  he  had  received  hero 
and  there  for  one  undertaking  or  another,  partly 
as  an  advance,  and  partly  as  exchange  which 
people   had   confided   to    his   credit,   and    Ilia 


DOLORES. 


321 


panctual  payment  of  which,  upon  reception,  or 
at  the  appointed  time,  he  had  "  forgotten  from 
sheer  business  perplexity." 

A  clerk  of  the  triple  headed  business  house  of 
"  Cerberus  &  Co.,"  in  the  "  lower  world,"  might 
commit  to  paper  the  scenes  which  occurred  in 
the  private  office  of  Mr.  Clnsting  in  those  days 
immediately  after  his  arrival,  but  we  gladly 
omit  them  here,  since  they  would  bring  with 
them  a  nomenclature  and  registry  of  manifold 
coarseness  and  brutal  dismissals,  for  which  the 
poorest  paper  under  our  pen  would  always  be 
too  good. 

One  day  Mr.  Closting  sat  in  his  natural  his- 
tory business  ofhcc,  absorbed  in  correspondence 
with  various  imperial  and  royal  academies  and 
institutes,  whose  correspondent  and  honorary 
member  he  was,  (or  at  least  called  himself,) 
when  a  man  entered  whom  we  have  already 
seen  before — Mr.  Nols,  his  travelling  factotum. 
After  he  had  satisfied'  himself  that  his  former 
master  was  alone,  (tor  he  had  peaceably  left  his 
employ,)  he  beckoned  through  the  open  door 
into  the  front  room,  and  two  more  persons  en- 
tered— Mr.  Banko,  and  Mr.  Habakkuk  Daily. 
When  both  had  crossed  the  threshold,  Mr.  Nols 
closed  the  door,  and  placed  himself  before  it. 

Mr.  Closting  observed  this  manoeuvre  of  en- 
trance with  a  sort  of  surprise,  through  which 
an  internal  feeling  of  uneasiness  was  percepti- 
ble, and  looked  with  an  inquiring  glance,  first 
at  one,  and  then  at  another  of  them. 

Banko  took  up  the  word,  and  said,  in  a  quiet 
tone  :  "  I  take  the  liberty  of  introduding  to  you 
Mr.  Habakkuk  Daily,  son  of  the  buried  Mr. 
Xavier  Dujour-Daily,  employed  in  the  busi- 
ness of  the  house  of  Walker  and  Co.,  who  has 
a  demand  upon  you,  Mr.  Closting." 

"  A  demand  upon  me .'"  inquired  the  other, 
with  unfeigned  amazement. 

"  A  demand  on  you,  Mr.  Closting,  to  the 
amount  of  two-and-twenty  conto  di  reis  !" 

Mr.  Closting's  countenance  lost  color.  **  A 
demand  for  exchange,  then  ;  perhaps  from  Eu- 
rope >"  inquired  he  with  hesitation  ;  "  will  you 
show  me  the  document .'" 

"  Primo  and  sccundo  bill  of  exchange,  in  due 
order,"  replied  the  young  German,  laying  the 
two  sympathy  birds  U|)on  the  writing  table, 
before  Mr.  Closting,  while  all  three  gazed  at 
the  murderer  with  an  unaverted  glance,  and  ob- 
obscrved  every  shade  of  his  expression. 

There  is  a  "tactic  of  surprise,"  which  in  the  art 
cf  war  is  considered  to  be  the  best  and  safest; 
and  by  which  many  generals,  with  contracted 
forces,  have  beaten  an  enemy  who  exceeded 
them  tenfold  in  military  strength. 

Hardly  had  the  naturalist  perceived  this  du 
plicate  specimen  of  sympathy  birds,  prepared 
with  unusual  care,  and  well  preserved,  than  the 
whole  garrison  of  the  intrenched  leaguer  oi 
his  evil  conscience  (as  if  siezed  with  an  apo- 
plexy,) grounded  arms,  and  no  brutal  command 
of  defiance  was  able  to  bring  the  array  of  impu- 
dence again  "  a  la  bayonette." 

Tile  murderer,  as  if  paralyzed  by  a  stroke  of 
electricity,  becanie  still  more  pale,  and  instantly 
sank  back  into  his  armchair — and  the  attacking 
hostile  party  had  conquered. 

"  Vou  will  be  so  good,  Mr.  Closting,"  contin- 
ued Mr.  Banko,  when  he  had  for  a  sufficient 
time  contemplated  the   surrender  of  the  enemy, 
41 


"  you  will  be  so  good  as  to  pay  the  before  named 
sum  to-morrow  morning  before  ten  o'clock,  in 
the  cabinet  of  Mr.  Thomson,  to  Mr.  Daily,  on  the 
receipt  of  his  aquittance.  Until  then  we  take 
our  leave,  farewell." 

He  then  replaced  the  two  birds  in  his  hat,  and 
all  three  left  the  cabinet  as  speedily  as  they 
had  come. 

The  naturalist  had  discovered  a  province  in 
nature  into  which  his  investigations  had  not 
until  this  time  extended;  the  province  ovei 
which  dominates  the  revengeful  Nemesis,  who, 
enveloped  in  the  gloomy  veil  of  night,  comea 
forth  here  and  there  as  a  fearfully  terrible  sove- 
reign, and  occasionally  avails  herself  of  the  most 
insignificant  circumstances  to  assist  her  power. 

Mr.  Forro  came  into  the  cabinet  of  his  part- 
ner, to  consult  him  upon  some  matter  of  busi- 
ness, without  noticing  the  visit  which  had  just 
taken  place,  since  so  many  persons  passed  in 
and  out  who  "  had  business  with  Mr.  Closting 
alone." 

"  My  God  !  are  you  not  well  .'"  exclaimed  he, 
when  he  saw  his  partner  in  his  armchair,  still 
pale — pale  as  death,  and  half  unconscious,  gazing 
on  vacancy. 

"  I  must  have  taken  something  poisonous," 
replied  the  naturalist,  "perhaps  last  evening  at 
supper — some  damn'd  leaf  or  herb,  or  something 
of  the  sort,  that  got  among  the  vegetables,  and 
happened  to  come  upon  my  fork." 

"  Shall  I  send  to  Dr.  Thorfin  .'"  inquired  Sen- 
hor  Forro,  with  friendly  sympathy,  "  or  will  you 
prescribe  something  yourself?  You  look  very 
suspicious." 

"  I  will  go  over  to  the  apothecary,"  observed 
the  other,  "  and  take  an  antidote,  or  something, 
and  move  about  a  little  in  the  fresh  air.  1  hope 
it  is  nothing  to  speak  of — that  it  will  be  nothing 
of  consequence." 

At  these  words  he  seized  his  hat,  drew  it  low 
over  his  eyes,  and  left  the  office  and  the  house. 

The  first  requisite  for  the  moment  was  to  gain 
composure,  to  smother,  if  possible,  the  disturb- 
ance of  the  physical  organism,  and  calmly  to  de- 
liberate upon  what  was  to  be  done.  It  w'as  neces- 
sary in  this  case  to  rescue  his  honor  as  a  citizen, 
which  unha])pily  was  at  hazard,  abstractly  from 
the  fatal  consequences  of  this  visit,  which  might 
draw  after  it  an  accusation  of  murder,  in  case  he 
did  not  take  speedy  measures  against  it. 

The  miserable  damned  little  sympathy  birds — 
the  sight  of  which  had  suddenly  replaced  him 
in  the  scene  where  he  had  expressed  to  Mr.  Du- 
jour  Daily  his  views  concerning  the  sympathy 
of  Signora  Serafini  for  her  husband — these 
wretched  preparations  were  now  also  a  testimo- 
ny to  him  that  somebody  had  observed  him  in 
that  moment  when  he  made  the  shot  that  legiti- 
mated him  as  the  inheritor  of  the  diamond. 

Who  ofthosc  three  travelling  companions  had 
followed  him  there?  whether  the  "  impertinent 
fellow"  Banko?  or  the  laconic  Nols?  or  the 
miserable  negro  Francisco  ?  it  was  in  fact  all 
the  same — the  infamous  bill  of  exchange  upon 
the  twenty-two  cento's  had  been  laid  before  him  ; 
and  unhappily  he  could  not  "  protest  it,"  high 
as  he  stood  in  credit  with  the  authorities  from 
one  cause  and  another. 

Mr.  Closting  hurried  through  streets  and 
lanes,  to  the  livery  stable  where  his  horses  stood, 
saddled  his  Minas  galloway  with  his  own  nand, 


DOLORES. 


and  took  a  ride,  out  towards  Bota  Fogo,  to  get 
some  fresh  air.  .,   ,      ,  ■       ,r 

We  will  allow  him  to  ride  until  he  himsell 
finds  it  convenient  to  turn  back,  and  betake  our- 
selves, in  the  meanwhile,  to  Dr.  Thnriin,  who 
had  just  then  received  by  a  negi-o  the  invitation 
from  Signora  Sevafini,  to  favor  her  with  a  visit  as 
soon  as  possible. 

The  doctor  hastened  to  Praya  Grande,  and 
now  learnt  the  object  which  caused  Sally's  ap- 
pearance there.  The  intelligence  was  not  in 
Itself  surprising  to  the  friend  of  Hinango,  since 
tJie  latter,  under  existing  circumstances,  had 
nothing  else  to  expect. 

It  was  already  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon 
when  Thorfin  returned  to  the  city.  In  the 
neighborhood  of  his  abode,  on  the  Gloria,  he 
met  the  naturalist,  who  begged  him  in  all  haste 
to  inform  his  wife  that  he  should  probably  come 
very  late  to  the  chacara  in  the  evening,  as  he 
was  overpowered  with  urgent  business,  but  was 
otherwise  very  well. 

The  doctor  promised,  with  peculiar  readiness, 
to  make  the  visit  to  his  neighbor  ;  and  the  natu- 
ralist gave  his  Minas  galloway  the  spur,  and  gal- 
loped back  to  town. 

Within  two  hours  after  the  visit  he  had  ' 


Dr.  Thorfin  made  a  hasty  visit  to  Madame 
Closting,  and  found  her  relapsed  intc  her  ill- 
ness, more  suffering  than  she  had  been  for  some 
months.  He  inquired  after  the  health  of  their 
mutual  friend,  Senhor  Roberto,  and  learned  that 
he  was  in  the  city,  and,  alas  !  not  very  well 
The  doctor  then  returned  home,  provided  him- 
self with  two  double  pistols  and  a  dagger,  hur- 
ried down  to  town,  entered  a  boat  at  the  landing 
place  Dos  Pescadores,  and  went  out  on  the  bay 
on  board  the  Astrala.  ,         .  . 

Captain  Hinango  was  occupied  at  his  vvntrng 
table,  composing  a  farewell  letter  to  Dolores, 
whose  neighborhood  he  was  now  about  to 
leave,  and  which  was  to  be  their  only  leave- 
taking,  as  customs  and  conventionalism  denied 
them'intercourse.  Thorfin  appeared.  Tlie  priva- 
teer learned  from  his  friend  what  had  brou^'hl 
him  there,  and  again  sank  into  conteniplalioa 
upon  the  disinterested  devotedness  of  this  des- 
pised female,  who  had  hitherto  decidedly  re- 
jected every  approach  on  his  part  to  a  personal 
assurance  of  his  gratitude. 

"  I  must  go  on  shore,  however,"  remarked  ne, 
in  pursuance  of  the  conversation  which  had 
ensued.  "  I  have  still  urgent  business  to  tran- 
sect, and  must  by  all  means  go  to  sea  to-mor- 


posed  his  mind,"  as  the  English  say,  (which  had  row—to-morrow  noon. 

evidentlv  been  discomposed.)  if  we  can  call  that  |      "  Well,"  replied  his  friend,     then  arm^youi 

a  mind  which  vegetated  within  him.    After  ripe  ; self  well— thoroughly,  and  ne 


deliberation,  he  seemed  less  to  have  lost  his  pres 
ence  of  mind  than  the  hope  of  coming  to  terms 
■with  this  indiscreet  and  bold  creditor,  who  had 
come  under  his  eye  in  the  square  person  of  Mr. 

Daily.  .  ,    J 

Mr.  Closting  had  considered  and  weighed 
what  was  to  be  done,  and  had  now  resolved  to  do 
what  he  had  considered  upon  and  weighed.  The 
whole  affair  hung  upon  the  avoidance  of  the  or- 
dered encounter  in  the  cabinet  of  Mr.  Thomson, 


will  endeavor 
to  seize  the  negro  who  is  to  despatch  you  ;  if 
possible,  to  bring  him  to  confession,  and  unmask 
the  baron  in  the' background."  • 

"  That  will  hardlv  take  place,"  observed  Hi- 
nango ;  "  it  depends"  upon  circumstances  ;  if  we 
succeed  in  catching  the  negro  when  he  throws 
himself  upon  me,  then,  to  bo  sure— then  we 
should  have  grounds  to  take  a  decided  stand. 
But  remember,  besides,  that  the  police,  ine 
courts,  the  government,  would  take  the  attempt 
at   murder   under   their   protection,  because   it 


as  partner  of  the  house  of  Walker  &  Co. ;  a  ren-   —   ...-.-- ,  .u..  ,„  ,„,r 

dezvous  wliereby  Mr.  Banko  gave  him  to  under-   took  place  tow'ards  an  exile  whom  'he  ■"'""- 
stand,  plainly  enough,  that  the  affair  would  be  [  chical  ^principle  has  honored  with  a  sentence  of 
made  public  in  case  he  did  not  comply  with  the  death." 
demands  of  the  heir. 


Mr.  Closting  would  certainly  have  found  the 
pretext  of  requiring  first  the  proof  that  the  dia- 
mond was  the  same  which  had  belonged  to  the 


The    cabin   boy   of   the   Astrala    announced 
Mr.   Banko's  arrival.     Hinango  desired  him  to 


come  in. 

"  I  have  come  with  my  effects,  captain,     be- 
gan the  young  German,"  and  have  here  with 


Erimpeiro,Mr.XavierDujour,butthetwo  cursed, 5>...  ^"-  J— ;„   .  i,  ,i.  ,»-.„i,i 

sympathy  birds  were  in  the  way,  which  had  been   mean  acquaintance,  and  a  negro,  both  would 
used  as  proofagainst  him  in  quite  another  respect,   gladly  remain  on  board  to-mght  it  you  wi'l  per- 
'     .    ,°     J    i_:_    :r. :ui„    („„„„  ^r,^  I  mit      T  iprp  are  npwiliar  circumstanees,  wlucft 


It  now  behoved  him,  if  possible,  to  see  and 
speak  this  very  day  with  the  impertinent  credi- 
tor and  his  counsellor  Banko — to  enter  into  treaty 
with  them  to  give  up  the  rendezvous  at  Mr. 
Tompson's. 

Mr.  Closting  betook  himself  to  his  cabinet, 
and  wrote  two  cordial  notes  to  the  two  amiable 
young  people,  wherein  he  invited  them  at  any 
rate  to  speak  to  him  that  evening  in  his  office, 
as  he  was  ready  to  bring  the  exchange  business 
with  Mr.  Habakkuk  Daily  to  an  immediate  con- 
clusion. He  added,  that  he  would  remain  at 
home,  and  not  leave  his  office  before  ten  o'clock. 

A  negro  was  sent  to  leave  the  notes  to  their 
address  in  the  German  tavern  in  the  Rua  do 
Cano,  and  if  possible  to  deliver  them  personally 
to  the  young  gentleman.  The  negro  brought  the 
information  that  he  found  neither  of  the  two  sen- 
horites  at  home,  but  the  landlord  "  expected 
them  every  moment  to  dinner,  and  would  then 
j«Uver  the  notes." 


mit.  There  are  peculiar  circumstances, 
I  can  only  relate  to  you  when  we  shall  be  safely 
at  sea.  I  beg  pardon  for  troubling  you  with 
this  request." 

Dr.  Thorfin  accompanied  the  two  on  deck, 
and  saw  the  same  stranger  and  the  same  negro 
in  a  boat,  whom  he  had  remarked  the  d.iy  before 
in  Mr.  Thomson's  cabinet.  Without  hinting  by 
a  syllable  at  certain  relations,  he  thought  his 
part,  nevertheless,  and  found  much  material  for 
singular  suspicions. 

The  captain  of  the  Astrala  consented  to  the 
presence  of  the  two  attendants  of  his  future 
clerk  or  midshipman  on  board,  so  long  as  they 
wished,  and  then  went  on  shore  well  armed. 

The  overseer  of  the  alfandega,  who  generally 
examined  every  one  that  came  on  shore,  in  order 
to  confiscate  concealed  weapons  or  contraband 
goods,  knew  the  captain  in  his  position  as  cap- 
tain, and  spared  himself  the  trouble  of  incom- 
moding him  and  his  friend. 


DOLORES, 


333 


\ 


Mr.  Clostin»  remained  as  if  upon  coals  in  his 
office,  and  neglected  his  dinner,  as  he,  very 
strangely,  had  no  appetite  at  all,  but  occasionally 
a  burning  thirst. 

It  was  about  three  o'clock  when  he  betook 
himself  to  this  post.  Four  o'clock  came,  and 
six  o'clock,  and  still  no  Mr.  Daily.  He  looked 
o\it  of  the  window  upon  the  opposite  sidewalk, 
right  and  ietl,  up  and  down,  but  no  one  stepped 
obligcly  across  the  street,  who  resemblctl  either 
of  these  two.  The  house  in  which  he  was, 
cast  a  broad  shadow  upon  the  opposite  wrdls  of 
the  tiresome  old  hou.ses  ;  the  shadow  rose  even 
higher  and  higher.  The  old  gray  walls  of  the 
buildings  opposite  to  liim  became  even  grayer 
and  gloomier,  and  suddenly  entirely  dark,  as  the 

gun  had  disappeared and  still  no  one  came. 

He  again  sent  one  of  his  negroes  to  the  little 
lavern  in  the  Rua  do  Cano,  to  in(]uire  whether 
Mr.  Banko  and  the  stranger  had  not  returned. 

The  negro  came  again,  and  announced  that 
both  had  been  there  to  dinner  at  three  o'clock. 
Mr.  Banko  had  taken  his  baggage  on  board  the 
vessel ;  he  had  said,  moreover,  that  he  would 
soon  be  on  shore  again. 

Strange  !  then  the  notes  had  been  received, 
snd  no  notice  taken  of  them  ;  the  cursed  clown 
seemed  determined  not  to  arrange  the  affair 
elsewhere  than  in  Mr.  Thomson's  presence — an 
impertinence  without  equal. 

Mr.  Closting  had  once  for  all  declared  that  he 
would  not  leave  his  office  before  ten  o'clock. 
He  must,  of  course,  wait — wait  quietly,  until 
ten  o'clock,  and  then — well,  then  he  would 
have  had  time  enough  to  consider  what  was  to 
be  done. 

Nothing  else  remained  to  him,  nothing  at  all, 
but  to  go  on  board  the  Astrala,  where  Mr.  Banko 
was  then  tn  he  tbund.  That  he  was  there  to  be 
found,  Mr.  Closting  concluded  from  some  words 
of  Mr.  Prole,  and  from  the  obstinate  delay.  The 
thoroughgoing  lubber  had  looked  out  for  his 
personal  safety.  Mr.  Closting  comprehended 
such  measures. 

It  struck  eight,  and  nine,  and  at  length  ten 
o'clock and  no  one  appeared. 

The  naturalist  then  locked  his  desk,  and 
drank  another  glass  of  water — and  remained 
thirsty,  notwithstanding.  He  locked  his  door, 
and  ordering  the  .negro  to  wait  for  him,  hastily 
left  the  house. 


CHAPTER    II. 

.      THE   MISTAKE, 

Miss  StrsAN  Thomson  lived  after  the  happy 
betrothal  dinner  in  a  never-ending  tumult  of 
maidenly  expectation  of  the  things  or  the  hours 
"  that  should  come,"  when  at  last  the  middle  ot 
the  month  of  March  drew  nigh.  Although  she, 
like  a  good  Christian,  had  until  now,  concerned 
herself  very  little  with  heathen  mythology,  the 
god  Hymen  had,  nevertheless,  not  remained  un- 
known to  her.  She  even  looked  in  the  fishing 
library  of  her  brother  for  some  old  book  of  my- 
thological contents,  to  obtain,  if  possible,  still 
jTiore  information  about  the  signification  of  this 


or  the  other  heathen  divinity.  At  length  she 
found  an  old  French  book,  "  Legons  de  iVIitholo- 
gie,"  etc.,  and  learnt  that  Amor  was  a  son  of 
Venus  and  Mars,  without  conceiving  in  her  nar- 
rowmindedness  the  ingenious  symbol  of  this  de- 
rivation ;  still  less  did  she  comprehend  the  mys- 
terious marriage  of  Amor  witli  Psyche,  nor  tlie 
significantly  difficult  prediction  of  the  oracle, 
that  the  tender,  ardent  Psyche  should  be  mar- 
ried upon  earth  to  a  monster  whom  she  sought 
to  elude  by  her  flight  to  the  island  of  Cyprus, 
where  the  loving  Amor  visited  her  incognito 
every  night. 

Miss  .Susan  understood  all  this  as  little  as  the 
Apocalypse,  which  she  had,  nevertheless,  fre- 
quently read.  She  learnt,  however,  that  Hymen 
was  a  brother  of  Amor,  who  was  represented 
with  a  torch,  with  wliich  he  kindled  (he  fire 
upon  the  altar  of  matrimony — in  case  it  would 
not  immediately  burn  of  itself,  which  may  oc- 
casionally be  the  case. 

Her  days  passed  away  admirably,  and  in  joy, 
since  she  could  now  receive  the  visits  of  her 
baron  without  restraint,  and  make  her  appear- 
ance publicly  on  his  arm,  which  was  an  un- 
ceasing "satisfaction"  to  her,  as  she  could 
thereby  evince  to  the  world  that  she  was  a  be- 
trothed bride,  and  future  Baroness  de  Spandau  1 

This  allegory  of  mythology,  in  relation  to  the 
poor  Psyche,  would  rather  have  found  its  e.v- 
emplification  in  the  Gloria  than  in  herself. 

In  accordance  with  this  ingenious  myth  of 
antiquity,  may  Psyches,  (or  souls,)  with  and 
without"  the  oracle,  appear  to  be  cast  upon  a 
monster  in  marriage,  and  it  is  not  every  Psyche 
who  rescues  herself  at  the  right  time,  upon  an 
island  of  Cyprus,  or  Santa  Cuthariua,  but  is 
subdued  by  the  monster  upon  a  peninsula,  like 
the  Gloria. 

Far  from  us  be  the  design  of  instituting  a 
parallel  between  the  excellent  and  generous 
old  Mr.  Thomson,  and  a  monster  of  the  Greek 
mythology  !  Why  should  not  Mr.  Thomson  be 
able  to  lay  as  good  a  claim  to  the  tenderest 
Psyche  of  reality,  enveloped  in  a  beautiful  form, 
resembling  her  mother  Venus,  (as  we  are  told 
in  the  myth,)  especially  when  the  mortal  shell, 
in  correspondence  with  his  taste,  is  endowed 
with  a  tendency  to  corpulency .'  On  the  con- 
trary, we  leave  it  to  the  decision  of  all  young 
ladies,  from  fifteen  to  full  forty  years,  who  are 
desirous  of  matrimony,  whether  Mr.  Thomson, 
in  such  a  respectable  standing,  with  a  large 
property,  w  ith  real  estate  and  houses,  and  car- 
riages, and  livery  servants,  and  apes,  was  not 
capable  of  satisfying  all  the  demands  and  re- 
quisitions which  any  maiden  or  young  lady 
whatever  could  reasonably  institute? 

This  question,  long  since  decided  by  antici- 
pation by  the  sound  reason  of  the  female  sex, 
tranquillized  Mr.  Thomson  in  the  joyful  prospect 
of  his  voyage  to  Santa  Catharina. 

The  baron  rode  and  walked,  and  ran  and  went 
in  and  out  at  Mr.  Thomson's,  in  Bota  Fogo,  and 
regularly  informed  himself,  though  incidentally, 
of  the  health  of  Miss  Fanny,  and  heard,  from 
time  to  time,  that  she  "  thanked  him  for  his 
kind  inquiries,  and  found  herself  tolerably 
well." 

The  Baron  was  at  Mr.  Thomson's  when  Mr. 
Closting  rode  past  the  villa  upon  his  excursion. 
He  inquired,  more  earnestly  than  ever,  after  the 


DOLORES, 


334 

health  of"  hb  friend,"  Miss  Fanny,  and  seemed 
to  Bhow  a  singular,  almost  urgent  mchnation  to 
nresenT  his  compliments  to  her  in  person.  M.ss 
Susan  t|,en  seized  her  bridegroom  s  arm  m  a 
very  bdelike  manner,  and  ran  beside  him  up 
The  broad  stairs,  to  Miss  Fanny'9  door,  on  the 

'^'Co'rrnna  appeared  at  the  knock,  and  the  bride- 
groorn  vvas  announced.  The  baron  convinced 
himself  that  Miss  Fanny  was  still  alive,  and 
srtfd  at  her  writing-table  at  Beta  Fogo-^nd 
further  he  did  not  wish  %o  know. 
'"The  Astrala  was  to  go  to  sea  the  next  da^. 
It  was  still  possible  that  Dr.  Thorfin  and  Hi- 
nango  i%ht!notwithstandins  all  the  vigilance 

Tthe  par^t  of  the  spy,  have  -»«">Pf«Vth'e  As 
Sroke  of  carrying  off  Dolores  on  bi«rd  the  As- 
trala  in  which  she  might  even  then  escape  alone, 
if  H  mango  should  personally  remam  on  shore. 
The  Astrala  was  already  manned  ;  first  and  sec- 
ond mate  were  on  board,  as  Mr.  Clostmg  had 
?epor?ed  to  the  baron  ;  the  elopement  would  not 
have  been  so  impossible;  but  he  had  likewise 
taken  hTs  measures  for  such  a  case,  that  the  As- 
trala  sbo«rd  not  pa.s  the  fortress  of  Santa  Cruz 
without  a  visitation  from  topmast  *«  keel.— - 

The  baron  had  made  his  visit,  and  found  him- 
self again  in  the  park  with  Miss  Susan.        _ 

"Do  not  go  out  anywhere  this  evening," 
whispered  he  in  the  ear  of  hi.  young  br.de 
(Ivho,  as  a  bride,  was  certainly  not  three  weeks 
old  )  "  and  keep  Miss  Fanny  at  home !  I  enjom 
it  upon  you;  fori  have  prepared  a  surprise  for 
her      We  will  have  a  concert  in  the  garden  this 

"^enin„ ."  whispered  he,  still  lower,  playing 

?n  theTnost  intimately  afiectionate  manner  with 
a  riband  paraded  in  a  bow  o«  the  ftat  chemisette 
f'l  love  such  surprises,  and  have  a  lore  at 
making  them.  Stay  at  home  both  of  you  1  you 
are  accountable  to  me  lor  the  pleasure. 

Miss  Susan  more  than  willingly  assumed  such 
responsibility,  and  was  also  able  to  carry  it  out, 
inasmuch  as' only  one  gate  led  into  the  garden, 
and  the  surrounding  wall  was  very  high-a  ci  - 
cmnstance  which  certainly  did  not  come  into 
consideration  with  relation  to  Miss  Fannv ,  as  she 
feared  no  abduction  on  the  part  ot  Robert  Walker 
Tu  the  measures  for  securing  the  person  ot 
oJloes  were  of  course  taken ;  her  possible 
&iXl  on  board  the  Astrala  was  hindered;  and 
belides,  the  baron  had  the  necessary  connexion 
wTth  the  officers  of  the  port,  which  placed  the 
Teans  in  his  hands  of  directing  the  visitation 

"^'Hlna?^'had"given  his  friend  Thort^n  a  ven- 
dezvou.°at  the  Hotel  du  Nord  lor  a  tnendly 
farewell  snppe^  ">  ^^.ch  Mr.  Fitz  also  invited 
himself  when  he  heard  ot  it. 

All  three  sat  according  to  appearance  comfort- 
ably to-'ether,  talking  about  one  thing  and  ano- 
ther The  cinversation  fell  upon  Mr.  Closting  s 
return  and  his  great  success  in  business,  and  Mr. 
Fit"  observed  "tliat  he  would  succeed  yet  lur- 
thlr  in  Brazil,  as  he  was  an  uncommonly  clever 
felTovV,  and  had  great  protection,  and  was  well 
kid  to  have  be'en  long  in  the  secret  service 
of  one  functionary  or  another.' 

oura'';«swo'?J.hViic;iv«  some  .hut.lTou.  Ihel.rt.e... 


We  leave  the  three  Northmen  in  the  Hotel 
du  Nord!  and  betake  ourselves  to  the  street 
where  Mr.  Closting  left  his  house. 

A  thunder  storm  was  pouring  dovvn  in  s  ream,^ 
The  whole  Rua  da  AUandega.  and  all  *!'«  Ru^ 
Direita,  "  swam  with  water."  Here  and  there 
vet  stood  a  group  of  negroes  at  a  street  corner  to 
carry  the  passers-by  upon  their  backs  across  the 
Sn  '  n'vulets  which  separated  one  pavement 
rom  another,  and  much  discordant  laughter 
;;rund"ed,  and  many  Senhor  Bra^cos  s^^.pped 
.jirtewavs  down  from  the  backs  of  the  two  leg 
Kd  beasts  of  burden,"  with  one  foot  in  the  rivu- 
kts,  or  with  both,  according  to  the  greatness  of 

'Tc^wdTcaptains-  boats,  with  dripping  sail- 
or  TwLit^d  at  the  broad  stairs  Doa  Pescadores  for 
Z\7old  «>an,  amongst  the  negro  canoes  and 
elouquH-s,  whose  conductors,  ready  or  s.vi.e, 
beset  the  stairs  and  sprang  to  ""''^.t^' ",?""«, 
who  approached  somewhat  near,  with  ofter*  of 

'"patH^k!  wUhouthaving  beeninforr^e.d  through 
the  invalid  I.ucy  of  the  design  ot  murder  against 
ran  ain  Hinango,  had  instinctively  mingled 
among  thf^grU  and  sailors,  who  notwith- 
stTndL  the  pouring  rain,  eschanged  their  wit 
amo*    each  o^her-?be  negroes  laughing  loudly 

aUhe^European  sailors  for  '--'"S  ^'/'IJ^to,-  ! 
which  could  certainly  not  occur  to  the  Ethio  i- 
Ts^^aa  the  girdle  around  the  hips  was  hardlj  a 

''mr"ck  availed  himself  of  the  pretext  of  ob- 
serving  the  captain  of  the  Astra  a  in  case  the 
b"on'shouu/learn  that  .ho  had  been  there-- 
since  he  had  hitherto  apprized  him  with  the  ui 
most  esact'iess  what  hid  been  taken  on  board 

""Mr.  Closting  had  some  days  before  made  a 
visit  on  board  the  Astrala,  in  company  vv  th  Mr^  - 
Fitz,  and  had  met  some  sailors  among  the  crew 
whom  he  liad  formerly  recognised  as  hiscountij- 
r,ple  on  board  of  other  Scandinavian  vessels. 

At  len-th  he  reached  the  place  ot  the  Ruados 
Pescadores,  and  liurned  to  the  stairs 

"  The  boat  of  the  Astrala  1  is  it  here  .'  criea 
be.  in  a  Scandinavian  language.  .    .^^■,,- 

The  two  sailors  in  the  Astrala's  boat,  heartily 

.lad  to  get  on  board  at  length,  out  ot  the  rain 

reolied  to  him,  "  Here   captain  1    here!     since 

hey  believed  that    Hinango   had  appeared  at 

en^th      Mr  Closting  sprang  down  the  slippery 

w  t^-tairs  into  the  boat,  and  cned  to  the  sailors: 

"  Will  you  row  me  quickly  on  board  .'  1  Have 
.something  to  say  to  your  mate !"  .<•  .o„„e 

The  tvvo  sailors  were  Scandinavians,  ot  course 
countrymen  of  the  naturalist,  and  patriotically 
rejoiced  to  hear  their  own  J^npage 

"  Right  willingly  !"  replied  one  ol  them. 

"  Is  it  you,  Mr.' Closting  V  returned  the  othe  , 
as   the   lonner   seated   himself  in  the  .tern,  to 

^"''u  ra'iilll^t  this  evening,"  remarked  one  of 

"'?.  Ve;r,^,t."  assented  Mr.  Closting., 

Molocli,  who  had  already  from  a  distance  ta- 
ken notice  of  the  man  with  --f;X7^,^°^: 
Quickly  Hew  upon  the  stairs,  and  called  lor  me 
boit  ot  the  A.strala-now  stood  upon  his  post 
'ptnck,  without  remarking  Moloeh,whoc,ok^ 

black   like  any  other  negro,  and   especially  M 
Shtsoou  dJcovei-ed  that  this  voice  was  BOt 


DOLORES 


325 


\ 


the  org;an  of  his  captain,  and  allowed  the  natu- 
ralist to  step  into  the  boat.  Moloch,  without 
exciting  observation,  stepped  hastily  down  tile 
stairs,  sprang  across  boat  after  boat,  into  Ills 
canoe  which  lie  had  long  had  in  readiness,  and 
sculled  himself,  with  Ethiopian  dexterity,  to  the 
boat  of  the  Astrala,  just  as  it  pushed  of!*,  and  the 
sailors  had  raised  tlie  oars  for  the  first  stroke. 

In  a  second  the  negro's  dajigei*  was  planted 
in  Mr.  Closting's  breast,  and  the  place  in  the 
stern  was  empty,  as  the  Kirraboo  drew  the  body 
backwards  overboard  into  the  water. 

"  My  God  !  murder  !  murder  !"  shrieked  the 
two  sailors,  and  instantly  threw  themselves  into 
the  ^ater  to  draw  the  wounded  man  out,  who 
convulsively  held  fast  with  both  hands  to  the 
rope  at  tlie  rudder,  although  he  had  lost  his  con- 
sciousness. 

Moloch  had,  in  the  same  instant  in  which  he 
accomplished  the  stroke,  slung  his  dagger  out 
into  the  bay,  thrown  himself  after  it,  and  disap- 
peared under  the  water,  swimming  out  into  the 
gloomy,  dark,  deserteil,  rainy  night,  to  take  tlie 
opportunity  of  gliding  on  shore  somewhere  un- 
remarked. 

Upon  the  cry  of  murder  from  the  two  sailors, 
every  living  thing  that  was  in  the  neighborhood 
sprang  down  the  steps,  and  many  were  crowded 
and  overthrown. 

The  overseers  of  the  alfandega  and  the  police, 
who  were  at  their  posts  notwithstanding  the 
pouring  rain,  hastened  to  assert  their  authority, 
and  to  bring  the  wounded  man,  or  the  corpse  of 
the  murdered  fine,  to  land. 

"  is  that  your  captain  .'''  inquired  an  officer 
of  the  alfandega  of  the  two  dripping  seamen  of 
the  Astrala.     "  What  vessel  are  you  from  ?" 

"  This  gentleman  is  not  our  captain,"  was  the 
answer  ;  "  he  is  acquainted  with  our  captain, 
and  wished  to  go  on  board  in  a  hurry  ;  his  name 
is  Closting.'' 

"  Senhor  Closting?  Closting?"  repeated  a 
functionary  of  police,  turning  to  his  colleague 
of  the  alfandega  ;"  the  son-in-law  of  our  colonel 
from  Miiias  Geraes — who  has  the  handsome 
wife?  Murdered  from  jealousy,  or  something 
of  the  sort  !"  added  he,  in  a  low  voice. 

A  lantern  was  brought  from  the  nearest  ioja 
or  venda.  Another  functionary  now  held  the 
light  over  the  corpse  of  the  wounded  person, 
and  aflirmed : 

"  1  thought,  to  be  sure,  I  knew  him  !  it  is 
Mr.  Closting,  the  naturalist.  He  lives  yet,  thank 
Uod  !" 

"  He  stirs !  perhaps  the  wound  is  not  mortal," 
whispered  several. 

Patrick  had  crowded  himself  into  the  group 
and  likewise  contemplated  the  body,  and  satis- 
fied himself  more  and  more  that  he  had  not  erred 
— tliatMr.  Closting  was  not  his  Cajitain  Hinango. 

The  functionaries  and  inspectors  made  hasty 
arrangiMnents  to  carry  the  wounded  man  to  a 
house,  and  sent  after  a  surgeon,  apothecary,  or 
physician,  whichever  was  hrst  to  be  found. 

"  What's  the  matter  there  ?  what's  going  on 
there?  inquired  Mr.  Fitz,  who,  at  the  same  mo- 
ment, with  Hinango  and  Thorfin,  passed  the 
corner  of  the  Rua  do  San  Pedro. 

*'  Its  only  some  one  shot  or  wounded,"  replied 
a  Portuguese,  enveloped  in  his  mantle,  drenched 
with  rain.     "  A  branco  with  moustaches  ;   no 


merchant,  and  no  negro,"  added  he,  and  allowed 
the  Northmen  to  pass  before  him 

This  conclusion  of  the  Portuguese  requires  an 
explanation,  as  a  negro  is  always  in  Brazil  worth 
from  six  to  eight  hundred  iniUreis,  or  even  a 
full  conlo ;  and  a  man  with  moustaches  is  gen- 
erally lint  publicly  lor  sale.  Such  a  one  may  of 
course  be  stabbed  without  an  owner  losing  his 
negro  capital,  and  without  disturbing  the 
business  of  any  Eiercantile  house — without 
moustaches. 

Thorlin,  in  his  quality  of  physician,  pressed 
through  the  crowd,  and  soon  found  himself  be- 
side the  before  mentioned  "  body."' 

Hinango  and  Fitz  followed  immediately  after 
him,  and  all  three  at  once  recognised  their  coun- 
tryman. Patrick  showed  himself  to  his  captain, 
but  immediately  drew  back,  as  Mr.  Fitz  was 
present,  whom  lie  did  not  trust. 

"  They're  country  people  of  the  Senhor 

friends — countrymen,"  whispered  the  functiona- 
ries in  each  others  ears.  "  One's  a  physician  : 
1  know  him — a  very  celebrated  physician!  it's 
well  that  he  is  here.'* 

In  this  manner,  well  known,  the  first  place 
by  the  wounded  man  %vas  yielded  to  Dr.  Thorfin, 
and  his  orders  were  obeyed.  A  surgeon  and 
an  apothecary  soon  appeared,  and  it  was  an- 
nounced that  the  wound  was  certainly  very  dan- 
gerous, and  would  jirobjbly  be  mortal,  but,  nev- 
ertheless, a  cure  might  be  hoped  for. 

"  Who  will  prepare  Madame  Closting,  that  she 
may  not  learn  it  too  suddenly,  before  Dr.  Thor- 
lin goes  home,  who  lives  in  her  neighborhood  ?" 
inquired  Mr.  Fitz,  who  had  stepped  aside  with 
Hinango. 

"  You  hurry  out  there  i  you  are  acquainted 
there  already,"  observed  Hinango. 

"  It  would  be  better  for  you  to  go,  and  bespeak 
the  necessary  prudence  with  Robert  Walker," 
was  the  view  of  the  astronomer. 

"  I  have  never  visited  them  yet !"  said  Hinan- 
go ;  "  and  besides,  1  wish  to  go  on  hoard  now. 
However,  if  you  think  it  would  be  better  that 
Mr.  Walker  should  know  it  first,  then  1  will  go 
out." 

"  Are  you  the  captain  of  the  Astrala,  in  whose 
boat  the  Senhor  there  has  been  murdered,  or 
wounded?"  inquired  of  him  the  police  officer, 
who  remembered  the  family  of  Madame  Clos- 
ting. "  I  am  a  police  officer,"  added  he  po- 
litely. 

"  Your  servant,"  returned  Hinango  ;  "  I  am 
the  captain  of  the  Astrala,  but  now',  for  the 
first,  learn  through  you,  Senhor,  that  this  mur- 
der took  place  in  my  boat.  Under  what  cir- 
cumstances did  that  happen  ?" 

"  In  your  boat?"  inquired  Mr.  Fitz;  "  how 
in  all  the  world  came  Mr.  Closting  in  your 
boat  ?" 

"  Do  you  know  the  wounded  man  ?"  further 
inquired  the  police  officer. 

"  I  have  known  him  from  my  youth,  without 
being  particularly  intimate  witli  him.  We  have 
occasionally  seen  each  other  here  accidentally," 
replied  Hinango. 

"You  must  take  the  trouble  to  appear  at 
eight  o'clock  to-morrow  morning  at  the  police 
ollice,  with  the  two  sailors,  who  are  down  there 
in  the  boat.  It  is  on  account  of  the  prods  ver- 
bal ;  your  evidence  will  be  taken,  and  you  can 
then  go  to  sea.     I  know  the  family  of  the  'ady 


DOLORES. 


of  this  Mr.  Closting — a  very  respectable  family. 
As  I  hear,  there  is  a  young  Englishman  living  in 
the  neighborhood,  the  son  of  a  very  well  known 
house. May  I  offer  you  a  pinrh  of  snutT •?" 

The  officer,  who,  as  a  Brazilian  functionary, 
could  not  suitably  exist  vvitliout  a  snuff-box, 
offt-red  the  two  countrymen  of  the  wounded 
man  his  box,  and  bofli  look  a  pinch,  without,  as 
he  expected,  "biting"  at  the  conversation, 
which  he  had  endeavored  to  turn  npon  Mr. 
Walker. 

Hinango  stepped  up  again  to  Dr.  Thorfin,  and 
explained  to  him  that  he  had  concluded  to  pre- 
pare the  lady  of  the  wounded  man  indirectly 
for  the  shocking  intelligence,  inquiring  at  the 
same  time  what  the  other  intended  in  relation 
to  the  place  whither  Mr.  Closting  should  be 
carried. 

The  doctor  observed  that  the  ivounded  man 
must  be  immediately  taken  where  he  could  re- 
main for  his  treatment,  since  the  transportation 
■would  always  be  more  dangerous  at  a  later  pe- 
riod. "  Hasten  to  his  lady,  therefore,"  added 
he,  "  and  endeavor,  as  prudently  as  possible,  to 
convey  the  intelligence  that  Mr.  Closting  has 
been  thrown  by  a  horse.  He  must  have  a  couch 
ready  for  him  in  a  light  room,  on  account  of  the 
examination  of  the  wound  afterwards.  If  you 
can  avoid  it,  say  nothing  about  the  attack  and 
stabbing. 

HinaTigo  assented  to  these  measores,  and 
hastening  to  the  next  stable,  where  horses  and 
carriages  stood  ready  to  hire,  mounted  a  horse 
himself,  and  sent  a  carriage  to  Dr.  Thorfin,  for 
the  wounded  man. 

The  open  loja  into  which  Mr.  Closting  had 
been  temporarily  conveyed,  was  closed,  and  the 
crowd,  whom  curiosity  and  idleness  had  assem- 
bled outside,  were  obliged  to  satisfy  themselves 
■with  their  own  remarks  and  whisperings. 

The  dagger  had  been  driven  in  directly  under 
the  heart,  but  had,  nevertheless,  injured  no  blood 
vessel.  The  wounded  man  gained  by  degrees 
his  entire  consciousness,  and  now  expresed  a 
desire  to  speak  with  Dr.  Thorfin  entirely  alone, 
which  was  gratified. 

"  This  dagger  stroke  was  intended  not  for  me, 
but  for  another,"  began  Mr.  Closting,  in  a  feeble 
voice.  "  As  concerns  myself,  doctor,  you  can- 
not expect  any  desirable  result  of  your  prolfcs- 
sional  treatment,  so  long  as  my  mind  is  not  tran- 
quil. I  have  some  business  to  transact  with  a 
stranger,  whom  young  Mr  Banko  was  to  bring 
to  me  this  evening.  He  did  not  come,  and  I 
heard  that  he  was  on  board  of  the  .•^strata.  Send 
some  one  there  immediately,  and  let  them  tell 
him  that  he  must  come  here  with  the  stranger. 
I  will  arrange  the  matter  this  evening.  Before 
I  have  spoken  to  tliese  two,  I  will  not  be  carried 
home." 

The  decision  of  this  declaration,  which  the 
wounded  man  uttered  significantly,  although 
with  a  weak  voice,  was  a  command  to  the  doc- 
tor. He  hastened  to  commission  Mr.  Fitz  to 
go  on  board  the  Astrala  in  her  boat,  and,  it  pos- 
sible, to  bring  Mr.  Banko  and  the  stranger  im- 
mediately there,  in  case  the  latter  was  iu  the 
neighborhood. 

The  astronomer  fulfilled  the  commission,  and 
soon  stepped  Upon  the  deck  of  the  Astrala. 

How   surprising   the  intelligence  of  the  at- 


tempted murder  sounded  to  the  two  opponents 
of  the  wounded  man,  may  be  imagined;  at 
least,  however,  the  matter  was  to  them  in  itself 
easily  explained.  They  recognised  the  neces- 
sity of  acce})tiug  the  invitation,  and  soon  fouiid 
themselves -beside  the  temporary  coucli  of  t'le 
wounded  man  ;  they  were  then  left  alone  with 
him. 

Mr.  Closting  now  began,  in  a  low  voice,  and 
with  emotion  : 

"  The  state  in  which  I  lie  here,  makes  de- 
mands ujjon   your  consideration.     Promise  me 

never  to  utter  a  syllable  about about the 

matter on  which  you  came   to  me   to-day. 

You,    Mr.    Dujour-Daily will    receive    the 

sum  which  you  demand; but  I  require  con- 
sideration from  you as  the  '  father  of  a  fam- 

ily.'— 

"  In  a  portfolio  there  in  my  coat  pocket,  you 
will  find  the  document  which  secures  to  you  the 

sum  as  a  possession under  the  stipulation  that 

you  enter  into  business  temporarily  witli  my 
partner,  Senhor  Forro  ;  and  the  "twenty-two 
contos  will  remain  there  as  your  property  until 
some  time  hejice,  or  be  used  wherever  yoH  de- 
sire to  place  them,  in  order  tliat  a  sudden  inti- 
mation and  payment  to  your  order,  should  not 
reveal  an  aflair  which  sliould  not  be  spoken  of, 
wliich  ought  to  be  forgotten,  from  consideratioo 
for  me  as  the  'father  of  a  family.'  Will  you 
do  this  ?  Then  look  for  the  documents  here 
directly,  and,  after  a  year,  you  can  take  your 
money  out  of  our  business,  or  remain  in  it  with 
tlie  money,  at  your  pleasure." 

Mr.  Habakliuk  Daily  heard  this  "  proposal 
for  his  good"  with  increasing  attention.  The 
considerable  jiroperty  of  twenty-two  contos, 
(eleven  thousand  doliars,)  was  the  principal 
thing  to  him.  The  murder  of  his  father  was  a 
"  tr.igical  event,"  which,  however,  ali-eady  be- 
longed to  the  past. 

It  was  a  question  whether  his  father  would 
have  i)laced  tliis  sum  immediately  at  his  disposal 
in  any  business  wliatever,  in  case  he  had  met 
him  here  living.  The  business  of  Forro  Si,  Co. 
was  not  insignificant,  and,  especially  through 
the  respectable  connexions  with  the  house  of 
Walker  &.  Co.,  its  credit  had  latterly  been  pecu- 
liarly favored.  Hahakkuk  had,  consequently, 
the  brilliant  prospect  of  placing  himself  the  next 
morning,  dressed  like  a  geTitleman,  as  a  partner 
of  the  house  of  "  Forro  &.  Co.,"  or  even  as  the 
representative  of  the  wounded  Senhor  Closting, ' 
under  the  porch  of  the  exch-ange,  with  both 
hands  stuffed  into  the  pockets  of  his  sjiencer,  and 
looking  down  upon  tile  world  in  Rua  Direita,  as 
a  '*  made  man  I"     This  prosjtect  was  no  tride. 

He  examined  the  designated  papers  with  the 
greatest  apparent  indifference,  restraining  the 
expressions  of  his  satisfaction.  He  found  the 
obligations  in  all  order  and  security,  and  de- 
clared his  perfect  satisfaction  with  such  an  ar- 
rangement. The  e.xcitement  of  his  feelings, 
which  lay  founded  in  surprise,  led  him  even  into 
an  act  of  liljorality,  (in  remarkal)le  contradiction 
to  his  mercantile  principles,)  as  lie  declared  that 
he  would  only  take  twenty  contos  of  the  amount, 
and  leave  the  other  two  contos  in  Mr.  Closling's 
possession,  as  "  commission  per  centage  for  the 
arranged  business." 

Mr.  Closting  was  satisfied  with  this,  and  de- 
sired to  have  the  sum  in  ready  money  ;  that  is. 


DOLORES. 


327 


\ 


he  wished  Mr.  Dnily  to  bring  it  to  his  bedsirle  on 
the  following  morning,  since  he,  as  the  "  lather 
of  a  family,"  in  such  a  situation,  required  money, 
and  besides,  the  affair  would  be  completed  with 
that,  and  no  more  agitated. 

Both  parties  now  gave  each  other  a  hand,  and 
promised  inviolable  silence  about  what  had  oc- 
curred. It  was  arranged  that  it  should  be  said 
that  Mr.  Xavier  Dujour,  the  grimpeiro,  had 
named  iMr.  Closting  his  "  executor,"  and  his  son 
Habakkuk  had  returned  to  Rio  to  enter  into 
business  with  Messrs.  Forro  &.  Closting,  as  a 
partner  of  their  bouse. 

Mr.  Banko  would,  under  any  other  circum- 
stances, have  still  whispered  a  word  in  tlie  ear 
of  the  naturalist  for  his  personal  satisfaction, 
but  he  saw  the  unfortunate  man  on  his  death- 
bed, and  reached  him  his  hand  for  his  consola- 
tion, and  remained  silent.  He  required  from 
Mr.  Daily  the  freedom  of  the  negro  slave  Fran- 
cisco, ami  that  his  "  manumission  papers"  should 
be  executed  on  the  following  day,  to  which  the 
other  willingly  agreed. 

Both  returned  on  board  the  Astrala  ;  because 
it  was  more  comfortable  (or  them  there  than  in 
the  noisy  little  tavern  in  the  Rua  do  Cano,  and 
they  had  also  much  to  saj'  to  each  other. 

Hinango  arrived  on  horseback  at  the  garden 
gate  of  Madame  Closting.  It  was  already  nearly 
half-past  twelve  o'clock ;  the  storm  was  past — 
the  sky  was  full  of  stai-s.  Some  one  knocked,  and 
to  the  inquiry  of  a  negress,  '*  who  was  there  ?" 
he  mentioned  his  name,  and  added,  that  he 
wished  to  speak  to  Senhor  Roberto. 

"  Capitaon  Y-nang-hob  !"  reported  old  Anna, 
as  .Senhora  Gracia  and  Robert  approachetl  the 
gate  at  the  noise,  who  hitherto,  as  in  former 
times,  had  been  walking  back  and  forth  in  the 
garden,  enjoying  the  wonderful  mildness  of  the 
starry  night.  Both  looked  inquiringly  at  each 
other.  -Something  peculiar  must  have  occurred. 
AVhat  could  have  brought  the  captain  of  the 
Astrala  there  so  late  ?  He  had  never  been  there 
before.  "  He  has  come  to  take  leave,"  observed 
Robert,  after  a  momentary  reflection.     "  He  is 

going  out,  or something  must  have  happened 

in  relation  to  Dolores." 

**  Ever  Dolores  !"  sighed  the  jealous  woman  ; 
•*  his  first  thought  is  ever  Dolores  ! — terrible  !" 
sighed  she  again, 

Robert's  reply  was  re]iressed  by  Hinango's 
entrance,  as  the  gate  was  opened.  He  dismount- 
ed from  his  horse,  and  greeted  the  lady  and 
his  young  friend,  who  conducted  him  into  his 
pavilion.  The  window  was  open,  and  the  old 
confidential  sacred  place  under  the  thermometer 
outside  of  tlie  wall  was  sliU  there  !  Gracia's 
jealousy  demanded  that  Robert  should  have  no 
secret  towards  her,  and  whatever  Hinango 
might  have  to  announce  to  him,  she  must  know 
it,  and  would  gladly  have  gone  directly  into  the 
room  with  the  two  friends,  if  this  familiarity 
could  have  found  any  apology  before  the  melan- 
choly misanthropic  corsair.  She  took  it  then 
upon  her  conscience  to  slip  into  her  old  accus- 
tomed place  under  the  thermometer,  and  there 
entirely  undisturbed,  to  listen  a  little  to  what 
the  countryman  of  her  husband  might  have  par- 
ticularly upon  his  heart. 

The  night  was  as  noiseless  and  deadly  silent 
as  a  night  after  a  thunder  shower  on  the  Gloria 
2t  Kio.     The  rose  leaves  hardly  moved,  not  to 


mention  the  heavy  banana  curtains.  Gracia 
could  then  hear  every  breath  of  the  two  friends, 
and  understand  their  lowest  word. 

Robert  had  already  been  informed  of  all  that 
concerned  Dolores  and  Hinango,  the  Astrala, 
and  the  mission  to  Rio  Grande.  He  knew  that 
Hinango  intended  to  go  to  sea  the  next  after- 
noon, and  had  resolved,  notwithstanding  his  in- 
disposition, to  pay  him  a  visit  in  the  morning. 

Hinango's  appearance  might  be  a  farewell 
visit ;  Robert  was  inclined  to  consider  it  as  such ; 
but  this  surmise  soon  vanished. 

*'  The  dagger  that  was  intended  for  me  has 
found  another,"  whispered  the  Scandinavian. 

"  My  God  I  how  so  r  what  has  happened .'" 
interrupted  the  youth. 

"  I  come  to  beg  you,  friend  Robert,  to  under- 
take a  difficult  commission.  You  must  prepare 
Madame  Closting  tor  the  arrival  of  her  husband, 
in  Dr.  Thorfin's  company,  wounded  !" 

"  Wounded  .'  by  the  stroke  of  a  dagger  that 

was   designed  for  you  ? 1   beg  you   explain 

yourself  clearly." 

"  Wounded  in  my  boat,  at  the  stairs  Dos  Pes- 
cadores—mistaken for  me,  as  he  was  hurrying 
on  board  to  me;  but  what  he  wanted  there,  is 
inexjilicalile  to  me.  Enough — a  hired  negro, 
whom  our  baron  had  engaged,  was  waiting  for 
me,  as  we  learnt  through  an  indirect  warning. 
The  negro  took  Closting  for  me,  and  wounded 
him  instead  of  me." 

"  Mortally  ?"  inquired  Robert,  trembling  in 
every  limb,  and  a  shriek  was  heard  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  pavilion. 

Hinango  delayed  with  the  answer.  Robert 
hurried  to  the  window,  and  beheld  Gracia  lying 
insensible  under  a  rose  bush.  He  rushed  out  of 
the  door.  Hinango  followed  him.  They  carried 
the  unfortunate  wife,  lifeless,  into  her  pavilion. 

The  negrcsses  hastened  to  them.  All  the  re- 
medies which  were  at  hand  were  em)iloyed  ■io 
recall  her  to  life.  She  awakened  in  delirium, 
without  any  consciousness  of  the  reality.  After 
a  half  hour,  the  carriage  came  slowly  up  to  the 
gate.  The  wounded  man  was  laid  in  an  apart- 
ment which  the  friends  had  arranged  for  him. 
Dr.  Thorfin  hastened  to  Senhora  Gracia,  and 
found  her  still  without  consciousness,  in  wild 
delirium. 


-•*^^^**f^3&-^^*'^-t^-^*M~ 


CHAPTER    III. 


FEMINALITT. 


The  fatal  boat  of  the  Ash-ala,  in  the  stern  of 
which  the  murderer  of  the  grimpeiro  received 
the  dagger-stroke  of  the  mvstsriously  disposing 
Nemesis,  waited  a  long  while  at  the  stairs  Dos 
Pescadores  for  its  real  captain,  who  at  length 
appeared,  about  two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and 
went  on  hoard,  accompanied  by  Dr.  Thorfin. 
The  latter  deemed  this  precaution  of  attendance 
necessary,  since  an  attack  was  even  yet  to  be 
feared,  in  cuse  the  baron,  informed  of  the  mis- 
take, should  have  resolved,  in  all  haste,  upon 
some  other  plan  for  the  accomplishment  of  his 
commission. 

The  doctor,  on  his  way  back,  procured  the  ne- 


32S 


DOLORES. 


cessary  additional  medicines  at  an  apothecary's, 
and  returned  thereupon  to  the  pavilion  on  the 
Gloria,  where,  \Yith  Robert,  he  watched  till  day. 

On  the  next  morning,  Captain  Hinango  ap- 
peared with  his  two  men  at  the  police,  and  was 
conducted  into  an  cilice  of  the  dejiartment  to 
which  this  event  appertained.  A  functionary 
tool!  down  every  answer  to  his  questions  ;  they 
referred  to  the  relations  of  tlie  captain  to  the 
wounded  man,  and  to  all  the  communications 
which  had  over  taken  place  between  them. 

At  length  the  sailors  were  examined,  who  were 
just  as  fully  questioned,  and  just  as  punctually 
answered  each  question  tlirough  an  interpreter, 
of  which  latter,  sufficient  provision  is  made  in 
Rio  in  almost  every  bureau  of  the  administration. 

The  occasion  on  which  Mr  Closting  was  hur- 
rying so  late  at  night,  in  a  pouring  thunder- 
storm, on  board  of  the  Astrala,  remained  a 
riddle,  which  only  Mr.  Banko  and  Mr.  Daily 
were  able  to  solve.  The  result  of  the  exami- 
nation appeared  to  bring  forward  no  ground  of 
suspicion  against  Captain  Hinango ;  he  was, 
therefore,  dismissed,  and  his  already  prepared 
passes  for  Hayti  were  recognised  as  sufficient. 
He  hurried  once  more  to  the  Gloria,  to  take 
leave  of  Dr.  Thorfin,  and  again  to  conjure  the 
noble  Robert  to  conduct  the  whole  expedition  to 
Santa  Catharina  in  the  best  manner  possible,  to 
accompany  their  friend  Dolores,  and  not  to  leave 
her,  for  life  and  death. 

Robert  promised  this,  adding,  "  I  will  endeav- 
or to  fulfil  my  duty,  with  God's  help,  and  hope 

that   he  will  grant  me  strength until  I  see 

Dolores  in  safety." 

Hinango  did  not  wish  to  inquire  after  the  ob- 
scure signification  of  these  words,  but  took  leave 
of  his  two  friends,  went  on  board  of  his  vessel 
and  weighed  anchor. 

At  midday  Robert  saw  from  his  window  the 
Astrala,  under  sail,  pass  the  Gloria,  steering  out 
of  the  bay,  and  his  heart  beat  with  singular  per- 
turbation at  the  thought  of  again  beholding  this 
vessel,  at  the  appointed  time,  before  Santa  Cath- 
arina   

The  baron  had  on  the  same  night  received  the 
intelligence  of  the  miscarried  enterprise,  on  his 
return  from  Mr.  Thomson's  to  the  garden-house 
which  Sally  inhabited.  He  related  to  the  latter, 
as  city  news,  that  a  Mr.  Closting  had  been  mor- 
tally wounded,  just  as  he  had  taken  his  seat  in 
the  boat  of  a  Captain  Hinango,  to  go  on  board  to 
him. 

Sally  was  obliged  to  use  all  her  endeavors  to 
reply  to  this  information  with  as  much  indiffer- 
ence as  slie  Could  without  heartlessness — as  a 
woman  could  manifest  at  murder  in  general. 
She  saw  Hinango  rescued,  and  now  sighed  forth 
a  prayer  that  Dolores  might  also  be  saved. 

Gracia  had  returned  to  consciousness,  and  was 
able  to  leave  her  apartment.  Her  glance  ap- 
peared as  if  broken,  and  had  not  its  former  ex- 
pression of  animatic  life.  Her  whole  counten- 
ance was  changed,  and  showed  no  trace  of  that 
youthful  bloom,  which  once  contradicted  the 
idea  of  her  being  a  wife  and  mother.  No  one 
would  have  have  recognised  two  faithful  por- 
traits, the  one  taken  at  this  time,  the  other  at 
that  time,  as  representations  of  the  same  original. 
Her  soul  was  compressed  within  itself.  Her 
body  tottered  about. 


She  greeted  and  met  Robert  as  if  it  were  not 
he — -as  one  of  the  most  intimate  friends  of  her 
beloved — from  whom  she  had  taken  leave,  and 
he  appeared  valual>le  to  her  because  he  was  the 
kinsman  and  friend  of  her  Robert. 

As  Robert's  heart,  or  rather  his  soul,  had 
alwavs  participated  in  every  motive,  every  secret 
feeling,  every  sentiment  of  Gracia,  he  perceived, 
even  now,  what  was  passing  within  her.  He 
read  in  her  soul,  as  in  an  open  book,  his  own 
sentence  of  death. 

Those  struggles  and  convulsions  which  ever 
tortured  her,  and  ever  renewed  themselves,  ap- 
peared now  once  more  overcome.  The  inward 
sadness  of  sympathy  with  which  she  had  only 
lately  thrown  herself  on  his  breast,  had  been 
overpowered  by  another  sentiment,  for  which 
neither  she  nor  we  could  find  a  significant 
word. 

It  was  a  sentiment  that  fettered  her  to  the  sick 
or  dying  couch  of  a  man  whom  she  had  never 
loved,  and  who  had  never  loved  her,  who  had 
never  recognised  her  value,  as  she  felt  that  he 
had  deceived  and  circumvented  her,  when  she 
herself  did  not  yet  know  what  was  the  female 
vocation,  nor  what  was  love.  The  approach  of 
this  man  excited  her  repulsion  as  she  had  for- 
merly assured  her  friend,  and,  nevertheless,  she 
had  thrown  herself  intentionally  into  his  arms, 
in  spite  of  the  love  of  a  heart  that  was  fettered 
to  her  for  ever  by  a  mysterious  attraction. 

She  appeared  to  have  again  concjuered,  in  tho 
convulsion  and  struggle  of  love  and  of  so  called 
iluty.  One  heart,  one  life,  must  here  be  sacri- 
ficed ;  and,  very  naturally,  that  heart  encoun- 
tered the  fate  which  had  not  yet  enjoyed  the 
happiness  of  being  fettered  by  social  bonds, 
which  are  more  important  upon  earth  than  all  the 
bonds  of  love  or  sympathy  of  soul. 

Gracia  fulfilled  her  duty  as  wife  and  as  mother, 
and  stirred  not  from  the  sick  bed  of  her  husband, 
whose  wound  was  soon  pronounced  not  mortal. 

On  the  other  hand,  Robert  sank  upon  a  sick 
bed,  with  a  deadly  wound  of  his  heart.  A  violent 
nervous  fever  seized  him,  which  soon  passed 
into  wild  delirium,  while  his  inward  life  freed 
itself  from  the  fettering  clay,  and  by  anticipation 
flowed  upward  to  the  abode  of  the  soul. 

Dr.  Thorfin  remained  the  physician  of  both, 
although  Aunt  Susan  was  determined  to  send 
her  English  physician  to  Robert's  couch,  who 
was  acknowledged  to  be  very  experienced  and 
practical  in  such  "diseases  of  climate,  stomach 
complaints,"  fevers,  and  the  like. 

Old  Mr.  Thomson,  whose  way  led  him  d:illy 
past  the  Gloria,  lingered  twice  a  day  beside  Rob- 
ert's bed,  and  soon  Dolores  also  appeared,  as 
"  Miss  Fanny,"  in  company  with  Miss  Susan. 

Madame  Clocting  saw  the  "stranger,"  whose 
spirit  she  had  once  so  cordially  greeted,  and  the 
fury  of  jealousy  again  awakened  within  her,  in 
the  inexplicable  contradiction  of  the  female 
heart,  which  had  thought  the  bond  severed  that 
lettered  herself  to  Robert. 

The  external  appearance  of  Dolores,  the  seri- 
ousness and  indisputable  dignity  which  her  de- 
portment evinced,  wrought  like  poison  upon  the 
unhappy  woman,  who  endeavored  to  elude  the 
consciousness  of  reciprocal  love — and  manifested 
this  consciousness  only  so  much  the  more  vio- 
lently in  her  jealousy 


DOLORES. 


339 


With  every  approach  of  Doloreg,  in  the  car- 
riage, on  horseback,  or  on  foot,  the  unhappy  one 
trembled — and  her  countenance  contracted  itself 
to  a  convulsive  expression  of  bitterness,  when 
she  saw  her  walk  through  the  garden  to  Robert's 
pavilion  ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  she  must 
feel  that  he  was  struggling  with  death  from  love 
to  her,  and  that  he  would  not  have  been  exposed 
to  such  a  state,  if  he  had  been  capable  of  loving 
any  other  woman  except  herself.  But  we  are 
wandering  into  the  analjsis  of  a  province  that 
admits  of  none :  the  province  of  the  contradic- 
tions in  the  female  heart. 

What  had  become  of  that  feeling  in  which  the 
unfortunate  woman  once  beheld  the  world,  with 
its  sentence,  lying  like  a  mass  of  shadow  at  her 
feet  ?  when  she  wished  to  be  a  speechless  lizard, 
to  accompany  her  friend,  to  live  until  her  death, 
unseen,  upon  the  glances  of  his  eyes,  wherever 
he  might  be  ?  What  had  become  of  that  feeling 
in  which  she  had  expressed  the  longing  to  live 
in  quiet  retirement — separated  from  the  man 
whom  she  could  neither  love  nor  respect — with 
him,  in  spirit,  in  whose  soul  her  soul  was  glow- 
ing ?" 

Was  this  feeling  extinguished  .'  It  could  not 
be,  so  long  as  her  heart  still  throbbed  at  the  ap- 
proach of  a  female  to  Robert's  sickbed.  If  it 
had  been  extinguished,  this  person,  as  well  as 
Robert  himself,  would  have  been  indifferent  to 
her. 

Week  after  week  passed,  and  the  wings  of 
time  flitted  slowly  over  Robert's  sick  bed.  Mr. 
Closting's  state  gave  every  hope  of  speedy  re- 
covery under  Dr.  Thorfin's  treatment,  who,  as  a 
physician  and  a  man,  unceasingly  fulfilled  his 
duty. 

After  four  weeks,  his  cure  appeared  beyond  a 
doubt,  and  with  this  prospect,  awakened  in  Gra- 
cia  the  eternal  contradiction  of  the  female  heart ; 
the  sentiment  of  sympathy  for  Robert,  and  her 
jealousy  towards  Dolores,  knew  no  bounds.  So 
soon  as  she  believed  her  husband  saved,  she  gave 
herself  up,  with  all  the  unrestrainedness  of  her 
former  behavior,  to  the  care  of  Robert,  and  hardly 
stirred  from  his  side,  excepting  when  she  turned 
her  back  upon  him  in  savage  anger,  so  soon  as 
the  demon  of  jealousy  seized  upon  her,  which 
happened  (in  the  waning  moon)  at  least  twice  in 
tlie  week,  if  not  oftener. 

Robert  remained  in  his  pavilion,  weak  and 
feeble,  though  convalescent.  The  only  means 
for  his  immediate  cure  lay  in  Gracia's  power. 
Her  animatic  removal  had  disturbed  his  nervous 
life;  her  sympathy,  and  her  moral  and  personal 
freedom,  would  have  been  able  to  save  him. 

Instead  of  this,  however,  her  struggles  and 
convulsions  contended  and  balanced  on  in  the 
same  proportion  as  her  love  again  acquired  force 
and  her  jealousy  asserted  its  supposed  right. 
The  smallest  trifle  which  led  by  means  of  a  re- 
mote connexion  of  ideas  to  Dolores,  or  to  any 
other  female,  put  her  out  of  humor,  and  she  was 
then  no  longer  mistress  of  herself 

Among  twenty  cases  of  the  sort,  we  will  here 
describe  one.  One  day  slie  desired  Robert's 
judgement  in  the  choice  of  a  veil,  of  which  seve- 
ral had  been  sent  to  her.  Her  friend  was  want- 
ing in  the  technical  expression  by  which  to  de- 
iignate  his  taste,  and  with  the  purest  intentions, 
wishing  to  point  out  to  her  a  still  more  beautiful 
pattern  than  any  before  them,  he  remarked,  in 
4-2 


the  simplicity  of  his  nature,  "I  cannot  express 
myself  very  clearly  in  this  matter  of  ladies' 
dress  ;  when  my  sister  comes  the  next  time,  you 
can  look  at  her  veil — the  pattern  will  please  you, 
and  she  will  tell  you  where  she  bought  it." 

That  was  enough  !  it  required  no  more  to  in- 
crease the  flame  to  a  burning  glow,  which,  as  a 
smothered  spark,  slumbered  m  the  depths  of  her 
troubled  heart. 

"  There  we  have  it  again !"  cried  she,  her 
eyes  filling  with  tears.  "  No  !  that  is  too  had  ! 
it  is  terrible  !  always  the  strange  person  nearest 
to  him — always  Dolores  !  There  are  no  hand- 
somer veil  than  the  veil  of  this  stranger,  who, 
under  the  title  of  his '  sister,'  has  pressed  his 
hand  upon  his  sick  bed  !  nothing  pleases  him 
in  me,  not  even  this  veil,  because  1  might  wear 
it !  How  could  I  have  been  so  foolish  as  to  sup- 
pose that  any  thing,  any  thing  whatever,  in  me, 
could  please  him — still  less  myself;  and  that 
this  man  could  ever  make  me  believe  that  he 
loved  me  !" 

"  Gracia  !  Gracia  !  where  are  you  wandering 
to  again  .'"  cried  Robert,  smiling,  though  hardly 
able  to  raise  his  hand  jestingly,  to  threaten  her 
with  his  finger.     "  Gracia,  be  good  now  !" 

"  And  he  despises  me  in  my  insignificance  ! 
he  laughs  at  me,  above  all  things  ! — gives  me  to 
understand  that  I  must  compare  myself  with 
the  stranger,  who  always  lays  near  his  heart.  I 
must  feel  right  bitterly  how  insignificant  I  am 
compared  with  her — compared  with  his  stranger ! 
No,  Robert !  no  woman  ever  can  or  will  love 
you — it  ia  impossible  !  This  intentional  wound- 
ing— this  endeavor  to  wound  me — this  trait  in 
your  character  is  unendurable !  That  woman 
would  be  unhappy  for  ever  who  was  fettered  to 
you — thank  God  that  it  is  not  I  !  My  husband 
would  never  have  done  so — that  he  never  would 
He  has  more  consideration,  more  delicacy  of 
feeling  than  such  an  elevated  spirit  as  you,  who 
have  to  do  with  ideas,  who  live  in  the  stars, 
with  such  strange  people,  and  can  find  nothing 
upon  earth  handsomer  than  her  miserable  veil ! 
No,  thank  God  !  I  have  nothing  to  do  with  such 
idealists  !  No — he  would  never  treat  me  so  ! 
No — he  has  too  much  delicacy  of  feeling  for  that ! 
Unheard  of !  that  I  could  ever  be  so  foolish  as  to 
believe  that  you  loved  me  ! — unheard  of !  No  ! 
no  woman  will  ever  love  you  !  never  !  never ! 
never  !" 

After  this  soliloquy,  Madame  Closting  left  the 
pavilion,  and  could  not  control  herself  sufficient- 
ly to  give  her  friend  his  medicine  at  the  ap- 
pointed time.  She  sent  a  negress.  The  patient 
sent  to  beg  her  to  take  the  trouble  to  come  to 
him — he  had  a  request  to  make.  The  lady  sent 
back  word,  "  that  he  might  say  to  the  negress 
what  he  wished — she  had  no  time  then." 

Robert  beckoned  to  the  slave  to  leave  him. 
His  "  cursed  head  "  fell  back  upon  the  couch 
as  i^  it  were  of  lead,  his  eye  gazed  at  the  sky,  as 
if  his  soul  would  there  make  good  its  claims 
upon  love.  A  large  tear  pearled  upon  his  eye- 
lashes, his  bleeding  heart  felt  the  response  of 
sympathy,  which  it,  notwithstanding,  was  not 
able  to  dissolve. 


•''**^^^^-^agi'^*-^**t*r*— 


330 


DOLORES 


CHAPTER    IV. 


MANHOOD. 


On  the  next  dav,  Gracia  made  her  appearance 
iiti  a  visit  lo  Robert,  in  the  best  humor— happy, 
Lurostraiued,  and  jesting,  diligently  occupied 
with  incieasin-  all  the  conceivable  comforts  ol 
the  patient. 

Robert  felt  himself  oblii;ed  to  express,  once 
for  all,  the  demands  of  his  injured  and  deeply 
wounded  sense  of  honor  as  a  man,  wilh  res|iect 
to  the  woman.  He  desired  his  friend  to  take  a 
seat,  and  ba-^an,  in  a  low  voice : 

"  Gracia,  listen  to  me  !  I  will  unfold  to  you 
my  inmost  heart  as  a  man,  as  you  once  opened 
yo'ur  heart  to  me,  and  allowed  me  a  glimpse  into 
your  soul. 

"  This  illness  in  which  I  am  lying,  threatens 
mv  life— 1  feel  that.  I  will  not  look  back  npon 
its  ori,i;in  ;  but  I  require  from  you  to  look  back 
upon  those  moments  in  which  your  soul  had, 
as  it  were,  iiut  oil"  its  mortal  integument ;  upon 
tiiat  moment  in  which  you  felt  the  bonds  ot  the 
soci.il  world  rent  asunder— when  the  world  and 
its  misery  was  l.ir  from  you— lay  deep  below- you 
— as  you  looked  down  upon  it  from  the  height  ot 
your'spiritual  existence;  those  moments  formed 
the  crisis  of  my  life— they  decided  my  future. 

"  As  you  appeared  to  me  at  that  time— as  a 
spiritual"  bein;;,  as  a  soul,  your  entity  was  inter- 
woven with  mine— in  love.  The  bond  of  soul- 
sympathv  was  confirmed,  and  only  in  this  de- 
claration lies  the  explanation  of  the  power 
which  fetters  me,  that  I  cannot  separate  mysell 
from  you  ;  that,  in  spite  of  all  injuries,  m  spite 
of  all  ill  usaae  on  your  part,  I  cannot  leave 
you— I  cannot  hate  you.  Your  existence,  like 
human  life  i^enerally  on  eartli,  is  twofold— the 
soul's  life,  and  the  vegetation  of  the  clay  tene- 
ment. I  recognised  your  essence  in  that  higher 
sphere,  and  have  even  endured,  hitherto,  the 
view  of  the  "  caricature  of  your  existence,"  in 
seeing  you  s  icriticed  to  your  social  relations,  m 
the  unfortunate  connexion  of  marri^ige  without 
love,  whose  influence  appears  to  destroy  your 
nol)ler  nature.  So  soon  as  you  descend  from  the 
sohere  of  tlie  soul's  life,  and  feel  the  fetters  which 
bind  vou  to  a  man  whom  you,  as  you  say,  '  can 
neither  love  nor  resi)ect,'  you  torture  me  with 
your  convulsions,  and  the  appearance  of  your 
iinas^e  becomes  a  curse  to  me. 

"'You  assert  your  prerogative  as  a  woman  ; 
I  assert  no  prerogative  as  a  man,  but  my  right 
and  my  disnity.  Your  eternal  doubt  in  my  love 
is  deceit;  1  know  tliat  you  are  convinced  of  my 
love;  but  tiiis  contradiction  in  you,  perhaps, 
characterises  exactly  in  you  the  woman.  Look 
into  yourself;  ask  yourself  what  fluctuates  and 
rages  within  you  .'  what  for  ever  stimulates  you 
to  torture  me,  and  to  torment  yourself?  It  is 
your  unhappy  consciousness  of  having  received 
witiiin  vourself  a  foreign,  vulgar,  common  ele- 
ment, vvUich  distorts  your  noble  being— which 
tiunts  your  pure  nature;  it  is  the  mlluence  of  a 
man  whom  you  do  love,  notwithstanding— as  the 
father  of  your  children  '." 

'■  Robert !"    interru|)ted  she,  with  a   tone   ol 
bitter  sadness,  and  wrung  her  hands.  ^^ 

•■  Until   now  you   have  never  known   love, 
continued   the   sutterer  ;  "  no    love  of  a  man  ! 
\u\i  have  coniouuded  the  care  of  au  egotist  tor 


his  property  vritli  the  sentiment  of  lore;  uuA 
this  fellowship  on  your  part  with   the  foreign 
element  of  materialism,  which  degrades  you  lo 
the  lowest  service,  effects  the  moral  disturbance 
in  vou — the  fearful  consequence  of  such  a  love- 
less union.     If  I  could  tear  myself  away  from 
vou,  if  I  could  hate  and  despise  you,   I  should 
sull'er  less.     Eut  that  I  am   unable   to  do,  since 
Ihe  moment  when  I  recognised  you  as  a  spn-it- 
u.il  being,  as  a  soul  worthy  of  my  love.     \our 
pure  chum  upon  the  love  of  an  honorable  man, 
has  thrilled  me  all  the  more,  as  it  found  its  way 
out  of  the  boundless  wretchedness  of  the  rela- 
tions which  involved  you.     The  thought  of  se- 
parating from  you,  would  be  a  contradiction  m 
mvself— a  crime  against  the  spirit  ol  love  !    1  he 
appearance  of  vour  pure  being,  as  it  seized  me 
in  those  moments,  has  become  a  part  of  mysell  ; 
your  image  is  always  before  me— in  me— as  it 
magically  bound— as  it  appeared  to   me  at  that 
moment;  and  to  my  unheard  of  wretchedness, 
to  my   despair,   no    power    in   heaven    or  upon 
earth    is   able  to  tear  it  away— to  destroy  it  in 
me ;  not  even  the  woman's  curses,  the  woman 
who   stands  in  eternal  contradiction   with  this 
image— with  that  spiritual  being  which  I  love 
in  you  !"  ,  .,    , 

"  Robert !"  sighed  the  unfortunate,  while  her 
lipg  quivered,  and  a  stream  of  tears  impeded 
the  word.  .  , 

"  I  have  often  asked  myself,"  cnntmued  he, 
"  how  I  should  be  able  to  bear  the  ill   usage  of 
a  woman,  as  a  man,  with  proud  self-conscious- 
ness ;  and  now  the  twofold  existence,  as  a  soul 
in  paralyzing  bonds,  and  as  a  woman  who  denies 
her  suul  in  marriage  without  love,  Inis  given  me 
information   upon   this  question.     I   repeat  for 
ever,  what  I  have  often  asserted  to  you  :  I  sepa-    , 
rate  that  spiritual  image— yourself,  your  nobler 
nature— from  the  degradation  of  the  woman  who 
showers    upon    me    reproach    upon    reproach. 
These  curses  do  not  touch  me ;  the  soul  that  I 
love  does  not  send  them  forth  ;  the   heart  that 
loves  me  shares  not  in  them.     That  essence  in 
you  that  fetters  me  in  a  mysterious  manner,  is  a 
phenomenon   in   the   domain    of   clairvoyance, 
foreign  and   distant  from  this   earthly  misery. 
That  being— vourself— does  not  know  that  the 
humiliated  woman  reproaches  me,  curses  me; 
that  woman  who  curses  me  knows   nothing  of 
our  soul's  sympathy,  nothing  of  the   spiritual 
existence  in  which  our  love  lies.     That  is  the 
solution  of  the  riddle  of  my  love  to  you.     And 
perhaps  there  are  hundreds  of  unfortunates  in 
my  situation,  who  feel  themselves   lettered   in 
the  same  manner,  and  are  unable  to  free  them- 
selves, without,  like  me,  being  able  to  give  an 
account  of  their  nameless,  fearful  state.  1  behold 
it  1     Torture   me   no  more   henceforth.      I  en- 
dure sufficient  torments  in  my  existence  itself. 
However,   I   do  not  reproach  you  ;  but  I  pray 
lio.l  that  he  will  end  my  life.     But  as  long  as  I 
am  condemned  to  live  on  earth,  I  shall   main- 
tain  my   senliment  of  honor,  as  a  man  before 
you  as  a  woman.    Shall  i  esteem  you  as  a  soul- 
respect  vourself  as  a  woman."  _ 

Graci'a  seized  his  hand,  and  moistened  it  with 
her  tears,  liotli  were  silent.  Robert  felt  a  mo- 
ment an  alleviation  of  his  sufferings,  after  hav- 
ing' given  them  utterance,  and  powerful ly  en- 
deavored to  extricate  himself  from  the  cnaoso 
contradiction  which  produced  them.  He  bes-'ijcd 


DOLORES. 


331 


liis  friend  to  read  something  to  him.  She  ap- 
peared to  understand  the  intention  of  the  request. 
Although  she  was  by  no  means  in  a  condition  to 
turn  her  attention  immediately  to  any  foreign 
subject,  she  constrained  herself  all  the  sooner  to 
comply  with  the  request.  She  knew  tliat  she 
afforded  him  pleasure  when  she  read  to  him,  not 
so  much  by  the  reading  itself,  as  by  the  spiritual 
intercourse  which  it  produced;  since  the  minds 
of  both,  then  in  some  foreign  idea,  as  it  were,  re- 
cognised each  other  again.  She  was  familiar 
with  his  favorite  books,  and  taking  one  in  her 
hand,  she  seated  herself  near  him,  and  read.  The 
works  which  enchained  Robert  were  such  as 
were  founded  upon  a  profound  thought,  an  ex- 
alted idea,  which  his  mind  pursued,  or  on  which 
he  could  soar  aloft  into  a  domain  that  lay  far 
from  the  miseries  of  this  earth. 

The  oftener  he  enjoyed  similar  lectures  with 
his  friend,  so  much  the  more  did  he  feel  the 
intellectual  relationship  of  their  natures,  and  so 
much  stronger  appeared  the  contrast  of  those 
convulsions  in  which  a  "  nail  on  the  wall,"  or  the 
pattern  of  a  veil,  could  deprive  the  poor  woman 
of  her  self-possession,  and  which  would  be  as 
inexplicable  to  the  psychologist,  as  it  was  to  the 
lover  himself,  who  separated  the  spiritual  being 
from  the  suffering  woman.  This  spiritual  bond, 
in  contrast  to  the  fetters  of  social  relations, 
proved,  on  the  other  hand,  all  the  more  strongly, 
the  extremes  in  tlie  woman,  who  was  convinced 
within  herself  of  the  sentiments  belonging  to 
that  sphere  in  which  her  spirit  soared,  while 
life  fettered  her  to  a  mass  of  matter,  from  which 
she  vainly  sought  to  tear  herself.  The  solidity 
and  profundity  with  which,  in  their  common 
readings,  she  comprehended  and  penetrated  their 
subjects,  always  surprised  the  youth  less  than 
they  enchanted  him.  Tliese  convulsions  of  the 
sutlerer  were  of  course  the  sooner  explained  by 
the  contrast  in  the  individuality  of  the  vulgar 
man,  who  had,  through  social  regulations,  be- 
come one  flesh  with  her,  and  whose  contact  must, 
very  naturally,  systematically  disturb  the  interior 
of  a  being,  which  the  former  had  no  occasion  tor, 
and  set  aside  with  the  greatest  indifference. 

The  bitter  feeling  of  being  separated  from 
Robert  by  social  bonds,  was  the  ground  of  all 
similar  convulsions  with  those  which  we  have 
observed,  and  which,  of  course,  would  never 
have  taken  place,  if  the  unnatural  connexion  with 
a  foreign  element  had  never  existed. 

**  Can  you  read  this  little  poem,  without  a  fit 
or  convulsion  of  jealousy  ?"  asked  Robert,  inter- 
rupting the  reading,  opening  the  portfolio,  and 
giving  to  his  friend  a  manuscript. 

"  Oh,  I  know  it  already  !"  exclaimed  Gracia, 
smiling.  "  Believe  not  that  there  is  a  single 
piece  of  paper  in  any  secret  pocket  of  your  port- 
folios which  I  have  not  examined.  I  know  this 
strange  dear  little  poem,"  continued  she,  and 
read,  with  a  peculiar  melancholy  expression,  the 
following  verses,  without  title,  bearing  only  the 
date  ; 

,  July  4th, 

what  Heaven  on  earth  could'st  thou  impart 
Unto  a  loving  female  heart  I 

How  melted  at  thy  glance's  light 
The  icy  chains  that  held  my  heart ; 
How  flew  the  demons  of  the  night, 
Which,  by  sad  doubts  and  fearlul  blight, 
Had  wrought  my  wo  with  fiendish  art 


Those  tears,  that  fell  from  thy  dear  eyes 

Like  dew  upon  a  dying  flower, 

Woke  my  chill  heart  to  sweet  surprise, 

Bidding  new,  fair,  grand  lile  arise 

In  the  sick  soul,  healed  by  love's  power. 

And  3t  the  pressure  of  thy  hand 
Whose  touch  so  magically  bound  us, 
I  felt  my  sou!  again  expand. 
Saved,  far  iVom  grief,  on  lofty  land, 
Where  reconciling  angels  hover  round  us.** 

"  And  what  do  you  think  of  this  poetry  ?" 
asked  Robert. 

"  It  is  a  spirit's  kiss — a  i-eal  poem  ;  but  not  of 
a  poet,  it  is  of  a  poetess  ;  of  a  young  lady  be- 
coming poetess  from  love ;  it  is  also  addressed 
to  the  famous  privateer,  to  Hinango,  but  cer- 
tainly not  by  your  so  called  '  sister  ?'  " 

"  How  do  you  know  that  V 

"  This  time  there  is  no  mystery  in  my  know- 
ledge— no  second-sight.  Did  Hinango  not  send 
it  to  you  with  another  poem  ?  the  most  horrible 
Elegy  1  ever  did  read  ;  I  mean  the  poem  '  As- 
trala's  Sentence,'  which  you  have  translated  into 
English." 

"  Well — but  you  have  not  yet  answered  my 
question :  what  do  you  think  of  this  lady,  as  far 
as  you  know  now  the  destroying  eflisct  of  her 
so  called  love  upon  Hinango's  mind." 

"  IVIy  judgement !  Know  for  the  first,  my  good 
Robert,  you  may  judge  every  thing  in  the  world 
but  a  woman." 

"  Why  not  ?" 

"  Because  a  woman  cannot  judge  herself; 
how  then  can  another  judge  her  ?  Even  a  woman 
cannot  judge  another  woman." 

'  Nevertheless,"  observed  Robert,  "  there 
seems  to  be  a  certain  judgement  in  your  opinion 
of  this  lady.  You  may  be  right;  and  I  am 
strengthened  in  my  belief  that  a  woman  can 
never  commit  a  crime  ;  a  woman  is  always  in- 
nocent, because  she  knows  not  what  she  is  doing 
— she  cannot  judge  herself." 

•'  Beautifully  explained,  my  dear  Robert ;  for 
this  opinion  alone  you  merit  to  be  loved  by  a 
woman  as  I  love  you." 

■'  And  to  be  wounded  in  the  sanctuary  of  my 
soul  by  a  woman,  like  my  friend  Hinango,  and 
to  be  persecuted  from  .minute  to  minute,  from 
second  to  second,  restless  and  hopeless,  by  the 
image,  the  phantom  of  a  being  that  once  as  a 
soul  became  a  part  of  my  own  being,  of  my  ex- 
istence— and  that,  as  a  wife,  resigns  herself  to 
the  disposition  of  another  man  in  sensuality. 

"  Yes,  I  feel  it ;  there  must  exist  a  heaven 
upon  earth  in  love,  in  true  love,  in  the  disso- 
lution of  two  kindred  beings  into  one  soul,  into 
one  existence ;  but  I  also  feel  there  is  no  hcli 
upon  earth — no  curse  on  the  lip  of  a  demon — 
no  torture  in  hell,  like  the  curse  of  such  a  love, 
of  which  the  remarkable  poem,  "  Astrala's  Sen- 
tence," gives  an  idea — but  only  a  faint  idea  !" 

"  Terrible  !  horrible  !"  sighed  Gracia,  pres- 
sing her  hands  as  if  in  prayer,  staring  upwards  , 

"  but ''  she  interrupted  herself,  after  a  long 

silence,  "  nevertheless,  I  should  like  to  have 
known,  or  to  know,  that  witch  of  a  female  crea- 
ture that  ever  exercised  such  power  upon  a  man 
like  Hinango." 

"  That  is  the  mystery  which  Hinango,  as  a 


*  This  poem  is  translated  in  several  languages  to  mask 
the  original,  the  beauty  of  which  the  above  trauslatiuD 
give  a  clear  idea. 


332 


DOLORES. 


man  of  honor,  bears  to  his  grave.  In  every  case, 
she  must  have  been  a  peculiarly  strange  being, 
if  a  couclusion  is  allowed  from  the  effect  to  the 
cause.  And  this  beautiful  little  poem,  though 
a  very  insultjcient  translation,  may  serve  as  a 
proof  that  the  unknown  amiable  being  at  least 
has  once  iiad  a  soul,  before  her  soul,  as  it  seems, 
became  dissolved  in  a  soulless  mass  of  matter, 
as  tile  essence  of  a  feeble  magnet  cleaves  to  a 
mass  of  iron." 

"  liut  1  cannot  believe  that  any  woman  would 
ever  liave  compromised  her  sex,  in  acting  trea- 
sonably against  a  man  like  Hinango." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  your  expression  of  such  a 
confidence  iu  the  character  of  my  friend ;  it 
seems  that  you  knosv  him  particularly  well." 

**  I  know  your  friend  Hinango,  tlie  country- 
man of  my  husband,  rather  more  by  his  enemies 
than  by  hi.:  friends;  but  I  have  a  clear  idea  of 
his  position — of  his  political,  social,  and  moral 
Btandiug  in  the  world ;  and  I  conclude  my 
opinion  ot  liis  character,  of  his  heart  and  mind, 
in  consei^uence  of  iiis  position." 

"  Very  well — extremely  well,"  interrupted 
Robert,  smiling ;  "  and  now  to  what  conclusion 
have  you  arrived  in  regard  to  this  lady,  the 
poetess  of  this  '  dear  little  poem,'  as  you  call 
it  1" 

"  If  I  myself,  as  a  woman,  should  allow  my- 
self an  opinion  of  another  woman,  without 
giving  my  judgement — you  understand  ? — then, 
with  my  hand  upon  my  heart,  I  would  declare, 
in  regard  to  this  strange  and  unknown  being  ; 
it  must  have  been  a  woman  of  no  ^ Juste  miJUu^ 
as  the  French  call  it  in  their  politics.  The 
authoress  of  this  little  poem,  having  been  hon- 
ored with  the  love  of  your  friend  Hinango, 
must  have  been  one  of  the  most  noble  beings  of 
our  sex,  or  one  of  the  most  degenerated.  The 
love  of  a  man  like  Hinango,  judged  by  his  ene- 
mies, is  a  pearl,  which  is  not  given  to  every 
woman.  There  must  have  been  spiritual  attrac- 
tion— sympathy ;  because  only  such  a  bond 
would  be  able  to  bind  Hinango,  a  man  who 
would  not  stand  alone  in  the  world,  if  material 
or  physical  qualities  would  ever  have  exercised 
the  least  attraction  upon  him.  Not  knowing 
the  conduct  of  the  so  called  '  Astrala,'  in  con- 
nexion with  Hinango,  I  can  certainly  not  judge 
her  ;  but  1  believe  that  the  authoress  of  this  dear 
little  poem,  addressed  to  Hinango,  would  act, 
and  has  always  been  acting,  as  a  woman,  in  any 
situation  or  position,  whatever  her  fate  might 
have  been :  1  hope  slie  has  always  done  honor 
to  our  sex." 

"  1  thank  you,  for  the  sake  of  Hinango  and  all 
manhood,"  replied  Robert;  "  I  shall  take  notice 
of  your  womanlike  opinion  of  your  '  sister-iu- 
love,'  Astrala,  and  I  shall  ;dlow  myself  to  add 
your  uobie  expressions  of  confidence,  to  the 
manuscript  of  tins  dear  little  poem — to  the  honor 
of  your  sex." 

"  Alay  i  ask  you,  dear  Robert,"  she  interrup- 
ted, "  lor  «  hat  purpose  did  you  translate  tliat 
horrible  poem,  '  Astrala's  Sentence '  into  En- 
glish .'  iilay  1  ask  you  for  what  purpose .'"  re- 
peated she,  with  her  usual  naivete. 

"  To  be  deposited  in  the  foundation  or  corner 
etone  of  an  '  Asylum  lor  hysterical  women,'  ' 
answ ered  Robert,  with  a  certain  positive  intona- 
tion  and  Gracia  blushed. 

"  Yes,  my  dear,"  continued  the  sufferer,  pres- 


sing her  little  hands,  "  I  feel  it  is  at  last  Tery 
necessary  that  asylums,  with  strong  iron  bars, 
should  be  established  for  hysterical  women,  who 
once  have  cast  themselves  away,  witliout  love, 
for  a  miserable  living,  and  tlien  demand  the  love 
of  a  man  of  honor,  who,  perhaps,  after  their  own 
views,  would  lie  able  '  to  prepare  a  heaven  upon 
earth  for  a  loving  heart.'  It  seems  1o  me  to  be 
time  at  last  that  human  society,  which  estab- 
lishes quarantine  institutions  against  the  cholera 
and  other  plagues,  should  pay  attention  to  the 
ravages  and  destruction  of  nervctus  disease,  the 
origin  of  which  lies  in  the  regulations  of  the 
social  world,  and  the  extension  of  which  is 
increasing  with  the  conditions  of  so  called  civil- 
ization. 

"  i\Iay  every  woman,"  he  continued,  with  a 
rising,  threatening  voice,  "  may  every  woman — 
who  knows  best  the  wretchedness  of  her  own 
heart — may  she  beware  of  crime  and  murder ; 
may  she  content  herself  with  conjugal  sensuality, 
when  she  once  has  delivered  herself,  without 
heait  and  without  soul — as  a  machine — to  a  man 

who  wanted  nothing  but  a  machine." 

"  Robert !"  cried  Gracia,  in  a  painful  voice, 
folding  her  hands  in  despair. 

"  Gracia !  do  not  interrupt  me  now  !  to-day  I 
claim  my  right  as  a  man.  May  every  woman," 
he  continued,  "  who  has  cast  herself  away  with 
resignation  of  love,  separate  herself  from  the 
man  whom  she  despises,  before  she  claims  love, 
or  declares  her  love  to  another.     The  law  of  na- 

jture  demands  it,  to  say  nothing  of  the  nameless 

,  fate  of  the  man  in  whose  soul  the  image  of  a 
being  lies  '  for  eternity,'  whilst  the  same  being 

I  upon  earth  degrades  herself  in  the  arms  of  an- 

j  other  man  in  sensuality. 

"  As  in  a  well  governed  state  the  physician  is 

1  bound  to  indicate  to  the  authorities  the  cases 
where  cholera  and  plague  threaten  destruction  ; 
the  physician,  also,   should  be  bound  in  such 

[  c;ises  of  dangerous  nervous  derangement  to  de- 
clai-e,  after  his  exact  information  :  '  In  this  case. 
Separation  is  the  single  condition  to  prevent  in- 
creasing physical  destruction  and  social  crimes  ; 
and  to  execute  immediately  the  orders  of  the 
worthy  physxian,  '  Asylums  for  hysterical  wo- 
men' should  exist  in  every  well  governed  state. 
"  May  legislation  at  last  enter  into  the  pro- 
vince of  destruction  and  despair,  into  the  abyss  of 
which  descends  sacrifice  upon  sacrifice;  happy 
when  death  at  last  delivers  them  from  an  ex- 
istence for  the  sutl'erings  of  which  the  man  finds 
no  word — bound  by  his  sentiment  of  honor  to 
silence — to  'silence  for  eternity  !'  " 

"  Notwithstanding,  and  nevertheless  :  I  love 
you,  my  dear  and  good  Robert,"  interrupted  the 
interesting  Brazilian  woman,  escaping  (in  the 
full  originality  of  her  character)  Irom  the  depths 
of  sorrow  and  melancholy,  into  wliich  R')bcrt's 
sufferings  conducted  her,  to  the  extreme  of  a 
childlike  happiness  and  self-contentment.  "  X 
love,  you  my  dear  Robert :  and  1  am  convinced 
that  you  love  me  as  ever  a  man  did  love  a  wo- 
man— and  that  you  will  never  love  a  woman 
upon  earth  except  me  !  Yes,  my  dear  Robert — 
1  te«l  it,  and  1  could  become  mad  as  soon  as  1  enter 
into  reflection  upon  my  fate  :  to  be  attached  to 

a  man who  is  as  strange  to  me  as  any  person 

under  the  sun ;  and  at  v.-hose  approach  1  trem- 
ble and  1  shudder  in  all  my  nerves  !  Sometimes 
his  approaches  cause  me  physical  cramps,  and  I 


DOLORES 


833 


beg  him  with  tears  to  leave  me,  but  in  vain 
He  declares  he  will  not  leave  me,  and — —"  sud 
denly  she  changed  the  intonation  of  her  words 
like  the  variation  of  a  musical  instrument,  by 
touching  the  "  pedal,"  and  continued,  in  the  most 
hearty  voice  of  kindness  and  love:  '*  And  if  you 
are  going  away — far  away — I  shall  discover  your 
residence  ;  I  shall  go  travelling  also — by  water 
and  by  land  I  shall  find  you  out  wherever  you 
Would  hide  yourself,  and  one  day  you  will  see 

me  where  you  never  expected  it." 

The  old  negress  Anna  appeared  on  thethresh- 
hold  in  the  open  door,  announcing  the  visit  of 
the  friends  of  Bota  Fogo,  arrived  at  the  gate  in 
the  well  known  blue  coach. 


-  ■vWS^^*^Sf-Mp  .#S*^*.«W» 


CHAPTER    V. 

VIEWS   OF   EXPERIENCE. 

The  visit  of  the  family  from  Bota  Fogo  inter ■ 
rupted  this  intercourse.  The  time  for  the  voy^ 
»ge  to  Santa  Catharina  approached. 

The  Baron  de  Spandau  made  his  appearance 
with  his  bride  and  Miss  Fanny,  together  with 
Mr.  Thomson  and  Dr.  Thorfin ;  to  convince 
himself  that  Robert  was  hastening  "  with  giant 
strides"  towards  recovery,  and  would  be  able  to 
go  on  board  in  a  fortnight. 

Dr.  Thorfin  was  of  opinion  that  the  sea  voy- 
age, and  the  well  known  mild  climate  of  the 
island,  v/ould  operate  beneficially  upon  the  inva- 
lid, and  gave  the  family  permission  to  make  this 
arrangement  for  the  voyage,  in  so  far  as  he,  in 
his  capacity  of  physician,  must  previously  coun- 
tersign Robert's  travelling  passport. 

"  And  you  will  accompany  us  too,  I  hope, 
Seiihora !"  continued  Mr.  Thomson,  in  conver- 
sation with  Madame  Closting.  "  Is  it  not  so  .' 
you  will  go  with  us  to  Santa  Catharina  ?" 

"  If  Mr.  Closting  can  sit  up  by  that  time,  and 
goes  with  you,  I  shall  very  naturally  be  glad  to 
make  the  excursion.  I  have  heard  so  much  of 
the  beautiful  scenery  of  that  place— it  must  be 
even  more  lovely  than  the  environs  of  Rio." 

"  The  island  of  Santa  Catharina"  replied  the 
old  man,  "  bears  the  motto,  '  it  is  good  to  be 
here,  let  us  build  tabernacles  here  !'  one  for  my 
nephew,  one  for  the  baron,  and  one  for  me  !  and 
out  of  the  tabernacles  we  will  make  English 
cottages,  and  arrange  them  right  comfortably  !" 

The  young  lady  smiled,  and  considered  the 
whole  conversation  as  a  jest  of  the  old  widower. 
The  baron  contemplated  this  interview  with 
sharp  side  glances,  as  he  had  long  since  known, 
through  indirect  communication  from  the  talka- 
tive old  man,  the  plan,  which  the  latter  had 
attributed  to  his  nephew.  "  It  was  "  water  to 
his  mill,"  and  formed  at  the  same  time  a  wheel 
which  entered  into  the  machinery  of  his  secret 
intentions,  as  if  it  had  been  cast  or  turned  for 
the  purpose. 

Dolores  spoke  to  Robert's  friend,  and  repeated 
her  thanks  as  his  sister,  for  all  the  sympathy  and 
care  which  she  had  bestowed  upon  her  brother 
during  his  severe  illness.  The  hearty  sincerity 
of  the  words,  as  well  as  of  the  looks  and  whole 
deportment  of  the  poetess,  touched  and  agitated 


the  poor  woman.  She  felt,  more  than  ever,  how- 
little  cause  she  had  to  entertain  any  sentiment  of 
hatred,  or  envy,  or  bitterness,  toward  a  being 
who,  under  other  circumstances,  would  perhaps 
have  become  htr  most  intimate  friend  on  earth. 

Whether  Dolores,  before  Robert's  illness,  had 
knov/n  of  thebond  of  friendship  which  fettered 
the  playmate  of  her  childhood  to  this  youns; 
lady,  cannot  be  decided  ;  but  by  means  of  that 
female  property  of  suspecting  and  recognising  a 
similar  bond  at  the  first  glance,  so  soon  as  an 
opportunity  offers  itself  of  observing  the  two 
enamored  beings,  she  had  long  known  how 
both  were  united  with  each  other.  An  inex- 
pressible sentiment  of  foreboding  and  of  anguisli 
seized  the  bereaved  friendof  the  martyr  Alphon- 
.so,  when  she  saw  the  invalid  in  such  a  horrible 
though  morally  pure  relation,  and  she  trembled 
when  the  thought  of  his  future  urged  itself  upon 
her.  No  one  knew  the  noble  nature  of  the 
youth  80  well  as  Dolores,  through  whose  society 
and  intellectual  influetice  it  had  been  developed. 
No  one,  however,  knew  the  self-destroying  om- 
nipotence of  his  feelings,  which,  mocked  by  the 
British  system  of  education,  had  reached  the  ex- 
tent which  occasionally  manifests  itself  among 
British  characters,  misunderstood  by  their  own 
nation,  and  admired  by  men  who  prize  and  honor 
the  man  in  whatever  nation  they  find  him. 

It  has  been  often  asserted,  "  a  Briton  as  a 
friend  is  capable  of  every  sacrifice,  and  if  nothing 
else  remains  for  him  to  offer  in  confirmation  of 
his  friendship  or  love,  he  sacrifices  himself." 
We  believe  it,  for  no  where  do  we  find  so  sharp 
a  contrast  as  in  the  prejudices  and  regulations  of 
the  British  social  world,  and  the  grandeur  of 
British  intellect,  and  the  depth  of  feeling  which 
evinces  itself  in  their  national  literature,  and  in 
the  characters  of  their  immortal  authors  and 
poets  Only  the  aim  of  a  confused  incomplete- 
ness, which  has  exercised  itself  since  the  refor- 
mation in  England  in  social  chains,  (and  recog- 
nises in  the  element  of  materialism  the  exter- 
nal greatness  and  magnificence,)  could  form  this 
rigid  contradiction.  This  contradiction  is,  in 
exact  proportion,  as  colossal  as  British  dullness 
on  the  one  hand,  and  the  grandeur  of  British  lite- 
rature on  the  other,  which  latter  is  founded  upon 
the  (in  itself)  insulted  national  intellect. 

The  appearance  of  the  baron  as  a  member  of 
the  young  Englishman's  family,  was  one  of  the 
most  singular  encounters  which  Madame  Clos- 
ting could  ever  have  experienced,  in  retrospect 
upon  the  "  memorial"  in  the  garden  gate. 

The  baron  did  not  omit  to  make  a  visit  like- 
wise to  the  sick  bed  of  the  celebrated  naturalist, 
and  the  lady  of  the  house  saw  herself  placed 
under  the  necessity  of  politely  accompanying 
him  thither.  She  went,  difficult  as  it  even  was 
on  one  hand  to  control  herself — on  the  other 
hand,  to  leave  out  of  sight  the  "sister"  of  her 
friend,  who,  with  Aunt  Susan,  remained  at  Ro- 
bert's couch — where,  of  course,  the  beam  of  hia 
eye  could  fall  upon  her. 

Although  she  had  long  known  that  such  an 
encounter  ofglances  could  take  place  unhindered, 
at  every  visit  of  her  friend  in  Bota  Fogo,  still  the 
feeling  that  a  single  soul-utterance  of  the  sort 
could  occur  now  in  her  neighborhood,  and  as 
it  were  in  the  "  topographical  domain  of  her 
sympathetic  sovereignty,"  had  something  in  it 
indescribably  painful  for  her,  the  explanation  o! 


334 


DOLORES. 


which,  could  only  be  found  in  the  mystery  of  her 
ieminality. 

Madame  Closting  had  very  naturally,  at  the 
return  of  her  husband,  explained  the  circum- 
stance which  induced  her  to  remove  to  the  pa- 
vilion of  a  relative,  of  wliich  we  have  become 
sufficiently  informed  from  her  former  commu- 
nication to  Robert. 

Mr.  Closting  found  himself  a  little  embarrassed 
about  the  refusal  of  credit  by  his  associate,  in 
respect  to  her  subsistence  in  his  absence,  but 
excused  himself  by  all  sorts  of  apologies  in  rela- 
tion to  his  business,  which,  after  the  principle 
of  tile  modern  mercantile  world,  was  carried  on 
by  "  wholesale,"  which  sets  aside  numerous 
payments  of  insignificant  sums  as  inditrerent  in 
the  highest  degree,  so  long  as  credit  is  main- 
tained ;  and  the  creditor  is  obliged  to  content 
himself  with  the  "  respectability"  of  the  debtor. 
He  declared  that  "  a  mistake"  had  taken  place  in 
the  correspondence,  that  Mr.  Forro  had  not  un- 
derstood him,  and,  as  concerned  the  importunity 
of  the  Baron,  "he  had  already  spoken  to  him 
about  it — it  had  all  been  good  will  and  jesting  on 
the  pait  of  the  baron ;  good  will  in  making  her 
the  advance,  and  a  jest  to  rally  and  bring  her  the 
money  in  person." 

The  wife  was  very  naturally  satisfied  with  the 
explanation,  because  her  husband  g.ive  it  to  her, 
and  she  had  not  the  right  to  doubt  the  validity, 
substantiality,  and  truth  of  any  declaration  of  her 
husband. 

The  visit  of  the  baron  took  place  in  the  mea- 
sured, polite  manner  of  the  civilized  world, 
which  is  not  wanting  in  phrases  to  express  sym- 
pathy and  commiseration,  and  wishes  and  hopes 
lor  the  health  and  happiness  of  the  persons  to 
whom  a  visit  is  made — in  good  society. 

The  family  from  Bota  Fogo  departed,  and  Gra- 
cia  alone  remained  behind  with  the  invalids  ; 
where  she,  as  ever,  stayed  with  one,  when  the 
other  sank  to  sleep. 

Occupied  in  mind  with  Dolores,  she  continued 
the  reading  in  which  she  had  been  interrupted. 

The  two  ladies  went  back  to  Bota  Fogo  in 
Dr.  Thortin's  attendance;  Mr.  Thomson  and  the 
baron  rode  into  town. 

"  You  think,  then,  that  our  Robert  will  really 
take  the  little  Brazilian  with  him  to  Santa  Catha- 
rina  !"  inquired  the  spy  of  the  old  widower. 

"  Why  not  ?  But  all  this  must  remain  between 
ourselves,  baron.  I  hope  that  our  present  fam- 
ily connexion  gives  me  a  right  to  talk  plainly 
with  you  about  such  affairs." 

"  Does  that  require  to  be  mentioned  now .'" 
inquired  the  other,  in  a  tone  of  the  greatest  inti- 
macy ;  "  have  I  ever  given  you  occasion  to 
doubt  my  sincerity .'" 

"  Never,  baron  !  if  that  had  been  the  case,  we 
should  not  have  arrived  at  the  position,  with  re- 
spect to  eaclr  other,  in  which  we  find  oursselves 
at  present.  I  have,  then,  (between  ourselves 
be  it  said,)  long  ago  given  my  counsel  to  Robert, 
for  the  gaining  of  his  object ;  for  that  both  under- 
stand each  other,  that  both  are  foolishly  fond  of 
each  other,  that  they  love  each  other  as  well  as 
ever  a  young  man  or  a  pretty  woman  have  loved, 
that  requires  no  explanation." 

"  That  she  has  him  in  her  net,"  remarked  the 
baron,"  is  as  true  as  that  I  sit  here  on  my  saddle  ; 
that  1  have  long  ago  observed  in  our  Kobert, 


without  having  seen  them  together.  But  whether 
she  is  so  firmly  attached  to  him  that  she  would 
for  his  sake  give  her  suspicious  husband  his 
cong^,  or  quietly  take  her  leave  of  him  '  sans 
adieu,'  as  the  French  say,  that  is  the  question 
Many  have  already  believed  themselves  in  the 
possession  of  a  woman,  and  at  length  possessed 
nothing  else  of  her  but  a  lock  of  hair,  or,  at  the 
utmost,  a  garter !" 

"  I  assert,  however,  according  to  ray  experi- 
ence," observed  Mr.  Thomson,  "  that  both  have 
long  ago  understood  each  other." 

"  I  by  no  means  doubt  that,"  exclaimed  the 
baron,  *'  in  relation  to  a  certain  point ;  one  must 
be  as  blind  as  a  mole,  if  one  does  not  remark 
that,  or  as  contracted  as  many  husbands,  who 
consider  themselves  perfect,  as  husbands,  and 
of  course  fear  no  concurrence." 

"  Do  you  really  believe  tl'.at  Mr.  Closting 
does  not  see  through  this  connexion  .'  or  do  you 
think  that  he  sees  through  it,  and  pretends 
ignorance  of  it,  because  it  is  the  most  innocent 
that  can  ever  occur." 

"  Mr.  Closting,  so  far  as  I  know  him,"  replied 
the  baron,  "  is  an  egotist,  and  took  a  wife  for 
economy,  because  he  required  a  woman.  But 
even  granting  that  he  observes  a  mutual  sympa- 
thy between  the  lady  and  the  young  man,  why 
should  he  trouble  himself  about  the  heart  of  a 
woman,  so  long  as  she  only  serves  him  in  that 
for  which  he  took  her  .'  An  egotist  knows  no 
jealousy,  because  he  knows  no  love." 

"  The  French,  to  be  sure,  laugh  about  such 
an  'Amour  d'unjeune  Anglaise,'  "  replied  Mr 
Thomson,  "  and  find  it  inconceivable  that  we,  in 
such  cases,  respect  social  relations,  so  long  as 
they  are  not  dissolved  on  both  sides,  and  of 
course  are  no  longer  social  bonds.  Notwith- 
standing this,  however,  every  Frenchman  would 
respect  a  young  man  like  Robert  in  such  a  posi- 
tion."  

"  And  commiserate  him,  so  long  as  he  does  not 
attain  his  object !"  said  the  bridegroom,  laughing. 

"  That  affair  at  the  return  of  Mr.  Daily — the 
inspection  of  the  diamond  on  the  part  of  the 
astronomer,  the  claim  of  the  house  of  Rossfariick 
on  Mr.  Closting,  and  a  hundred  other  circum- 
stances, gives  me  the  suspicion  that  the  unfor- 
tunate woman  would  rather  separate  herself 
to-day  than  to-morrow  from  the  man,  who " 

"  Who  is,  nevertheless,  a  clever  fellow,  and, 
as  a  man  of  business,  knows  how  to  provide  for 
his  family.  And  more  is  neither  required  by 
the  world  nor  by  the  wife." 

"  That's  true,  to  be  sure,  and  if  every  woman 
desired  to  part  from  a  husband  who  sustains  a 
bad  name,  the  advocates  and  notai'ies  would  make 
a  rich  business  out  of  the  divorces,  that's  clear." 

"  You  have  not  yet  had  an  opportunity  to  in- 
quire of  Robert  aloue  how  far  he  has  progressed 
in  his  plan  .'" 

"  Not  yet;  but  I  shall  ride  past  this  evening, 
and  arrange  the  matter  then.  He  seems  to  be 
afraid  of  a  falling  out  with  his  father,  who  im- 
parted to  him  certain  "  Private  Instructions," 
wherein  he  particularly  insists  that  Robert  shall 
only  take  an  English  woman  for  his  wife  ;  not  a 
foreigner,  in  any  case.  Now  Mr.  Walker  is  a 
singular  person ;  he  has  his  spleen  like  all  of  us, 
and  wishes  me  to  the  devil  with  my  preference 
for  foreign  women  !" 

"  You  are  in  high  favor  with  SeSora  Isabella, 


DOLORES. 


336 


are  you  not,  Mr.  Thomson  ?"  inquired  the  spy, 
in  a  very  confidential  tone. 

"  With  '  Miss  Fanny,'  as  we  call  her .'  to  be 
sure,  so  far  as  I  know — certainly.  I  postpone 
my  declaration  until  we  are  in  Santa  Catharina, 
and  have  never  yet  despaired  of  a  happy  result. 
I  have  never  yet  received  the  '  basket,'  Monsieur 
le  Baron,  and  in  this  case  I  do  not  fear  it  in  the 
least." 

"  So  far  as  I  hear  from  Miss  Susan,  you  have 
little  cause  to  fear  a  repulsive  answer." 

"  Is  that  true?"  cried  the  old  widower,  very 
much  delighted  ;  "  is  that  true  .'  has  Miss  Susan 
sounded,  at  a  distance,  how  the  heart  of  my 
Seiiora  Isabella  is  inclined  .'  whether  it  is  hard 
or  soft  ?" 

"  Soft,  very  soft,"  replied  the  other,  with  sig- 
nificance. "  But  what  I  say  to  you,  now,  Mr. 
Thomson,  must  likewise  remain  between  our- 
selves— do  you  understand  ?  '  Confidence  be- 
gets confidence,'  says  the  King  of  Saxony,  and  I 
have  the  same  right  to  your  discretion  as  you 
have  to  mine,  and  more  than  the  King  of  Saxony 
has  to  the  confidence  of  his  people  !" 

"  I  understand — I  understand  !"  replied  the 
old  widower,  very  hastily  and  impatiently  ; 
"  then  Miss  Susan  has  sounded ?" 

"  Has  sounded,  and  has  found  out  what  was 
to  be  expected.  Senora  Isabella  is  attached, 
very  much  attached,  and  only  awaits  your  de- 
claration; but  if  you  ever  allow  it  to  be  per- 
ceived, Mr.  Thomson,  that  I  have,  even  only  by 
a  look,  revealed  this  secret  to  you,  then,  natu- 
rally, your  whole  undertaking  will  fail !" 

"  Fail the whole under — ta — kin"  .'" 

grumbled  Mr.  Thomson  to  himself,  while  he,  m  a 
trot  a  I'Anglaise,  jumped  up  with  every  syllable. 
"  You  think  that  it  may  yet  fail?"  inquired  he, 
as  the  horse  again  went  at  a  more  quiet  pace. 

"  That  is  natural :  you  have  yourself  too  much 
experience  as  a  man,  not  to  perceive  this  criti- 
cal state.  Even  Miss  Susan  must  not  know  that 
I  have  exchanged  a  word  with  you  on  this  affair, 
by  no  means!  never  !  for  she  will  not  allow  that 
she  knows  who  Dolores  is ;  she  will  not  allow 
it  to  be  seen  that  she  suspects  what  is  hidden 
behind  '  Isabella' — do  you  understand  ?" 

"  I  understand  you,  baron,  and  I  promise  you 
that  I  will  hold  my  tongue ;  I  give  you  my  hand 
upon  it." 

He  held  out  his  hand  to  his  future  brother-in- 
law,  and  the  two  already  found  themselves  in 
the  Rua  d'Ajuda,  and  broke  off  from  the  impor- 
tant conversation,  as  the  noise  of  the  city  dis- 
turbed them. 

Captain  Hinango  had  escaped  the  baron.  The 
object  now  was  to  deliver  Dolores,  or  to  put  her 
out  of  the  way,  according  to  the  order  from 
Buenos  Ayres,  in  spite  of  all  resistance  on  the 
part  of  the  Humanitarios,  whom  he  had  to  fear 
in  the  "  Mazzini"  and  the  "Astrala." 

Robert  alone  stood  in  the  way ;  his  recovery 
almost  warranted  the  certainty  that  he  would 
accompany  Dolores,  and  if  this  should  be  the 
case,  the  personal  delivery  of  the  condemned 
would  be  a  difficult  problem. 

Robert  must  then  be  detained  in  Rio  de  Janeiro 
at  any  rate.  To  put  him  out  of  the  way,  as  had 
been  attempted  against  Hinango,  would  be  ill 
advised,  especially  as  the  family  relations  of  the 
baroo  to  his  uncle  impeded  bim,  ia  so  fax  as 


sooner  or  later  a  suspicion  might  fall  npon  him. 
Tlie  baron  had  another  plan,  whirli  appeared 
less  dangerous  to  him,  and  whii'li  proceeded  al- 
most entirely  of  itself  from  the  events  around  him. 

He  betook  himself  to  the  police  functionary, 
with  whom  he  was  in  communication  in  his  pe- 
culiar position  as  secret  agent  of  tlie  Brazilian 
government,  and  again  conversed  with  them 
upon  the  hitherto  fruitless  researches  for  the  dis- 
covery of  the  abortive  attempt  at  murder  against 
Mr.  Closting. 

"  We  have  hitherto  not  developed  the  slightest 
trace."  declared  the  functionary,  in  the  course 
of  conversation.  "  Circumstances  so  singularly 
favored  the  flight  of  the  negro,  that  it  seems  an 
impossibility  even  to  take  up  a  single  thread  of 
the  investigation.  It  was  pitch  dark,  the  rain 
poured  in  torrents,  the  negro  threw  himself  into 
the  bay,  and  such  a  fellow  will  swim  for  a 
couple  of  hundred  feet  under  the  water  like  a 
dolphin — and  then  pop  up  and  swim  on,  and 
creep  up,  God  knows  where,  on  the  shore,  and 
go  quietly  home.  The  dagger  also  lies  in  the 
bay,  and  if  we  had  it,  it  would  do  us  little  good." 

"  To  be  sure,  the  circtimstances  were  very  fa- 
vorable, but,  notwithstanding  this,  what  would 
you  say,  if  I  had  made  the  discovery  of  who 
engaged  the  negro  ?" 

"  It  would  be  another  evidence  of  your  dis- 
tinguished talent  in  the  service  of  the  state,  and 
the  discovery  would  do  you  honor." 

"  Proinise  me,  then,  that  the  criminal  shall  not 
be  arrested  until  I  designate  the  day  and  hour  to 
you,  and  I  will  engage  that  the  guilty  person 
shall  not  escape  us  before  that." 

"  I  promise  you.  Monsieur  le  Baron ;  I  give 
you  my  word  thereupon." 

"  Well,  and  I  will  keep  my  word  as  you  do 
yours." 

"  A  police  agent,"  continued  the  functionary, 
"  who  was  on  service  that  evening  on  the  stairs, 
expressed,  to  be  sure,  immediately  the  next 
morning,  a  vague  surmise,  since  he  believed 
that  the  act  had  its  origin  in  an  "  affair  d'a- 
mour,"  that  a  young  Englishman " 

"  I  understand  you,  and  must  not  and  cannot 
at  present  say  another  word  about  it.  You  know 
my  future  family  connexions  here — my  whole 
situation.  You  know  my  zeal  in  my  correspond- 
ence with  the  interior.  You  know  how  many 
faroupilhas  are  here  lodged  in  Do-Vilganhon, 
who  have  found  their  quarters  there  through 
me  ;  and  you  know  also  my  private  relations  to 
Mr.  Closting,  who  took  my  place  in  the  interior 
of  the  country,  because  it  is  impossible  for  me 
to  be  in  two  or  six  places  at  the  same  time. 
You  know  the  most  remote  thread  of  the  police 
association  whose  web  is  conducted  by  me,  and 
that  is  enough  for  you. 

"  Where  church  and  state  come  in  account, 
and  are  even  placed  in  danger,  all  personal  con- 
siderations cease ;  and  all  family  bonds  loosen  of 
themselves,  where  church  and  state  require  it 
for  their  maintenance." 

"  I  am  perfectly  of  your  opinion.  Monsieur  le 
Baron,  and  thank  you  again  lor  your  zeal  in  the 
affairs  of  our  government,  which  will  be  grate- 
ful to  you  for  it." 

"  I  hope  so,  Seuhor ;  and  now  farewell ;  the 
matter  is  settled.  I  undertake  the  arrest  of  tho 
originator  of  this  scandalous  plan  for  murder  • 
and  so  it's  settled." 


333 


DOLORES. 


•*  Yiiii  may  rommand  me,  vvlien  you  require  a 
rirfachment  of  pi-rmanentos  to  accomplish  the 
mTcjt." 

"  All  ri'jhf !  adieu  !"  whispered  the  baron,  and 
departed  hastily,  while  the  police  functionary. 
Chef  lie  Bureau  of  a  private  branch,  sank  into 
reflection,  in  acknowledi;cmtint  and  admiration  of 
a  talent  such  as  the  Baron  de  Spandau  evinced. 


6  /N#./*^.rf^«  — 


Ct!  AFTER   VI. 
heligious  ceremony. 

Mr.  Thomson  freighted  an  Ensjlish  bris;, 
the  "  Eride  of  Abydos,"  for  Santa  Catharina, 
and  further  for  Buenos  Ayres,  since  the  vessel, 
as  it  often  occurs,  was  to  exchange  her  carg.T 
in  the  former  port,  before  it  sailed  for  its  proper 
place  of  destination. 

Dolores  lived,  as  hitherto,  in  her  country  re- 
tirement, engaged  in  literary  occupations,  in  the 
preparation  of  all  her  productions,  in  verse  and 
prose,  fur  an  edition,  which  she  would  willingly 
nave  issued  in  Rio  de  Janeiro,  if  her  incognito 
had  permitted  lier  to  do  so  in  person. 

It  was  a  natural  consequence,  that  any  un- 
dertaking of  the  sort  (even  under  the  protection 
of  the  freedom  of  the  press)  would  draw  the 
observation  of  the  authorities  upon  the  poetess, 
and  disturb  her  asylum — who,  on  the  othci'  side, 
stood  just  as  strictly  under  the  protection  of  the 
laws,  which  offered  an  asylum  and  personal  safety 
to  all  political  fugitives. 

Tile  "  liberal  institutions  "  of  a  constitutional 
monarchy  stand,  however,  for  the  most  part,  in 
opposition  to  monarchical  governments,  which 
make  a  show  of  them,  in  order  more  efiectually 
t.o  suppress  the  germ  of  liberal  principles.  Con- 
stitutional monarchy,  as  a  transition  epoch  in 
the  history  of  many  states  from  an  absolute 
monarchy  to  a  republic,  serves,  as  it  were,  only 
as  an  evidence  tliat  this  monarchical  principle 
(founded  on  the  prerogative  of  birth)  contra- 
dicts nature  and  reason;  since  every  man, 
through  his  birth,  equally  partakes  of  the  right 
of  cultivating  his  moral  freedom  in  the  element 
of  political  freedom,  and  a  violation  of  equality 
is  an  indirect  violation  of  freedom.  Constitu- 
tional monarchy  (as  the  attempt  at  an  alliance 
between  the  principle  of  selfishness  and  civic 
virtue)  hears  in  itself  the  worm  of  self-destruc- 
tion, for  by  denun-alization  alone  can  it  nourish 
the  egotism  which,  publicly  or  in  secret,  sells 
itself  for  any  service.  A  system  which  cannot 
maintain  its  existence  without  the  dissolution  of 
all  morality,  in  the  position  of  its  servants,  to 
which  ven.dity  of  conscience  leads  them,  bears 
within  itself  the  death  against  which  it  seeks  to 
protect  itself  through  treachery  and  murder. 

Dolores  entertained  no  suspicion  against  Mr. 
Thomson,  and  even  although  she  had  long  ago 
learnt,  through  Dr.  Tliorfin,  Ihe  fixed  idea  of  the 
old  widower,  the  realization  of  which  was  to 
lead  her  to  the  altar;  still  the  matrimonial  plan 
appeared  more  to  her  as  a  comic  episode  in  her 
exile,  more  as  entertaining  material  for  laughter, 
than  a  matter  that  would  ever  occur  to  her  to 
contemplate  in  a  serious  point  of  view. 


Mr.  Thomson  went  !n  to  see  Robert  tliat  pvpn- 
ing,  and  came  out  with  his  inquiry  in  relation 
to  his  steps  towards  a  union  with  Senhora  Gra- 
cia.  The  youth,  already  pale  in  consequence  of 
his  long  illness,  became  suddenly  colorless  as 
the  white  craVat  of  his  old  uncle,  and  raised  him- 
self in  his  armchair  to  give  a  decided  answer  : 

"  My  dear  uncle,  you  mistake  my  relations  to 
a  lady  whom  I  love.  Your  demand  compels  me 
to  give  you  this  explanation.  But  exactly  be- 
cause I  love  Senhora  Gracia  as  I  love  her,  my 
sentiments  require  the  devotion  on  my  side 
which  make  my  self-denial  necessary.  Whether 
this  lady  loves  me,  in  the  sense  that  you  sup- 
pose, I  ought  not,  as  a  man,  to  give  you  any  inti- 
mation, even  if  I  myself  were  aware  of  it.  But 
whether  she  would  ever  resolve  to  rend  a  social 
bond,  which,  founded  in  the  past  of  her  life, 
would  extend  itself  by  a  living  memorial  as  a 
gloomy  sliadow  over  her  future ;  whether  .Sen- 
hora Gracia  would  ever  separate  from  her  hus- 
band, I  doubt;  and  this  doubt  is  a  sacred 
ground  on  my  side,  never,  never  to  offer  such 
a  proposal  to  her.  Such  a  step,  in  such  cir- 
cumstances, is  for  the  woman,  and  not  for  the 
man,  in  my  position." 

Mr.  Thomson  appeared  in  the  highest  degree 
struck  by  this  confession  of  his  nephew,  which 
showed  him  in  a  light  that,  as  it  v\'ere,  displayed 
his  heart  and  his  character  in  a  magical  gran- 
deur. 

"  I  understand  you  Bob,"  replied  he,  after  a 
long  pause,  with  a  hearty  pressure  of  his  hand, 
"  and  I  must  also  admire  you.  I  had  hoped  in 
this  plan,  which  I  once  intimated  to  you,  to 
have  laid  the  corner  stone  of  your  future  hap- 
piness, and  of  the  health  and  welfare  of  your 
Unfortunate  friend,  but  1  perceive  that  I  was  in 
error.  Forgive  me,  if  my  worldly  views  have 
not  accorded  with  your  feelings,  or  with  your 
conscience.  I  always  meant  well  by  you,  and 
even  now  I  am  still  your  warmest  friend.  A3 
to  what  concerns  your  relations  to  this  young 
lady,  however,  you  are  my  nephew,  and  as  an 
uncle  1  must  give  you  my  views.  Let  the  rela- 
tion be  what  it  may,  it  is  no  concern  of  mine. 
She  is,  however,  still  a  woman,  and  only  two 
cases  are  conceivable.  Either  she  loves  you — 
has  confessed  her  love  to  yon,  and  from  the  hour 
of  her  declaration,  already  pliysically  parted 
from  her  husband,  as  your  love  demands,  or  she 
has  confessed  her  love  to  you  in  "  mysterical 
convulsions,"  and  still  continues  to  live  with 
her  husband,  with  or  without  "  mysterical  con- 
vulsions." All  other  cases,  let  them  be  masked 
as  they  may,  and  call  them  what  they  will,  are 
humbug!  humbug,  my  dear  Bob!  female  hum- 
bug !  and  Mr.  George  Thomson  thinks  too  much 
of  his  nephew  to  see  him  allow  him.self  to  be 
led  by  the  nose,  or  ill  treated  by  a  woman  who 
has  once  been  satisfied  with  a  mean  fellow.  No, 
Bob  !  you  can  transact  business  in  the  Kua  Direita 
with  whom  you  will,  but  to  enter  into  ])artner- 
ship  with  a  good  for  nothing  fellow,  in  the  pos- 
session of  a  female  heart — for  that  you  are  too 
good  ;  for  you  are  my  nephew,  and  1  am  your 
friend^ — your  warmest  friend,  your  uncle,  George 
Thomson." 

"  I  am  convinced  of  your  sympathy,"  sighed 
Robert,  evidently  struck  with  this  language  of  ex- 
perience, "  and  hope  to  justify  myself  towards 
you  in  every  situation  in  life — even  in  dealli." 


DOLORES, 


m 


"  Yoia  know,  Bob,"  continued  the  man  of  ex- 
perience, "  you  know  I  have  hitherto  not  had 
the  least  objection  to  your  relations,  in  so  far  as 
I  took  it  for  ({ranted,  that  the  young  lady  had 
separated  as  a  wife  from  her  husband,  from  the 
moment  when  she  confessed  her  love  to  you,  or 
gave  you  her  word,  or  whatever  else  may  have 
taken  place  between  you.  That  you  appeared 
to  doubt  whether  she  still  lives  with  her  hus- 
band, surprises  me,  for  you  are  my  nephew,  and 
T  do  not  desire  that  a  woman  should  consider 
you  as — heaven  knows  what !  I  know  woman- 
kind; I  have  had  four  of  them,  and  hope  soon 
to  have  a  fifth  !" 

Robert  could  hardly  restrain  a  smile.  The  old 
man  continued  gaily  :  "  I  have  experience  in 
this  business.  Bob  !  experience  in  matrimony, 
and  could  write  a  book  about  it  of  four  thick 
volumes.  I  have  lived  to  see  a  similar  instance. 
Bob  !  One  of  my  wives  suddenly  became  ner- 
vous, grew  thin,  lost  her  corpulence,  and  even 
confessed  to  me  that  she  had  never  loved  me, 
and  doubted  if  I  had  ever  loved  her.  There  was 
an  end  of  our  union.  She  passed  as  my  wife — 
before  the  world,  but  we  lived  separate,  as  fol- 
lows of  course,  for  the  '  No '  of  a  woman  must  be 
as  sacred  to  every  man  of  honor  as  once  her  '  Yes.' 
But  all  these  are  convulsive  phenomena — ner- 
vous disease — chills  of  the  heart— fixed  ideas  of 
the  brain — female  spleen  !  and  no  physician  has 
found  remedies  as  yet  against  such  a  love  ca- 
tarrh. Believe  me,  I  speak  from  unhappy  ex- 
perience." 

"  But  I  am  morally  satisfied  that  she  does  not 
love  her  husband,  and  that  she  may  act  from 
compulsion,"  replied  Robert. 

"  Poor,  poor  Robert !  you  have  not  had  my 
experience  of  the  strength  of  woman's  will ; 
you  make  me  sad  ;"  sighed  the  good  old  man, 
sinking  into  silent  contemplation.  "  I  can  now 
explain  to  myself  how  you  stand — now  for  the 
first  time,  and  may  God  forgive  me  that  I  ever 
brought  you  to  this  pavilion  !  I  have  experience 
— experience — but  such  a  case  I  could  never 
have  imagined. 

"I  know  men  who  live  separate  from  their 
wives,  wliile  they  pass  before  the  world  for 
married  people  ;  but  each  of  these  men  respects 
the  woman  and  iiimself,  and  I  need  say  no  more. 
Such  instances  of  female  nervous  disturbance, 
of  repulsion,  as  the  physicians  call  it,  are  not 
rare,  and  I  should  like  to  be  acquainted  with 
this  Mr.  Closting;  he  must  be  the  meanest  fel- 
low on  God's  earth,  and  capable  of  every  crime, 
or  the  young  lady  must  be  the  most " 

"  Pronounce  no  sentence  against  my  friend  !" 
interrupted  the  unhappy  young  man  quickly, 
and  deeply  moved ;  "  for  the  hour  in  which  I 

must   become  convinced  that that  she  does 

not  love  me,  will  be  my  last." 

"  Bah  !  bah  !  don't  talk  in  that  way  ;  remem- 
ber always  tliat  you  have  to  do  with  a  woman. 
You  will  go  with  us,  then,  to  Santa  Catharina .' — 
the  voyage  will  do  you  good,"  said  the  old  man 
hastily,  to  lead  the  invalid  from  the  subject. 

"  To  do  with  a  woman,"  repeated  Robert,  half 
aside,  "  may  the  just  God  forbid  that  I  should 
ever  lose  the  sacred  reverence  for  woman  which 
I  entertain,  which  attaches  me  to  my  friend. 
She  has  injured  me — wounded  me  for  ever;  she 
may  destroy  me  ;  but  I  will,  even  in  death,  love 
the  soul,  which  here  struggles  within  her  as  a 
43 


woman,  in    eternal  contradiction with  tho 

wife  !" 

"  I  will  accompany  Dolores,  as  I  have  once 
promised  her  in  my  heart,"  he  then  said  aloud  ; 
"  1  will  not  leave  Dolores,  so  long  as  she  has 
not  found  a  safe  asylum." 

"  That  is  noble  of  you — noble  and  excellent, 
Bob.  We  will  settle  ourselves  upon  Santa  Cath- 
arina, either  on  the  island  or  the  main  land, 
wherever  we  find  the  most  beautiful  situation, 
and  the  baron  will  build  himself  a  house  near 
ours." 

Robert  involuntarily  made  a  movement  in  hia 
armchair,  as  if  a  physical  pain  seized  him, 
which  occasioned  him  to  alter  his  position  ;  he 
sighed  deeply,  and  at  length  resumed  the  con- 
versation. 

"  You  have  then  consented  to  Aunt  Susan's 
marriage  with  the  so  called  baron  ?" 

"  So  called  baron  ?"  inquired  iVIr.  Thomson, 
smiling  ;  "  how  so  .'  do  you  doubt  if  he  is  really 
a  baron  .'" 

"  I  not  only  doubt  his  barony,  but  I  know  po- 
sitively that  he  is  a  spy  of  several  European 
powers,  and  likewise  serves  some  of  the  govern- 
ments of  South  America  as  a  spy.  I  know  him 
in  every  respect,  in  his  entire  reprobateness, 
and  will  not,  now  nor  ever,  permit  him  to  enter 
our  family." 

"  Good  bye,  my  dear  Bob  !  Dr.  Thorfin  has 
forbidden  you  to  talk  much,  or  to  be  excited  ;  it 
may  delay  your  secovery,  and  cause  a  relapse. 
Good  bye,  then,  my  dear  Bob  !  As  concerns  the 
baron,  ive  will  talk  of  that  in  Santa  Catharina. 
You  have  now  a  high  fever,  my  poor  boy  !  take 
good  care  of  yourself,  that  you  may  be  able  to 
go  with  us,  for  I  cannot  leave  you  here  ill.  You 
must  accompany  us,  by  all  means." 

"  I  feel  that  1  must  go  with  you,"  sighed  Ro- 
bert, in  another  signification  than  his  uncle  in- 
tended, who  again  heartily  pressed  his  hand, 
and  departed  in  haste. 

The  baron  had  dismissed  Sally,  as  he  was 
preparing  himself  for  the  voyage  to  Santa 
Catharina,  and  passed  his  nights  during  the 
short  intervening  time  here  and  there,  in  other 
occupations,  while  he  still  retained  the  house 
as  a  temporary  locality  for  his  consultations  with 
Senhor  Prole,  and  other  agents  in  his  employ. 

Sally  ventured  a  second  visit  to  Senhora  Sera- 
fini,  to  present  her  thanks  for  the  nol)lcminded 
ofiiir  with  lespect  to  a  situation  upon  her  estate. 
She  explained  that  her  presence  in  Brazil  was 
constantly  attended  with  danger,  as  accident 
might  reveal  her  cooperation  for  the  rescue  of 
Dolores  and  Hinango,  and  she  would  then  un- 
doubtedly be  exposed  to  the  baron's  revenge. 
The  lady  acknowledged  the  consistency  of  these 
grounds,  and  assented  therefore  to  the  unfortu- 
nate girl's  design  of  returning  to  England.  She 
renevvedly  offered  to  consult  with  Dr.  Thorfin  in 
what  manner  a  passage  was  to  be  procured  for 
her,  as  the  attendant  of  a  respectable  family, 
and  asked  of  Sally  her  address,  that  the  doctor 
might  know  where  to  find  her.  The  noble  con- 
duct of  this  unfortunate  girl,  which  stood  out 
in  such  natural  purity  from  the  background  of 
the  demoralization  of  our  epoch,  was  recognised 
in  its  full  value  by  the  person  for  whose  rescue 
it  had  availed. 

Earnestly  as  Hinango  had  always  desired  to 


S38 


DOLORES. 


express  personally  his  inextinguishable  grati- 
t\ide,  yet  the  existing  circumstances  in  them- 
selves, prevented  the  occurrence  of  a  meeting, 
which  was  in  otlier  respects  denied,  by  the  deli- 
cate feelings  of  the  noble  girl.  The  position  as 
an  outcast  from  the  social  world,  would  not  per- 
mit her  to  make  the  slightest  allusion  to  her  per- 
son or  her  fate  in  an  interview  with  Hinango. 
Notwithstanding  this,  she  appeared  satisfied,  by 
anticipation,  that  Hinango,  as  well  as  Dolores, 
was  able  to  distinguish  the  disinterested  devotion 
un  her  part,  from  the  world's  prejudice  and  unlov- 
ing sentence  of  condemnation,  which  broke  the 
statfover  errors  produced  as  natural  effects  from 
the  contradiction  of  its  own  social  regulations. 

It  so  hapjiened  that  Dr.  Thorfin  was  in  com- 
munication with  a  family  from  Northern  Europe, 
who  were  preparing  to  return  thither.  He 
availed  himself  of  the  mutual  confidence  which 
prevailed  between  himself  and  the  lady  of  this 
house,  to  describe,  so  far  as  his  prudence  per- 
mitted, the  noble  conduct  of  the  unfortunate  girl 
in  its  purity  and  devotion,  in  order  to  commend 
her  to  her  sympathy.  The  lady  agreed,  there- 
fore, to  take  her  as  a  companion,  and  to  leave  it 
to  her  whole  conduct  during  the  voyage,  whether 
she  should  further  enjoy  her  sympathy,  which  in 
such  a  case  would  be  perpetually  secured  to  her. 

Sally  yielded,  witli  all  submission,  to  these 
stipulations,  and  felt  only  too  deeply  that  such  a  I 
doubt  in  her  morality  was  certainly  founded  on 
her  position  ;  in  compensation  for  which,  her 
self-conciousness  confirmed  her  in  the  idea,  that 
neither  she  nor  many  other  females  would  vol- 
untarily; and  of  their  own  impulse,  have  sfepped 
outside  the  boundaries  of  the  social  world,  if 
they  had  not  been  seduced  out  of  them  by  men. 

The  baron  had  been  for  the  last  week  in  full 
occupation,  and  had,  of  course,  scarcely  had  an 
hour  to  talli  with  and  caress  his  bride. 

Miss  Susan  Thomson  appeared  not  to  be  unac- 
quainted with  tlie  proverb,  according  to  which 
•*  certainty  should  be  preferred  to  uncertainty,'' 
and  once,  in  a  confidential  hour,  made  the  pro- 
posal to  her  lover  to  celebrate  the  ecclesiastical 
ceremony  of  marriage  before  their  embarkation. 
She  produced,  one  after  another,  her  important 
and  very  reasonable  grounds.  One  of  these 
grounds  was,  that  the  good  which  a  man  ought 
to  do  could  never  be  done  too  soon,  and  as  mar- 
riage was  not  only  something  good,  but,  accord- 
ing to  her  view,  the  best  that  both  of  them  were 
able  to  do  for  the  present,  this  was  one  rea- 
sonable ground  for  completing  the  ceremony. 
Another  ground  was,  tliat  they  were  going  to 
Santa  Catharina  in  a  merchant  vessel,  and  not 
in  a  proper  packet  ship  or  steamer.  There  was 
generally, on  board  of  such  a  vessel,  a  deficiency 
of  room  in  the  cabin,  and  particular  divisions 
for  single  young  ladies  and  single  gentlemen 
were  alwaj's  attended  with  difficulties.  The 
thoughts  of  separating  herself,  even  only  for  a 
moment,  from  her  lover,  she  observed,  would  be 
terrible  to  her,  and  all  sorts  of  consequent  disa- 
greeable occurrences  through  seasickness,  and 
storm,  and  the  like,  might  make  his  presence  in 
her  private  cabin  absolutely  necessary.  That  in 
such  a  case  it  must,  on  both  sides,  be  of  great 
importance  to  be  united  with  each  other  by  law- 
ful bonds,  which  dissolve  all  constraint,  and  all 
the  restrictions  that  separate  a  young  man  from 


a  seasick  or  not  seasick  young  lady  It  was  to 
be  hoped  that  the  baron  would  see  this  for  him- 
self. Miss  Thomson  observed.  The  third  good 
ground  was,  that  tlie  **  Bride  of  Abydos  (which 
God  forbid  !)  might  sufl(>r  shipwreck  before  she 
arrived  at  Santa  Catharina,  (which  might  God 
forbid  tenfold  !)  that  in  such  a  case,  one  or  the 
other  of  them  might  become  the  victim  of  a 
tragical  fate,  and  then  it  must  certainly  be  as 
hard  for  him  as  for  her,  that  they  had  lived  for 
months  in  a  happy  courtship,  and  had  deliyed 
so  long  the  performance  of  the  various  ceremo- 
nies which  must  then  be  too  late,  if  only  one  of 
the  pair,  ir  if  both,  should  have  found  their 
grave  in  the  waves — or  if  singular  occurrences 
should  have  separated  them.  Miss  Susan  had 
properly  ten  grounds  more,  all  of  which  she  re- 
vealed to  her  bridegroom,  who  did  not  reject  a 
single  one,  but  determined  upon  the  marriage, 
as  he  and  she  desired. 

On  a  fine  Sunday,  in  the  month  of  March,  the 
ceremony  of  coupling  was  performed  by  an  Eng- 
lish clergyman,  and  then  a  second  by  a  Catholic 
clergyman,  since  the  baron,  as  is  known,  was  a 
Catholic,  and  attached  a  great  importance  to  re- 
ligion.  

With  what  feelings  the  young  Baroness  of 
Spandau  seated  herself  in  the  carriage,  as  she 
left  the  English  church  after  the  conclusion  of 
the  marriage  ceremony,  we  leave  to  the  per- 
ception of  all  young  ladies  of  her  age,  (or  some 
years  younger,)  who  have  been  betrothed  to  a 
baron,  and  have  ever  gone  from  a  church  home, 
or  to  another  church,  to  be  doubly  married. 

The  Convent  of  the  "  Sisters  of  Mercy,"  which 
happened  to  be  opposite  to  the  English  church, 
presented  at  that  moment  to  the  young  baroness 
a  singular  aspect,  since  she  could  not  avoid  the 
silent  reflection,  what  a  tragical  fate  it  must  be 
to  live  on  as  a  "  Sister  of  Mercy  "  in  a  convent ; 
or,  as  a  sister  among  "  unmerciful  men,"  to  live 
any  where  in  the  world,  especially  to  pass  a  vir- 
gin life,  without  having  used  a  single  myrtle 
wreath,  in  a  country  like  Brazil,  where  myrtle 
grows  hy  the  wayside  like  thistles  and  nettles. 

The  ceremony  of  the  Catholic  ritual  took  place 
immediately  after  the  Anglican  marriage,  in  the 
court  chapel  in  the  Rua  Direita,  and  was  very 
briefly  concluded.  His  Excellency  the  Ambas- 
sador of  Knipiiausen  was  invited  as  witness  on 
the  part  of  the  baron,  but,  to  the  regret  of  all,  he 
had  been  ill  for  some  days,  and  was  obliged  to 
renounce  the  honor.  There  were,  however, 
more  than  enough  of  highly  respectable  wit- 
nesses, among  the  highly  respectable  friends  and 
acciuaintances  of  the  baron,  and  there  were  not 
wanting,  likewise,  two  Engli:ih  ladies,  who 
piipied  themselves  upon  their  high  rank,  to  ac- 
company a  Miss  Thomson  into  the  church,  for 
the  purpose  of  conducting  her,  as  a  lawful  Ba- 
roness de  Spandau,  out  of  the  church. 

On  their  drive  back  to  Bota  Fogo,  the  young 
married  pjir  visited  the  convalescent  Mr.  Robert 
Walker,  to  receive  his  congratulations.  The 
shock  that  seized  him  when  he  learned  the  oc- 
casion of  this  visit,  was  very  naturally  to  be  as- 
cribed to  the  excited  state  of  his  nerves,  and  to 
no  other  cause. 

They  found  him  improving  in  health,  and  left 
him  in  all  haste,  with  the  wish,  that  he  might 
not  relapse  before  the  depar'.ure  of  the  "  Bride 
of  Abydos." 


DOLORES. 


33» 


CHAPTER   VII. 


THE   TWO    CORPSES. 


Thk  nays  hastened  on,  and  f'ne  fifTeenth  of 
March  drew  nearer  and  nearer.  The  **  Bride  of 
Abydos  "  had  taken  in  her  carg-n,  and  was  pre- 
pared to  weitjh  anchor,  so  soon  as  Mr.  Thomson 
and  his  family  had  taken  possession  of  the  cabin. 

Mr.  Closling's  state  had  manifested  very  bad 
symptoms,  and  instead  of  his  expected  speedy 
recovery,  his  life  was  more  than  ever  in  danger. 
Dr.  Thorfin  required  a  consultation  nf  several 
physicians,  since  thecase  was  important  in  itself, 
and  the  entire  treatment  might  be  subjected  to  a 
jvidicial  investigation,  so  soon  as  the  researches 
of  justice  succeeded  iu  coming  upon  the  traces  of 
the  murderer. 

Senhora  Gracia  was  thrown,  by  the  increased 
danger  of  her  husband,  and  the  approaching  de- 
parture of  Robert,  into  a  state  ot^  mind  which 
we  can  so  much  the  less  describe,  as  she  con- 
fined within  herself  every  emotion,  and  less  than 
ever  before  opened  to  her  friend  the  heart  that 
was  broken  forever 

Robert  begged  his  friend  to  give  him  some 
lines  in  his  album,  as  he  was  now  preparing 
himself  for  a  separation.  He  found,  one  day, 
the  following,  written  with  a  tremulous  hand 
upon  the  last  leaf  of  the  splendidly  bound  book, 
which  he  had  given  her  for  such  a  purpose  : 

"  Le  cceur  de  i'homrae  est  un  aljime  de  souf- 
france,  dont  la  profondeur  n'a  jamais  <te  sendee 
el  ne  le  sera  jamais.*  — g." 

Those  live  months  which  Senhora  Graciahad 
spent  in  confidentiai  intimacy  with  her  friend, 
now  lay  before  her  as  past,  like  a  lovely  dream, 
over  whose  texture,  however,  many  future 
images  of  terror  were  woven,  whose  impres- 
sions now  fixed  themselves  u|jon  her  heart  like 
Ibreliodings,  with  heavy  anxiety.  She  often  ob- 
served Robert,  while  he  was  occupied  with  the 
insignificant  arrangements  for  his  departure, 
without  approaching  him,  as  if  his  appearance 
were  not  a  reality,  as  if  she  must  touch  him  with 
her  hand  to  satisfy  herself  that  he  was  a  living 
man — the  real  Robert.  She  saw  him  occupied, 
and  going  in  and  out,  to  arrange  one  thing  and 
another  for  his  departure,  and  by  degrees  single 
objects  were  taken  out  from  the  pavilion,  which 
appeared  to  her  as  "  frames  around  the  pictures 
of  the  past,"  or  as  background  or  attribute  ofhis 
image,  inwoven  with  his  entity.  The  parting 
from  such  insignificant  trifles  gave  her  a  pre- 
sentiment of  the  moment  in  which  he  himself 
should,  for  the  last  time,  pass  through  the 
garden,  and  the  gate  should  rattle  behind  him. 

The  increasing  danger  in  which  her  husband 
lay  from  his  wound,  increased  the  perplexity 
and  conv\ilsive  contradictions  which  oppressed 
her  heart.  Sunk  in  abstraction,  she  sat  for 
hours  beside  the  sick  or  dying  bed  of  her  hus- 
band, gazing  with  a  fixed  glance  into  the  abyss 
of  her  future,  and  came  to  her  recollection  with 
a  repressed  cry  of  anguish,  when  the  name 
"  mother"  casually  sounded  in  her  ears  from  the 
mouth  of  the  dear  little  one. 

Who  will  venture  to  penetrate  into  Gracia's 
feelings,  when  the  consciousness  of  a  social  con- 
nexion through  a  third  being  thrilled  her  with 


'  Qeorg«  SaQ<t 


horror ;  and  she  was  then  obllgetl  to  admit  to 
herself  that  this  union  had  been  formed  without 
sympathy,  and  that  the  realization  of  the  idea  of 
unity  with  a  man  who  was  always  strange  to 
her,  bloomed  forth  as  an  itobodied  contradic- 
tion— in  their  child  ! 

If  we  contemplate  the  state  of  mind  and  the 
s!)fTerings  nf  the  unfortunate  woman  from  the 
p<iini  of  view  nf  the  higher  psychology,  we  be- 
hold the  thousand-fold  reiterated  so  called  social 
aberratittns,  over  which  the  world  breaks  the 
stall",  without  examining  the  ground  of  the  evil. 
Gracia's  crime  lay  in  that  thoughtless  and  char- 
acterless over-haste  with  which  slie  had  once 
entered  into,  a  social  bond  whose  sacred  sig- 
nificance seems  to  have  been  unknown  to  her, 
or  whose  eventful  importance  she  controverted 
by  syllogisms — that  she  might  be  "  independent." 
She  appears  never  to  have  considered  that  she 
only  obtained  the  apparent  independence  at  the 
cost  of  her  purity. 

In  this  crime  against  nature,  and  in  this  contra- 
diction in  themselves,  are  founded  the  social 
crimes  and  ail  the  inward  contradictions  which 
thousands  of  unfortunate  wives  in  our  civilized 
world  commit,  and  against  which  they  vainly  en- 
deavor to  struggle. 

Gracia's  awakening  to  love,  her  relation  to 
Robert,  was  evidently  the  natural  phenomenon 
in  the  province  of  the  soul-attraction  of  the  ani- 
matic  sphere,  which  Dr.  Garringos  has  sufli- 
ciently  described.  It  was  the  awakening  of  love 
in  its  longing  after  love,  as  a  natural  consequence 
of  her  existence.  Her  wretchedness  lay  in  a 
failure  of  decision  for  the  realization  of  this  de- 
mand, w^ith  reference  to  the  social  regulations  to 
which  she  had  thoughtlessly  or  "  reasonably" 
become  subjected  in  earlier  youth.  Her  pardon- 
able indicision  effected  the  inward  disturbance 
of  a  noble  man,  who,  fettered  to  her  in  animatic 
rapport,  was  with  her  made  a  prey  to  despair. 
Gracia's  confession  of  her  love — her  oath,  by 
which  she  bound  Robert  to  herself  *'  for  eter- 
nity"— resembled  the  effusion  or  communication 
of  a  somnambulist  in  the  province  of  the  mag- 
netic dream-world,  in  rigid  opposition  to  the 
profane  reality.  Returning  from  this  magnetic 
dream-world  to  everyday  life,  she  felt  herself  fet- 
tered like  a  slave — as  it  were  chained  to  a  soul- 
less corpse,  whose  meanness  and  whose  moral 
annihilation,  she  was  in  duty  bound  to  partake  of, 
according  to  the  lav;s  of  the  state  and  the  church. 
But  neither  church  nor  state  had  ever  inquired 
whether  this  union  was  originally  grounded 
upon  reciprocal  morality. 

Just  as  rigidly  as  the  domain  of  the  inward 
life  in  the  sphere  of  magnetism  stands  opposed 
to  the  outward  profane  life  of  the  corp(n'eal 
world,  appeared  to  the  unfortunate  woman  now, 
also,  her  love  to  Robert.  Her  heart,  so  soon  as 
she  became  conscious  of  her  position  in  love  to 
Robert,  (tiie  sustaining  of  her  inward  life,)  de- 
manded separation — the  fulfilment  of  her  oath, 
holy  faith  to  the  heart  which  she  had  recognised 

and  wounded  by  her  love .     So  called  social 

duty,  on  the  other  hand,  required  degradation 
of  herself  for  the  fulfilment  of  an  unnatural  ser- 
vice— endurance  and  excuse  of  all  the  aberra- 
tions and  crimes  of  the  man  whose  property  she 
was — a  merging  of  her  own  individuality  in  the 
meanness  of  a  foreign  nature — mortification  of 
her  inward  life — moral  death. 


340 


DOLORES, 


During  the  last  days,  Robert  remained  in  the 
city  as  before  his  illness,  and  returned,  as  in 
foregoing  times,  when  the  sun  was  near  going 
down.  Gracia  felt  herself  drawn  by  an  irresist- 
ible impulse  to  hurry  to  his  pavilion,  and  then, 
with  the  little  one  in  her  hand,  to  inquire 
whether  one  thing  or  another  for  his  departure 
was  to  be  )irnvided  for,  which  she  or  her  ser- 
vants migiit  [  erform.  There  were  moments  in 
which,  notwithstanding  such  inquiries,  she 
could  not  htelieve  that  this  friend  was  now  about 
to  leave  her,  that  she  was  to  remain  alone  by  the 
death-bed  of  her  husband. 

Robert  observed,  according  to  the  demands  of 
his  heart,  all  the  outward  forms  of  the  most 
intimate  friendship  towards  the  sufferer,  whose 
awakening  in  love  had  aroused  his  inward  life, 
and  whose  internal  convulsions  and  cramps  had 
destroyed  the  peace  of  his  sou!. 

From  the  above  point  of  view  we  beho?d  Rob- 
ert's mind  laid  waste,  since  the  diseasing  of  his 
animatic  (nerve)  life,  as  a  reaction  of  the  con- 
victions of  his  beloved,  remained  incurable  so 
long  as  she  was  not  able,  in  the  consciousness  of 
her  moral  freedom  as  a  woman,  to  rescue  her- 
self from  the  bonds  of  physical  degradation. 

As  we  behold  in  Gracia  the  woman,  with  her 
claims  upon  a  certain  prerogative  of  her  femi- 
nality,  in  the  abyss  of  despair,  drawing  dagger 
upon  dagger  of  jealousy  and  contradicti-m  against 
Robert — so  in  Robert  appears  to  us  the  man,  vio- 
lated in  the  sanctuary  of  his  higher  self-con- 
sciousness— his  honor.  In  this  feeling  of  the 
love  which  "endures  and  siiffers  all  things," 
Robert  bore,  as  we  knew  long  ago,  all  the  out- 
bi'eaks  and  convulsive  ebullitions  of  these  abso- 
lute contradictions — and  was  silent.  No  re- 
proach, no  bitter  reply  to  such  taunts  passed  his 
lips.  He  had  (as  We  mentioned  at  the  time) 
recognised  the  entity  of  his  beloved  in  its  original 
purity — and  separated  (as  we  likewise  know) 
external  influences  from  inward  worth — tem- 
perament from  character. 

But  Gracia's  parallel  between  him  and  the 
raan  into  whose  arms  she  had  even  thrown  her- 
self, when  the  strui;gle  and  convulsion  of  her 
soul  had  shown  her  all  the  appearances  of  the 
outward  world  in  the  distorted  mirror  of  her 
passion,  violated  Robert's  hoiK>r  as  a  man,  and 
shook  his  faith  in  the  female  heart. 

Logically  impossible  as  it  must  always  remain 
to  find  **  sense  in  nonsense,"  just  as  impossible 
must  it  be,  to  explain  the  behavior  of  a  woman 
in  such  cases. —  Gracia's  convulsions  more  and 
more  disturbed  by  their  reaction  his  animatic 
life,  and  lighted  all  the  appearances  of  the  social 
world  around  him,  as  it  were  with  a  clear  ani- 
matic light.  Thisglow  of  light  from  the  inward 
life,  turned  upon  the  reality,  resembled  the  gas 
light  of  a  solar  microsN:ope,  which  reveals  the 
animalculae  of  a  drop  of  water  as  hideous  mon- 
sters— that  pursue  and  devour  each  other,  like  a 
eymbol  of  the  eternal  struggle  in  the  mysterious 
essence  of  nature. 

If  love,  as  a  religions  principle,  is  to  be  sus- 
tained in  the  sacrament  of  the  church  as  a  social 
b-jnd,  then  at  least  the  social  bond  roust  be 
founded  upon  love.  If  the  latter  be  not  the 
case,  then  the  sacrament  becomes  abused,  un- 
hallowed, desecrated.  Where  no  bond  of  the 
soul  exists,  none  can  be  violated  or  broken  ;  the 
crime,  however,  in  such  a  case,  lies  in  the  de- 


gradation of  human  natore ;  ft  is  a  deseffirsficB 
of  the  sanctuary  of  generation,  "  a  sin  against 
the  holy  spirit  of  love." 

Love  can  only  exist  as  sympathy  in  similar 
developments  of  the  inward  life.  Gracia  had 
never  loved  her  husband.  Instead  of  consan- 
guinity of  being,  there  existed  opposition  of  the 
two  natures— antipathy. 

Robert  had  once  received  this  oath,  "  for 
eternity,"  in  the  higher  (r»atal)  sphere  of  the 
soul's  life,  and  as  such,  its  sacred  sianificatioii 
had  penetrated  him.  Doubt  in  the  validity  of 
the  oath,  would  have  led  him  to  doubt  in  the 
soul's  life  itself— to  doubt  in  God.  Robert  be- 
lieved, because  he  loved. 

In  opposition  to  him,  we  behold  the  nnfortu- 
nate  woman  awakened  to  love,  without  belief  in 
love,  led  to  that  contradiction  in  herself  which 
excuses  by  all  unworthy  conduct  of  the  heads 
of  families,  and  judges  the  beam  in  the  eyes  of 
men  who  have  never  cheated  or  betrayed  a 
woman,  and  never  t'or  a  mean  object  degraded 
themselves  by  alluring  a  lovely  vfoman  into 
matrimony. 

If  Gracia  had  believed  in  love,  she  would 
never,  never  for  a  m-jmeni,  have  doubted  in 
Robert's  love,  nor  in  himself.  We  behold  in 
Gracia  one  of  tjie  noblest  beings  who  ever  pro» 
ceeded  from  the  workshop  of  creation,  inwardly 
destroyed  and  wasted  by  an  unnatural  connex" 
ion.  Having  become  diseased  in  swh  a  situa- 
tion, as  a  natnral  effect  of  cirCDaostaoaes,  she 
met  with  Robert. 

We  now  look  back  to  Dr.  Thorfin's  apparent- 
ly singular  intimation,  that  a  woman  in  Madame 
Closting's  position  would  do  well  to  part  from 
her  hosband,  before  she  had,  led  by  spiritual 
attraction,  endangered  the  inward  life  of  a  gnilt- 
less  man,  and  perhaps  committed  an  indirect 
murder,  even  if  it  were  not  a  physical  one. 

Even  though  our  system  concerning.sympalhy 
and  antipathy,  and  our  hypothesis  concerning 
repulsion  and  attraction,  should  be  honored  by 
similar  opposition  like  Mesmerism,  (npnn  which 
both  rest,)  still  the  pcsition  and  the  fate  of  a 
woman  like  Senhora  Gracia,  is  repeated  a  thou- 
sand-fold in  ail  countries  of  the  civilized  world. 
Gracia's  lot  may  call  in  question  the  sense  of 
honor  in  both  sexes,  where  it  exists.  And 
where  no  sense  of  honor  exists,  the  principle  of 
humanity  will  also  be  wanting,  which  this  rela- 
tion calls  fm-. 

No  formal  bond  cf  the  church  can  consecrate 
a  connexion  which  (let  it  exist  on  whatever 
grounds  it  may)  has  been  formed  without  love. 
The  crimes  against  nature,  which  in  thousand- 
fold reiteration  proceeds  from  such  unions,  are 
those  secret  sins  whose  natural  effects  descend 
"  to  the  third  and  fourth  generation," 

It  was  on  the  evening  before  the  embarkation, 
when  Gracia  entered  the  desolate  apartment, 
from  which  even  the  writing-desk  had  disap- 
peared from  the  window  at  which  she  had  so  often 
silently  conteniplated  Robert,  and  even  occasion- 
ally tickled  him  on  the  cheek  from  a  distanct! 
with  a  long  spear  ot  grass,  to  frighten  him. 

The  thermomettT  was  likewise  already  packed 
up,  and  the  pictures  of  Byron  and  Walter  Scott 
which  decorated  the  apartateat,  had  vaaisbcd 
from  the  wall. 


DOLORES. 


341 


Robert  went  over  for  a  moment  into  Mr.  Clos- 
ting's  pavilion,  to  take  a  temporary  leave  of  him 
in  case  he  might  be  asleep  at  a  later  hour. 
Gracia  remained  alone  with  the  little  one  upon 
Robert's  divan.  He  found  the  patient,  as  ever,  in 
wild  delirium,  in  which  the  murder  ttf  the 
grimpeiro  tormented  him,  which  the  wife  natu- 
fally  considered  as  the  image  of  a  feverish  fancy, 
severely  as  the  eternal  repetition  of  the  same 
fancy  always  shocked  the  poor  woman  beside 
his  couch. 

The  wounded  man  lay  on  a  "  camp  bed  "  in 
the  middle  of  his  apartment ;  a  negro  .sat  by  him 
as  watcher.  Robert  greeted  him,  and  inquired 
after  his  health,  but  he  was  far  away  in  his  de- 
lirium, and  stared  around  with  the  expressii>n 
of  a  lunatic.  Like  so  many  Europeans,  who  in 
foreign  countries  lay  asi<le  their  own  language, 
and,  even  to  their  children,  speak  the  language 
of  the  nation  in  which  they  transact  their  busi- 
ness, Mr.  Ciosting  also  had,  for  years,  a.5sumed 
the  Portuguese  as  the  language  of  his  thoughts. 

**  Tak«  away  the  two  birds,  there — the  two 
sympathy  birds !"  he  muttered  to  himself  "I 
shot  one  of  them,  and  strangled  the  other — that 
is  all  right ;  but  it  must  remain  secret ;  my  wife 
must  not  know  it,  for  then  she  would  never 
come  near  me  again.  What  ?  not  come  near 
me  any  more  ?  that  would  be  sninething  new  ! 
Is  she  not  my  wife  .'  my  lawful  wife .'  is  it  not 
her  duty  ?  ought  she  to  part  from  me  ?  out^ht 
she  to  go  away  from  me  ?  I  have  committed 
murder,  as  you  call  it !  Take  the  l^vo  birds  away 
I  tell  you  !  I  have  shot  the  miserable  grim- 
peiro— Mr.  Dujour  !  Well,  that  was  ail  right ! 
what  did  I  do  it  for  ?  What  for .'  because  I  am 
the  father  of  a  family — because  I  must  make  a 
fortune  for  my  family  !  Take  the  two  birds 
away,  I  say  !  Am  I  not  the  father  of  a  family  ? 
have  1  not  duties  as  the  father  of  a  family  ?    My 

wife  is  young 1  have  only  three  children ;  but 

one  every  year,  and  may  have  ten  in  ten  years. 
Take  the  tw»o  birds  away,  or  I  shall  die.  And 
must  1  not  leave  property  behind  ?  and  whether 
I  do  or  not,  take  the  two  birds  away,  fur  1  must 
provide  for  my  family  ;  and  who  does  not  know 
what  that  means  ? — to  provide  for  a  family  that — 
that take  the  two  birds  away  ! Come  Gra- 
cia, come  to  me  !  I  have  been  away  long  enough  ! 
come  and  kiss  me  !  You  resist  ?  stupid  goose  ! 
the  two  birds  will  do  nothing  to  you  !  and  that 

— blood  ! infamous   mulack  !     why   do  you 

not  bring  me  water  to  wash my  hands . 

Gracia  !  come  I  say  ;  do  you  not  hear  ?  Gracia, 
come,  come  !  you  are  as  handsome  as  a  sympathy 
bird ! — thai  is  true ;  beautiful !  you  are  beautiful  ! 
and — and " 

The  youth  compelled  himself  to  listen  thus 
far  to  this  information  of  the  wretched  man, 
and  then  withdrew.  He  went  back  to  his  pa- 
vilion. It  was  to  be  perceived  that  his  eyes  had 
been  wet.  He  pressed  the  hand  of  his  friend, 
kissed  the  little  one,  and  dried  his  eyes  anew. 

A  singular  noise  was  audible  in  the  neigh- 
borhood ;  it  sounded  like  the  clang  of  weapons, 
and  the  stamp  of  hoofs,  and  the  footsteps  of 
armed  men. 

"  Almighty  God  !  what  is  that  ?"  cried  Gra- 
cia, when  the  gate  was  opened.  Several  police 
officers,  with  four  ofTicers  of  the  permanentos, 
entered  the  garden,  and  beset  the  outlet  with 
guarrts. 


"  Compose  yourself !  becalm!  Dolores  is  be- 
trayed !"  whispered  Robert  in  urgent  haste ; 
"  they  arrest  me  on  her  account,  but  to-morrow 
I  shall  be  free  again ;  I  am  an  Englishman,  and 
our  ambassador  will  know  his  duty." 

During  this  time,  the  officers  had  approached 
and  entered  the  apartment.  Gracia  clasped  her 
child,  as  if  she  sought  upon  the  wide  earth  one 
point  of  support  for  her  oppressed,  fluttering 
heart,  which  now  hardly  throbbed.  Inexplicable 
deathlike  anxiety,  and  the  most  fearful  fore- 
bodings, agitated  her. 

Robert  asked  the  officer  whom  they  were  seek- 
ing, and  what  brought  them  there. 

"  Senhor  Robert  Walker  from  Buenos  Ayres," 
began  an  officer,  producing  a  document. 

"  I  am  Senhor  Robert  Walker,  from  England," 
replied  lie,  with  a  firm  tone. 

"  Arrested  in  the  name  of  justice,  on  account 
of  an  attempt  at  murder  upon  the  person  of 
Senhor  Louis  Ciosting." 

"  Great  God  !"  shrieked  Gracia,  involuntarily 
thrusting  the  child  from  her,  as  if  only  one 
grief  disturbed  her  soul.  Terrified  by  the  an- 
guished cry  of  her  mother,  the  little  one  wept 
and  held  fast  to  her. 

"  Senhora!"  cried  Robert,"  Senhora,  compose 
yourself!"  and  a  gleam  of  holy  innocence  passed 
over  his  coimtenance. 

"  Almighty  God  !"  cried  the  disconsolate  one 
again,  gazing  around  her,  as  if  in  a  dream,  look- 
ing t(jwards  Robert,  and  then  to  heaven,  and 
wringing  her  hands  in  despair. 

"  I  will  follow  you,  gentlemen,"  began  Ro- 
bert, turning  to  the  officer  with  all  composure, 
"  only  allow  me  a  few  moments  to  arrange  my 
effects." 

"  Take  your  own  time,"  replied  an  officer. 

"  Senhora  Gracia,"  said  he  then,  seizing  the 
hand  of  his  friend,  and  looking  into  her  eye, 
which  hardly  recognised  what  it  saw;  "Sen- 
hora !  I  ask  you  here,  in  the  presence  of  these 
witnesses,  1  ask  you  before  God  the  omniscient, 
do  you  hold  me  capable  of  the  deed  with  which 
they  charge  me,  of  which  I  am  accused  .'" 

"  No  !  no  !  never  !  never  !"  shrieked  !he  un- 
happy woman,  and  sank  on  Robert's  breast,  with- 
out f'ear  of  beitig  falsely  understood  by  those 
present. 

The  officers,  touched  by  this  scene,  looked  at 
each  other  with  a  humane  expression  on  their 
petrified  countenances. 

"  I  repeat  the  question  before  the  omniscient 
God,  at  my  farewell  from  you  :  Senhora  Gracia, 
do  you  consider  me  capable  and  guilty  of  the 
deed  .'  I  recognise  your  judgement  as  the  judge- 
ment of  God !" 

"  No  !  oh  no  !  Robert — Robert,"  sobbed  she, 
concealing  her  fice  upon  his  breast. 

"  Tlien  farewell  !  farewell  !  I  thank  you  be- 
fore God,  and  in  the  presence  of  these  gentle- 
men, for  the  sympathy  and  friendship,  for  the 
goodness  and  gentleness,  with  which  you  have 
kindly  treated  me  as  a  stranger.  God  be  with 
you  and  witii  me." 

He  kissed  tile  lady  on  her  forehead  as  she  lay 
lifeless  in  his  arms,  and  relinquished  her  to  the 
care  of  the  officers,  who  apjpeared  more  and 
more  puzzled  by  all  that  they  saw  and  heard. 
They  sent  for  the  female  attendants  to  employ 
outward  remedies  as  speedily  as  possible,  to 
restore  the  ladv  to  consciousness. 


342 


DOLORES 


"  Then  I  ran  go  before  my  jud^e,"  said  Ro- 
bert, and  added,  in  a  low  voice,  turning  to  tiie 
officer,  "  I  will  go  into  the  cabinet  to  dress  my- 
self, and  write  a  few  lines,  to  be  delivered  by 
you  to  the  Minister  of  Justice ;  the  door  may 
remain  open." 

The  officers,  almost  deprived  of  their  presence 
of  mind  by  the  thrilling  scene,  occupied  them- 
selves, together  with  the  negresses  who  had 
hurried  in,  in  arousing  the  unfortunate  woman 
from  her  swoon ;  but  her  nerve  life  appeared 
destroyed,  and  the  connexion  with  the  corporeal 
world  rent  asunder. 

obert  went  into  his  cabinet,  an  officer  step- 
ped to  the  threshold  after  him,  and  cimvinced 
himself  that  there  was  no  outlet  there  through 
which  the  prisoner  might  possibly  escape.  He 
remarked  that  the  latter  took  up  paper  and  lead 
pencil,  and  some  garments,  and  then  returned 
again  to  his  comrades.  The  officer  then  again 
cast  a  glance  into  the  cabinet,  saw  Robert  was 
writing,  and  again  left  the  door. 

A  sound  like  a  sigh  was  audible  in  the  cabinet, 
and  ceased.  Some  officers  hurried  to  the  thresh- 
old— they  found  Robert's  corpse  .'  He  had  pressed 
a  small  poisoned  dagger  into  his  heart.  Near 
him  lay  a  sheet  of  paper.  One  of  the  officers 
hastily  seized  it,  and  read  the  following  lines, 
written  with  lead  pencil : 

"  A  man  »ybo  calls  himself  the  Baron  de 
Spandau,  a  spy  of  monarchy,  engaged  a  negro 
to  stab  my  friend  Hinango,  who  has  been  con- 
demned to  death  in  Russia  as  a  republican.  The 
negro  mistook  Senhor  Closting  for  Hinango.  I 
am  of  course  innocent,  but  I  should  have  been 
esteemed  guilty,  as  appearances  are  against  me, 
and  my  accusers  are  powerful.  The  regulations 
of  the  social  world  require  a  victim — I  bring  it 
by  my  death.  My  heart  is  pure ;  God  knows 
my  sentiments  and  my  sufl'erings ! 

"  Robert  Waijceb." 

"  He  is  dead  !"  said  the  officer  half  aloud  to 
himself,  as  he  touched  the  body,  and  put  the 
important  paper  in  his  pocket. 

"  He  is  dead!  he  has  stabbed  himself!"  ex- 
claimed one  officer  to  another,  who  stood  in  the 
garden.  The  sound  of  these  words  pierced  the 
ear  of  the  hitherto  insensible  woman,  and  sud- 
denly efiected  her  recovery. 

"  Dead  !  who  is  dead  ?  is  my  husband  dead?" 
inquired  she,  gazing  before  her  with  an  unsteady 
glance,  and  groping  around  with  her  hand,  as  if 
seeking  some  object  on  which  to  lay  hold. 

No  one  answered. 

"  Where  am  I  .'"  inquired  she,  with  an  ex- 
pression of  deadly  alarm  ;  "  I  am  in  Robert's 
room  !    Where  is  Robert  ?  where  is  Robert  ?" 

"  Roberto  is  dead !"  sobbed  the  little  one,  | 
clasping  fast  bold  oq  her  mother,  and  weeping  | 
aloud. 

"  Just  God  !"  exclaimed  she,  wrringing  her 
hands  in  inconsolable  despair ;  "  dead  ? — no  1 
no ! 

She  raised  herself,  as  if  she  was  looking  for 
his  body :  "  Where  is  Robert .'  where  is  my 
friend,  the  young  Englishman — whom  you  ac- 
cused of  the  murder .'"  inquired  she  of  the 
surrounding  officers. 

"  Dead  !"  sighed  several,  and  were  Unable  to 
add  another  word. 

"  Dead ,"  whispered  the  dying  woman. 


starinj  before  her  lilce  a  corpse  standing  npright, 
and  sinking  at  the  same  instant  back  into  her 
chair,  she  said,  in  a  broken  voice:  **  It  was  a 
dresm — the  dream  has  become  reality." 

She  felt  around  her  with  tremulous  hand, 
seized  her  little  daughter,  and  exerted  her  last 
strength  to  press  her  to  her  heart  ! 

"Si  other!  mother!"  screamed  the  little  one ! 
"  mother  !" 

Hut  the  mother  heard  her  no  more — Gracia 
was  dead. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

CO:»srDERATE    WARNING. 

WmtE  this  fearful  scene  was  taking  place  on 
the  Gloria,  a  police  officer,  in  a  civil  dress,  made 
his  appearance  at  Mr.  Thompson's  country  house 
in  Beta  Fogo,  where  all  was  in  a  movement  to 
send  the  last  trunks  and  boxes  aboard  the  "  Bride 
'  of  Abydos." 

[      The  otiicer  inquired  for  Mr.  George  Thompson, 
who  made  his  appearance  in  a  white  spencer, 
having  been  occupied  in  putting  up,  with   his 
own  hands,  and  with  great  cure,  some  little  boxes 
of  his  "  neice's"  jewellery. 
I      "  I  regret  that  I  am  commissioned  to  disturb 
you,"  began  the  functionary,  "  and    must  beg 
I  you  to  step  aside  with  me  a  moment." 
I      "  What  can  I  do  to  serve  yoa  .'"  inquired  Mr. 
Thomson,  wiping  his  forehead,  for  he   had  se- 
verely exerted  himself. 

"  I  corae  in  the  name  of  the  director  of  the 
police,  with  his  particular  compliments  to  your- 
self, Mr.  Thomson." 

"  I  thank  the  police  director,  what  are  his 
commands  ?" 

"  It  has  been  long  known  to  the  police  direc- 
tor, that  a  young  lady,  Senora  Dolores  de  *  '  *  ', 
has  lived  in  your  family  under  an  assumed  name 
as  your  niece.  Miss  Kanny  Walker,  or  as  Isabella 
de  Campana.and  it  must  likewise  be  known  to 
you,  that  this  young  lady  has  been  condemned 
to  death  in  Buenos  .Ayres,  on  account  of  politi- 
cal crimes  against  the  government  of  the  Ar- 
gentine republic." 

Mr.  Thomson  was  evidently  frightened. 

The  officer  continued  :  '*  The  police  director 
has  hitherto  permitted  this  young  lady  to  reside 
in  Bota  Foso  the  more  readily,  as  while  she 
lived  in  your  house,  in  your  family,  and  under 
your  responsibility,  no  political  crime  against 
our  government  was  to  tie  feared  on  her  part." 

Mr.  Thomson  seemed  to  wish  to  express  his 
particular  thanks  for  such  confidence,  but  could 
not,  however,  find  words  in  his  anxiety,  and  re- 
mained silent. 

The  police  functionary  continued:  "Particu- 
lar circumstances,  especially  inijuiries  on  the 
part  of  the  Argentine  government,  in  regard  to 
the  residence  of  the  young  lady,  place  the  po- 
lice director  under  the  necessity  of  being 
obliged  to  impart  this  intelligence  to  you  the 
most  speedily  possible,  that  he  may  not  be  un- 
der the  necessity  of  instituting  a  search  in  your 
house,  and  arresting  the  lady  on  account  of  a 
falsificatiou  of  her  uame.     The  police  diiectui 


DOLORES. 


343 


reqaests  you,  therefore,  to  assist  the  younp;  lady 
on  board  a  vessel,  Cor  her  protection,  and  from 
personal  consideration  for  ynu,  Mr.  Thomson, 
that  he  may  be  able  immediately  to  assure  the 
commissioned  agent  from  Buenos  Ayres,  that  the 
younp  lady  docs  not  live  in  Rio  de  Janeiro,  nor 
anywhere  in  the  environs." 

Mr.  Thomson  heard  this  extremely  anticipa- 
tive  and  polite  warning  of  the  police  function- 
ary with  loyal  anxiety,  on  account  of  the  trans- 
gression of  any  law,  a  thought  which  was  a 
horror  to  iiim  as  an  Englishman,  and  at  length 
listened  to  the  advice  for  embarkation  with  the 
highest  satisfaction. 

He  overflowed  with  assurances  of  his  thank- 
fulness and  gratitude  towards  the  police  direc- 
tor, and  the  functionary  who  stood  before  him. 
*'  You  know,  perhaps,  that  I  am  just  on  the 
point  of  going  on  board  a  vessel  to  sail  for  Santa 
Catharina,  and  if  you  had  come  one  hour  later, 
you  would  not  have  found  either  the  young  lady 
or  myself  on  shore.  I  beg  you  to  communicate 
this  intelligence  to  the  police  director.  In  the 
course  of  an  hour,  tlie  young  lady  will  be  on 
board  of  the  brig,  the  "  l?ride  of  Abydos,"  and 
she  will  only  remain  in  Santa  Catharina  until  I 
have  freighted  a  vessel  there,  which  shall  take 
us  to  England;  of  course  the  young  lady  will 
not  seek  an  asylum  on  Brazilian  ground." 

"  Well,  very  well,"  replied  the  functionary  ; 
"  I  am  commissioned  to  repeat,  that  you  will 
become  subject  here  to  an  accusation  on  account 
of  a  falsification  of  passports,  if  you  do  not  im- 
mediately avail  yourself  of  this  well  meant 
warning  on  our  part." 

"  Accusation  on  account  of  falsification  of 
passports  !"  cried  old  Mr.  Thomson,  embracing 
in  this  expression  the  entire  signiScancy  of 
bnch  an  injury  to  his  reputation  and  his  English 
respectability.  I 
"  I  should  be  glad,  Senhor,  if  you  ,"  re- 
plied he,  in  evident  embarrassment,  "  if  you 
would  have  the  goodness  personally  to  commu- 
nicate this  information  to  the  young  lady,  as  she 
herself  is  condemned  to  death,  and  I,  for  my 
part,  am  only  her  protector,  and  should  be  un- 
willing that  there   should  be   any  mi-stake 

mistake  in  the  person  to  be  executed." 

"  I  had  the  commission  to  speak    to  the  lady 

herself,  but  one  does  not  willingly  trouble ," 

replied  the  polite  functionary. 

"  Will  you  have  the  goodness  to  follow  me  ?" 
said  Mr.  Thomson,  hastening  before  the  officer, 
into  the  apartment  of  Dolores. 

The  officer  saluted  the  young  lady  with  Bra- 
zilian politeness,  and  repeated  to  her,  word  for 
word,  what  he  had  just  said  to  Mr.  Thomson. 

Dolores  appeared  collected  and  prepared  for 
such  a  warning,  and  commissioned  the  function- 
ary to  convey  her  thanks  to  the  director  of  po- 
lice tor  the  consideration  that  he  had  hitherto 
observed  towaj'ds  her,  in  permitting  her  to  enjoy 
the  hospitality  of  the  Thomson  family.  The 
olTicer  then  withdrew. 

Mr.  Thomson  had  arranged  for  the  embarka- 
tion, by  means  of  a  shallop  immediately  in  the 
neighborhood  of  his  country  house.  The  elfects 
were  curied  out,  and  Dolores  entered  t)ie  shal.- 
lop,  attended  by  Corinna  and  old  Achilles. 

The  Baroness  de  Spandau  Ibund  herself  un- 
der the  necessity  of  crossing  the  bay  to  the 
"  Brido  of  Abydos,"  without  the  attendance  of 


her  husband,  as  the  latter  was  still  occupied  in 
the  city,  and  was  to  follow  them  directly  from 
the  Hotel  Faroux. 

Mr.  Thomson  did  not  stir  from  the  side  of 
Dolores. 

"  Will  you  not  have  the  goodness  to  send 
some  one  to  Robert?"  inquired  she  of  her  old 
friend.  "  Robert  will  presently  come  to  Bota 
Fogo,  and  be  di.sappointed  at  not  finding  the 
shallop  there.  It  will  be  better  for  us  to  send 
him  word  that  we  have  already  gone  aboard,aud 
then  he  will  take  a  boat  at  the  Gloria." 

Mr.  Thonvson  considered  this  message  proper, 
and  in  the  highest  degree  necessary,  and  com- 
missioned one  of  his  negroes  to  deliver  it.  The 
shallop  put  out  from  the  shore,  and  steered 
across  to  the  fortress  of  Viiganhon,  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  "  Bride  of  Abydos." 

Hardly  were  they  all  on  board,  when  the 
baron  also  made  his  appearance,  bringing  a  mes- 
sage from  Robert  to  Mr.  Thomson,  whom  he 
called  aside  on  the  quarterdeck,  to  communicate 
to  him  something  of  importance.  Mr.  Thomson 
was  very  inquisitive,  and  gave  his  attention. 

"  I  have  just  been  with  Robert,  to  bring  him 
off;  he  commissioned  me  to  impart  to  you  what 
follows.  In  the  moment  of  farewell  from  Sen- 
hora  Closting,  the  bond  of  sympathy  which  has 
hitherto  enchained  them  both,  rendered  the 
parting  of  the  lady  from  our  Robert '  impossible,' 
in  brief,  your  plan,  Mr.  George,  that  the  lady 
should  accompany  our  Robert,  will  be  carried 
out,  but  not  to-day,  nor  to-morrow.  Mr.  Clos- 
ting lies  at  his  last  gasp,  given  up  by  the  phy- 
sicians ;  Robert  remains  with  tlie  lady  until 
her  fate  shall  be  decided;  or  if  not,  in  case 
Mr.  Closting  should  be  cured,  she  will  go  with 
him  wherever  he  may  take  her." 

"  Did  I  not  say  so  ?"  exclaimed  the  old 
widower ;  "  did  I  not  say  so  ?  1  know  the  women, 
and  I  knew  very  well  that  she  would  not  let 
him  go,  that  she  would  not  part  with  him ;  I 

knew  that!   Now  then,  in  Gods  name  ! He 

was  still  weak,  besides,  and  does  well  to  remain 
on  the  Gloria.  But  do  you  know  what  has  hap- 
pened to  us,  also  .'  Do  you  know  the  order  about 
Dolores  ?" 

"  I  know  all !  all !  dear  George  !"  replied  the 
scoundrel,  "  and  more  than  you  do  !  And  do  you 
know  also,"  whispered  he  very  low,  "  that  you 
havenoboby  to  thank  but  me  for  this  warning.' 
You  know  my  position  with  the  Minister  of  the 
Interior,  in  regard  to  the  purchase  of  the  Signal 
mountain  there  as  British  property  !  1  long  ago 
employed  my  acquaintance  with  the  Minister  to 
obtain  his  protection  for  Dolores.  But  a  requi- 
sition has  now  probably  been  made  for  her  deliv- 
ery— to  Buenos  Ayre«  ;  and  unhappily  the  gov- 
ernment could  do  nothing  more  than  to  give  you 
and  her  the  well  meant  hint  to  take  yourselves 
out  i.^f  the  way." 

"  That  was  very  noble  indeed  of  the  govern- 
ment— and  very  noble  on  your  part  Mr.  Brother- 
in-law,  very  noble  !"  whispered  Mr.  Thomson. 

"  Can  we  get  to  sea,  captain  ?"  inquired  the 
baron,  abruptly  breaking  off. 

"  If  ycHi  expect  nothing  more  from  the  city  ;  I 
have  been  ready  since  noon;  we  have  wind  enough 
to  go  o\it,"  cried  the  captain,  with  animation. 

*'  Then  do  not  delay  on  our  account,"  observed 
the  baron  ;  "  is  it  not  so,  Mr.  Thomson  .'  you  ex- 
pect nothing  more  from  the  city,  do  jou  i" 


344 


DOLORES. 


Mr.  Thomson  returned  a  negative  answer,  and 
informed  the  captain  that  his  nephew  remained 
on  shore  on  account  of  indisposition. 

The  captain  now  ordered  the  anchor  to  be 
weighed,  and  the  noise  brought  Dolores  on  deck. 

Tlie  baron  e.xplained  to  her  Robert's  pretended 
commission — which  he  had  just  related  to  the 
uncle. 

"  Then  Robert  is  not  coming .'"  inquired  she 
with  a.stonishment. 

**  As  I  have  just  made  free  to  explain  to  you, 
he  remains  for  the  present  with  his  lady,  until 
her  late  is  decided.  You  already  know,  long 
ago,  the  circumstances." 

Dolores  sank  into  profound  and  gloomy  medi- 
tation ;  but  hitherto  no  thought  of  suspicion  had 
been  aroused  with  respect  to  her  embarkation. 
She  thouj;ht  of  Robert.  She  had  observed  him 
in  his  illness,  she  had  seen  through  all  his  suf- 
ferings, and  now  trembled  for  his  life.  After 
the  first  painful  forebodings  awakened  by  this 
intelligence,  she  thought  of  herself,  of  her  own 
lot,  of  her  present  situation  ;  again  on  board  of  a 
strange  vessel,  alone,  without  Robert — without 
Hinango — without  Horatio  or  Alvarez  ;  alone, 
confided  to  the  protection  of  an  old  man,  who, 
although  he  certainly  might  be  a  very  practical 
business  man,  in  moments  of  danger,  such  as 
impended  over  the  exile,  might  very  easily 
loose  his  presence  of  mind.  She  had  long  ago 
been  informed  by  Dr.  Thorfin  of  the  standing  of 
the  baron  ;  as  Robert,  however,  was  to  attend 
her,  the  friends  had  not  thought  it  proper  to  in- 
timate to  her  the  particulars  of  the  danger  that 
threatened  her.  Robert's  presence  of  mind  was 
to  protect  her,  and  Robert — was  no  more. 

She  inquired  if  no  one  had  seen  Dr.  Thorfin ; 
for  even  he  had  not  made  his  appearance  for  a 
farewell  visit. 

Mr.  Thomson  now  said  that  he  had  met  him 
in  the  city,  and  that  it  had  been  his  intention  to 
have  accompanied  them  on  board.  He  had, 
however,  been  summoned  to  Signora  Serafini  at 
Praya  Grande,  and  could  not  decline  the  invita- 
tion. 

This  information  was  consistent  with  the 
truth,  but  Thorfin  supposed  that  the  brig  would 
not  go  to  sea  until  the  ne.xt  morning,  and  intend- 
ed to  accompany  his  friend  on  board,  and  take 
leave  of  Dolores  there. 

Dr.  Thorfin  returned  from  Praya  Grande  late 
in  the  evening — hurried  to  the  two  pavilions, 
and  found  the  faithful  Patrick  beside  the  two 
corpses,  and  the  wounded  Mr.  Closting  in  the 
delirium  of  death. 

Patrick  had  appeared  at  the  appointed  hour,  to 
take  the  last  efl'ects  of  Robert  on  board,  and,  in 
spite  of  the  baron,  to  go  on  board  himself  in  the 
dress  of  a  livery  servant  of  the  young  English- 
man. 

Patrick  foamed  and  raved  for  some  minutes 
with  fury.  He  explained  in  good  English  to  the 
police  officers :  Who  had  employed  the  negro 
who  had  wounded  the  confidant  of  the  spy,  the 
noble  naturalist.  But  the  functionaries  under- 
stood no  English,  and  thought  the  red-haii-ed 
Irishman  intoxicated. 

Dr.  Thorfin  hurried  down  into  the  city  to  Sen- 
hor  Moreto  the  relative  of  the  unfortunate  Gra- 
cia,  wlio  had  already  learned  the  fearful  intelli- 
gence.    The  doctor  begged  the  family  to  confide 


the  little  daughter  of  the  departed  to  Signora 
Serafini,  who,  separated  from  her  children, 
would  receive  the  poor  little  one  witli  maternal 
tenderness,  which  was  carried  into  effect  the  fol- 
lowing day,  and  the  dear  little  creature  found  a 
second  motlier. 

Dr.  Thorfin  now  relied  upon  a  fortunate  meet- 
ing of  the  Mazzini  and  the  Astrala  before  Santa 
Catharina,  for  tiie  reception  of  Dolores,  and  upon 
her  own  presence  of  mind,  as  Robert,  tlirough 
the  Satanic  intrigues  of  the  t>aron,  had  not  ac- 
companied her. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

THE    executioner's    OFFICE. 

Eight  days  after  the  "  Bride  of  Abydos"  passed 
the  fortress  of  Santa  Cruz  and  the  Sugar  Loaf,  she 
reached  the  two  little  islands  of  Gal  and  Alva- 
redo,  at  the  entrance  of  the  safe  harbor  of  the 
island  of  Santa  Catharina. 

It  was  an  admirable  Brazilian  morning.  In 
its  picturesque  splendor  and  magaificencc,  lay 
the  coast  of  tlie  main  land,  with  its  pointed  moun- 
tains, partly  adorned  with  milk-white  cloudy 
crowns,  which  the  ascending  sun  gradually 
chased  away.  The  wind  was  faint.  The  Baron 
de  Spandau  had  been  on  the  quarterdeck  with 
his  perspective  glass  since  four  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  while  it  was  still  dark.  He  looked 
out  at  all  points  into  the  distance,  in  search  of 
the  Argentine  man-of-war  La  Caza.  Several 
barks  aud  schooners,  and  a  crew  of  fishing 
shallops  showed  themselves,  but  nowhere,  no- 
where did  he  see  a  brig  that  resembled  a  brig 
of  war. 

Instead  of  this,  however,  to  his  deadly  alarm, 
two  sm.U  vessels  displayed  themselves  to  his 
piercing  gaze,  anchored  close  to  each  other,  not 
far  from  the  island  of  Alvaredo.  They  were  the 
schooner  Mazzini  and  the  schooner  brig  Astrala. 

Fortunately  the  spy  found  himself  still  alone 
upon  the  quarterdeck.  No  one  observed  him  with 
particular  attention.  The  man  at  the  helm  took 
as  little  notice  of  him  as  the  mate  who  had  the 
watch,  and  the  sailors  of  the  forem.ist  watch 
troubled  themselves  still  less  about  "  the  fellow 
with  the  impertinent  nose."  No  one  remarked 
that  he  was  indisposed,  that  he  was  really  pale. 

At  length,  however,  he  was  noticed  by  some 
one.  The  cabin  boy  had  risen,  and  came  tot- 
tering, half  asleep,  on  deck.  "  Are  you  seasick, 
Senhor  Baron  .'"  inquired  he,  yawning  Irom  pure 
sympathy,  and  rubbing  his  eyes.  The  baron 
made  no  reply.  He  could  not  answer  lor  anger, 
and  rage,  and  fury — least  of  all,  a  miserable  cabin 
boy. 

He  looked  again  through  the  perspective  glass, 
as  if  he  hoped  that  both  vessels  had  been  only 
phantoms,  perhaps  only  little  "  flying  Dutch- 
men," and  might  now  have  disappeared.  But 
there  they  still  lay.  The  schooner  brig  -Astrala, 
which  he  had  daily  seen  in  the  Bay  of  Rio,  and 
the  schooner  Mazzini,  which  Dr  Merbold  had 
described  to  him  as  fully  as  he  was  aulelo  des- 
cribe a  vessel  which  was  not  a  beetle. 

The  single  consolation  of  the  seller  of  souls. 


DOLORES. 


346 


was  the  light  wind,  which  sustained  the  hope 
that  the  Caza  might  still  appear  before  the  Bride 
of  Abydos  had  made  the  short  distance  into  the 
harbor.  This  hope  was,  howevpr,  combined  with 
the  fear  that  the  two  *'  cursed  corsairs"  would 
"  cut  off"  the  Bride  of  Abydos  from  the  Caza, 
and  make  the  communication  between  them  im- 
possible, in  case  Captain  Tumble  should  even 
appear  in  the  distance  with  a  fresh  breeze. 

it  was  a  situation  which  might  put  an  honest 
man  in  despair,  to  say  nothing  of  a  scoundrel. 
The  matter  here  did  not  merely  concern  the  full 
price  which  was  set  upon  the  head  of  Dolores. 
He  was  to  receive  half  the  reward  if  he  were 
obliged  himself  to  accomplish  the  order  of  the 
ministerial  executioner  at  Buenos  Ayrcs,  and  of 
this  half  he  had,  as  is  known,  again  promised 
the  half  to  Captain  Tumble.  The  object  in  this 
case  was  particularly  the  delivery  itself,  the 
honor  attached  to  such  a  %vork  for  sustaining  the 
monarchical  principle  '. 

It  struck  eight  bells,  as  the  captain  stepped 
upon  tile  quarterdeck.  He  was  a  small,  friendly 
Scot,  from  Aberdeen — Captain  White,  a  seaman 
who  had  experienced  many  changes  of  wind, 
and  many  storms,  and  seen  many  foreign  shores. 

"  Halloo  !"  cried  he,  "  twp  vessels  at  an- 
chor," and  had  some  water  brought  to  make  his 
toilet,  as  the  Baroness  de  Spandau  occupied  his 
cabin  with  the  baron,  and  lie  slept  in  a  berth 
where  the  mate  otherwise  had  his  quarters. 

•'  Tiiese  are  a  couple  of  vessels  of  war — priva- 
teers from  Monte  Video  I  suspect,"  remarked  he, 
as  the  mate  approached  him.  "  Hoist  the  flag  !" 
added  he ;  "  let  us  see  at  once  what  fire  we  are 
coming  under.  England  is  not  at  war  here  with 
the  Republicans,  as  far  as  I  know.  I  hope  we 
have  nothing  to  fear." 

The  flag  was  hoisted.  Dolores  appeared,  not- 
withstanding the  early  hour,  leaning  on  the  arm 
of  Corinna,  and  seated  herself  on  a  barrel  near 
the  helm.  Hardly  had  she  beheld  the  two  ves- 
sels, tlian  a  gleam  of  joy  overspread  her  coun- 
tenance, and  without  concerning  herself  about 
the  baron's  proximity,  she  exclaimed,  "  thank 
God  !  that  is  Captain  Hinango  and  Captain  Ba- 
rigaldi !" 

"  You  know  these  two  sail  then,  if  I  may  ask," 
said  the  captain,  who  had  often  conversed  with 
Dolores  during  the  voyage. 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  sighed  she,  "  very  weil.  I 
know  both  vessels,  captain  ;  the  small  schooner 
is  the  Mazzini  from  Monte  Video,  the  schooner 
brig  is  the  Astrala  of  Hayti ;  both  captains  have 
shown  me  great  civility.  Captain  Hinango  came 
as  passenger  with  me  from  Buenos  Ayres  to 
Kio." 

"  Then  I  will  steer  close  by  them,"  returned 
Captain  White ;  "  perhaps  we  may  hail  them." 

"  The  schooner  brig  is  making  sail  already  !" 
cried  the  man  at  (he  helm. 

"  The  schooner  also,"  cried  the  mate. 

"  The  crews  manoeuvre  well !  excellently  !" 
added  the  captain  !  "  that  goes  like  the  devil ! 
halloo  !  there  !  they've  done  it  already — weighed 
anchor  already !     If  we  only  had  a  wind  now." 

"  The  flag  of  Montevideo — light  blue,  striped 
with  white,"  said  the  mate  to  himself,  while  he 
looked  through  the  telescope,  "  and  the  flag  of 
Hayti — blue  also — dark  blue  and  white,"  added 
he ;  "  two  cursedly  neat  vessels  !  in  good  trim  ! 
fine  rigging  !  both  carry  flags  on  the  foremast  • 
44 


the  schooner — green,  red,  and  white  ;  the  other, 
the  brig — blue,  white,  and  yellow,  and  a  star  in 
the  blue." 

"  That  is  the  flag  of  the  Scandinavian  Union," 
remarked  Captain  White ;  "  the  Haytian  captain 
is  probably  a  Scandinavian ;  the  Scandinavians 
are  fine  seamen  !" 

"  That  he  is  !"  assented  Dolores ;  "  the  captain 
of  the  Astrala  is  a  Finn,  formerly  a  Russian  ma- 
rine officer." 

"  A  Finn  .'  Captain  Hinango  .',  formerly  a  Rus- 
sian marine  ofl^icer  ?"  inquired  the  captain,  medi- 
tating j  "  is  not  his  name  Ormur  Olafur  Hinango  ?" 

"  To  be  sure,"  cried  Dolores,  "  do  you  know 
him  ?" 

"  I  know  a  Russian  marine  oflScer  of  that 
name,  who  has  been  condemned  to  Siberia,  to 
the  lead  mines,  on  account  of  political  crimes,  as 
a  republican." 

"  That's  the  same !"  cried  Dolores. 

"  He  went  as  passenger  with  a  friend  of  mine, 
Captain  Allan,  of  the  brig  Ivanhoe,  from  Lon- 
don to  Bahia,  some  years  since.  I  lived  in  his 
society  there  for  some  weeks.  He  is  an  agreeable 
man — a  strong  republican  !" 

'*  That  he  is  !"  assented  Dolores,  more  and 
more  happy  and  joyful,  from  the  neighborhood 
of  her  friends,  and  from  Captain  White's  casual 
acquaintance  with  her  [jrotector. 

After  long  reflection  upon  her  situation,  and 
the  danger  that  threatened  her,  Dolores  had 
already,  in  the  first  days  of  the  voyage,  formed 
the  resolution  to  confide  her  position,  in  case  of 
need,  to  the  captain  of  the  Bride  of  Abydos,  as 
she  recognised  in  him  a  man  who  was  a  true 
seaman.  She  had  as  yet,  however,  found  no  oc- 
casion to  make  demands  upon  his  proctection. 

The  police  or  government  had  not  refused  her 
a  residence  on  Brazilian  ground  in  order  to  de- 
liver her  up,  (that  contradicted  the  constitution,) 
hut  that  they  might  be  able  to  answer  the  allied 
quasi  constitutional  government  of  the  Argen- 
tine republic, "  that  the  lady  was  not  there."  Only 
the  so  called  "  cabinet  system,"  according  to 
which  a  government  concludes  one  afl'air  or  an- 
other "  entirely  underhand,"  (as  a  diplomatic 
secret,)  could  in  such  a  case  endanger  the  per- 
sonal safety  of  any  one  whatever,  who  ought  to 
have  claims  upon  the  protection  of  the  laws. 
But  exactly  in  this  characterless  inelhoiency 
with  which  constitutional  monarchy  endeavors 
to  evade  the  laws  in  all  which  sustains  the  prin- 
ciple of  despotism,  and  voluntarily  employs 
them  in  all  that  can  suppress  the  principle  of 
freedom,  lies  the  contemptiblenessof  such  a  sys- 
tem— the  wretchedness  of  a  government  that 
has  neither  the  courage  nor  the  force  to  main- 
tain a  ])rinciple,  as  it  ever  shows  itself  in  such 
cases  in  its  full  extent.  Constitutional  ineffi- 
ciency offers  the  hand  to  every  despot  from  cow- 
ardice, and  endeavors  to  mask  its  want  of  char- 
acter before  the  nation,  as  if  it  acted  liberally. 
This  inconsistency  of  constitutional  monarchy, 
fills  the  history  of  our  characterless  epoch  with 
its  contradictions  and  miseries,  as  it  fills  the 
dungeons  in  free  countries  with  exiles,  and 
chases  the  victim  of  such  inefficiency  into  the 
hands  of  the  executioner  by  "  expulsion." 

It  is  in  such  cases  not  by  any  means  the  per- 
son, who  is  persecuted  as  an  exile — it  is  the 
principle  of  freedom  and  of  humanity,  which, 
condemned  to  death  by  absolutism  must  be  eradi- 


346 


DOLORES. 


cated,  and,  nevertheless,  will  not  be  eradicated 
so  limg  as  the  idea  of  tlie  divinity  lies  in  man. 
We  behold  in  such  persecutions  the  blindness 
and  obduracy  of  tlie  creatures  in  the  pay  of  mon- 
archy, who  can  forget  nothing,  because  they 
nave  learnt  nothing,  in  rehiticn  to  tlie  history  ot 
nations — as  the  history  of  mankind  ;  it  is  British 
dullness  translated  into  diplomacy,  which,  from 
the  throne  do.vnwards,  fills  the  air  of  the  cabi- 
net with  a  contagious  infection,  and  endues  the 
ablcs' jurists  or  diplomatists  with  dullness,  so 
soon  as  they  obtain  a  portfolio  under  the  arm, 
and  roll  towaids  the  court  in  their  carriages. 

If  "  J.Iinisterial  Excellencies"  would  reflect 
that  a  century  intervened  between  John  Huss  and 
the  Reformation,  they  would  perceive  that  nei- 
ther expulsion  nor  execution  is  able  to  extermi- 
nate the  spirit,  that  once  led  the  Israelites  out 
of  Egypt,  and  drove  the  Britons  from  the  United 
States. 

The  baron  stood  at  the  bulwark  of  the  quar- 
terdeck, at  some  distance  from  Dolores,  while 
she  was  talking  so  confidentially  to  the  friendly 
little  Captain  White.  He  seemed  still  very  much 
indisposed.  He  had  for  the  last  month  managed 
all  tilings  so  admirably  that  could  lead  to  his 
object. 

He  had  obtained  from  Mr.  Thomson's  own 
mouth  the  confession  that  Robert  stood  in 
peculiar  relations  to  Madame  Closting,  and 
thought  to  carry  her  ofl",  at  least  he  might  assert 
as  much.  He  had,  upon  this  confession  of  the 
uncle,  made  the  revelation  to  the  authorities, 
that  no  other  than  Mr.  Robert  Walker  was  the 
originator  of  the  murder  which  had  been 
attempted  on  Mr.  Closting,  and  was  now  slowly 
arriving  at  its  accomplisliment.  He  bad  given 
the  Minister  of  Police  a  hint,  that  the  exile  from 
Buenos  Ayres  occupied  herself  with  the  edition 
of  her  republican  poems,  and  obtained,  through 
Miss  Susan,  some  sheets  of  her  manuscript, 
which  he  used  for  his  purpose,  and  then  re- 
placed, so  I  hat  their  removal  could  scarcely  be 
remarked. 

He  had  written  to  Captain  Tumble  to  Santos, 
when  the  Caza  lay  there,  to  take  under  convoy 
an  English  vessel  that  was  to  carry  arms  to 
Buenos  Ayres.  He  had  thereby  infoimed  Cap- 
tain Tumble  where  the  two  "  cursed  miserable 
sail  of  the  Humaiiitarios"  now  lay,  and  all  was 
now   to  be  wrecked. 

He  had  just  reached  the  port  of  treachery, 
and  then  not  to  enter  it — to  be  forced  to  sea 
again  with  a  contrary  wind  ?  No  !  he  stood 
at  his  post,  and  knew  what  still  remained  for 
him  !o  do 

The  two  privateers  approached  the  "  Bride  of 
Abydos."  He  might  expect  that  Hinango  would 
come  on  board  immediately,  and  carry  oil"  Do- 
lores— to  take  her  to  Monte  Video.  The  baron 
must  hasten  to  action — he  was  on  service — it  was 
his  duly. 

"  John,  will  you  be  so  good  as  to  bring  me  an 
orange?''  cried  Dolores  to  the  cabin  boy,  as  he 
came  up  from  the  cabin,  and  made  preparations 
for  breakfast. 

"  Directly  Seiiora,"  replied  John,  and  would 
have  turned  back  again. 

"  Do  you  wish  to  discharge  me  from  service 
Senora.'"  cried  the  baron,  who  had  hitherto 
prepared  two  oranges  every  morning,  one  for 
the  baroness,  and  one  lor  Dolores,  as  they,  ac- 


cording to  Brazilian  usage,  took  care  to  enjny  nn 
orange  every  morning  regularly  before  break- 
fast. 

"  Don't  trouble  yourself,  Senhor  Baron,"  cried 
she  after  him,  as  lie  hurried  down  into  his  pri- 
vate cabin,  where  the  baroness  still  lay  in  sweet 
gentle  slumber — for  she  had  gone  to  rest  very 
late. 

The  baron  selected  two  beautiful  oranges — 
stuck  each,  according  to  Brazilian  method,  upon 
a  fork,  and  cutting  a  small  circular  piece  from 
each,  divided  the  rind  lengthwise  in  such  a 
manner  Ihat  it  formed  a  flower,  of  which  the 
orange  was  the  chalice,  and  then,  opening  with 
a  trembling  hand  his  private  medicine  chest, 
he  took  out  two  little  flasks,  and  dropped  some 
drops,  and  a  substance  like  a  grain  ol  salt,  into 
an  incision  in  the  middle  of  one  of  the  oranges. 
This  done,  he  went  with  both  oranges  on  deck, 
and  stepped  before  Dolores,  with  peculiar  polite- 
ness, and  with  a  jesting,  happy  deportment,  as 
if  he  were  in  particularly  good  humor. 

"  Which  do  you  please  to  have  ?"  inquired 
he,  as  he  turned  his  hack  towards  the  bulwark, 
and  held  both  hands  behind  hira  ;  "  will  you 
have  the  orange  in  the  right  or  the  left  hand  .'" 

"  You  are  very  kind,  baron,"  said  Dolores, 
guilelessly  and  unconstrainedly  ;  "  give  me  the 
one  which  is  nearest  your  heart,  the  left,  if  the 
baroness  docs  not  protest  against  it." 

The  baron  exchanged  the  oranges,  as  he  hap- 
pened to  have  the  prepared  one  in  his  right 
hand,  and  presented  it  to  the  condemned  with 
peculiar  ceremony,  but  with  a  trembling  hand. 

Captain  White,  and  the  mate,  and  the  man  at 
the  helm,  observed  the  free  choice  of  Dolores, 
and  thought  the  jest  sportive. 

Dolores  sucked  the  rich  juice  of  the  orange 
with  peculiar  enjoyment  from  the  unfolded 
flower,  and  shivered,  lor  the  fruit  was  very  cool 
and  fresh. 

The  baron  found  himself  again  indisposed,  he 
leaned  against  the  bulwark,  holding  the  second 
orange  in  his  hand,  which  was  intended  for  his 
lady.  "Shall  I  give  you  another,  SeSora?" 
inquired  he,  stammeringly. 

"  Thank  you,  baron — one  orange  before  coffee 
is  enough,  1  never  take  but  one  in  the  morn- 
ing.    I  am  much  obliged  to  you." 

She  turned  again  to  Captain  White,  and  talke<l 
to  him  about  Captain  Hinango,  and  told  him  of 
Captain  Kinngreeu,  who  had  taken  her  from 
Buenos  Ayres  to  Rio 

The  cabin  boy  asked  the  baron  if  he  would 
awaken  his  lady  for  breakfast — the  table  was  set, 
and  the  coffee  ready ;  or  whether  he  should 
knock  himself. 

The  baron  nodded  his  head,  and  John  made 
a  noise  at  the  private  cabin,  to  awaken  the 
Baroness  de  Spandau  from  her  siveet  dreams  of 
the  honeymoon. 

"  How  beautifully  the  two  vessels  glide  along 
there,  near  each  otlier,""  said  Dolores;  "  it  is  an 
image  of  fraternal  concord — exposed  to  all  the 
storms  of  life  !  I  am  so  pleased,  captain,  at  the 
sigiit  of  these  two  vessels.  I  almost  regret  that 
1  am  not  a  man  to  conduct  a  third  with  these 
two ;  it  should  be  called  "  El  Desterrado,"  and 
should  be  a  terror  to  monarch's.'' 

Dolores  talked  on  thus  gaily,  until  uncle 
George  appeared  and  led  her  down  to  break- 
fast. 


DOLORES. 


347 


CHAPTER    X. 


THE    VICTIM. 


It  was  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  forenoon.  The 
wind  was  still  light — very  light.  The  two  ves- 
sels of  the  "  Humanita"  had  slowly,  very  slow- 
ly, pursued  their  course  to  meet  the  "  Bride  of 
Abydos,  and  now  were  almost  side  by  side.  Mr. 
Thomson  was  smoking  his  segar,  and  rejoicing 
once  more  right  heartily  over  the  singular  con- 
currence of  circumstances  under  which  Seiiora 
Dolores  could  the  less  refuse  him  her  hand,  as 
she  evidently  required  a  safe  asylum,  and  no- 
thing else  remained  for  her,  but  to  go  to  Eng- 
land with  him.  The  clergyman  whose  attend- 
ance had  been  bespoken  at  the  betrothal  dinner 
had  not  been  brought  along,  as  the  wedding  of 
the  baroness  had  already  taken  place,  and  Mr. 
Thomson  had  inquired  and  satisfied  himself  that 
an  English  ecclesiastic  lived  at  Santa  Catharina, 
who  knew  how  to  manage  his  business  right 
practically.  Mr.  Thomson  found  himself  in  a 
6tate  of  boundless  gratification.  The  view  of 
the  wonderful  landscape,  which  now  lay  before 
him,  it  is  true,  interested  him  very  little,  for 
during  his  whole  life  he  had  scarcely  had  an 
hour  to  himself,  in  which  to  turn  his  eyes  upon 
mountains,  and  valleys,  and  rocks,  and  trees, 
and  the  like,  unless  to  a  piece  of  ground  for  a 

Eurchase.  He  was  all  the  more  interested, 
owever,  with  the  prospect  of  his  fifth  mar- 
riage, which  was  now  to  take  place  there ; 
there — on  the  charming  island  of  Santa  Catha- 
rina ;  and  he  longed  to  be  on  shore,  "  to  arrange 
the  business  with  the  clergyman,"  and  to  hire  a 
private  residence,  until  the  "  Bride  of  Abydos," 
or  another  vessel,  should  convey  him  and  his 
lawful,  charming,  blooming  wife,  to  England. 
He  was  determined,  in  case  Dolores  wished  it, 
to  retire  from  business,  and  hire  a  palace  in 
Florence,  or  somewhere  else,  and  live  right 
comfortably  in  nuptial  felicity.  The  appearance 
of  the  two  privateers  in  the  latitude  of  Santa 
Catharina,  which,  anchored  there,  were  evi- 
dently waiting  for  something,  occasionally 
passed  through  his  head.  They  were  the  As- 
trala  and  the  Mazzini — Barigaldi  and  Hinango  ; 
two  "  fellows  with  hair  on  their  teeth,"  with 
hair  on  the  upper  lip,  with  moustaches,  and,  so 
far  as  was  generally  known,  they  carried  their 
hearts  in  the  right  place.  The  thought  that 
perhaps  Hinango  "  had  an  eye  to  Dolores,"  (as 
people  express  themselves  in  matrimonial  af- 
fairs,) had  hitherto  been  far  from  the  old 
widower.  He  had  remarked  no  love  passages 
between  Dolores  and  him  so  long  as  she  resided 
at  Bota  Fogo.  Nevertheless,  however,  the  ap- 
proach of  the  two  privateer  vessels,  appeared  to 
him  suspicious  and  doubtful.  He  racked  his 
brains  about  the  occasion  of  their  blockade  of 
the  entrance  to  Santa  Catharina,  and  talked  over 
the  matter  with  Captain  White. 

The  captain  remarked  that  the  mainland  of 
the  province  of  Rio  Grande  commenced  directly 
below  the  province  of  Santa  Catharina,  hardly 
sixty  miles  distant  from  their  present  latitude, 
and  the  two  privateers  were  probably  destined 
for  Laguna,  and  were  taking  ammunition,  or 
something  of  that  kind,  on  board  here,  without 
having  any  designs  upon  the  Bride  of  Abydos. 
The  two  vessels  of  the  "  Humanita "   now 


floated  towards  each  other,  and  all  eyes  were 
directed  upon  them. 

Hinango  stood  on  his  quarterdeck,  and  beside 
him  Horatio,  who  had  travelled  from  Rio  Grande 
to  Monte  Video  by  land,  and  conveyed  the  re- 
quest to  Captain  Barigaldi  to  go,  if  possible,  to- 
wards Santa  Calharina;  arrived  there,  he  had 
gone  on  board  the  Astrala,  where  the  cabin  was 
now  arranged  in  the  best  manner  possible  for 
Dolores  and  Corinna. 

The  baroness  was  leaning  on  the  arm  of  the 
baron  ;  she  looked  very  pale,  but  very  interest- 
ing, in  the  highest  degree  interesting,  as  every 
young  woman  generally  looks  in  the  first  days 
or  weeks  after  marriage.  She  was  dressed  in  a 
very  tasteful  neglige,  with  a  little  hat  "  a  la 
Duchesse  de  Berry,"  over  which  was  thrown  a 
green  veil. 

The  Astrala  steered  nearest,  and  Captain  Hi- 
nango called  through  the  speaking  trumpet  the 
seamanlike  "  Brig  ahoy  !" 

Captain  White,  upon  his  post  in  expectation 
of  this  summons,  answered,  and  the  captain  of 
the  Astrala,  in  all  due  form  inquired,  although 
he  knew  the  answer  beforehand  : 

"  Where  are  you  from  :" 

"  From  Rio  de  Janeiro." 

*'  Where  bound .'" 

"  For  Santa  Catharina  and  Buenos  Ayres." 

"  Have  you  passengers  on  board  ?" 

"  My  whole  cabin  full,  and  a  lady  whom  you 
know.  Captain  Hinango:  and  you  know  me 
also;  I  am  Captain  White — '  Bride  of  Abydos,' 
the  friend  of  Captain  Allan  of  the  Ivanhoe." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  it — very  glad  ;  I'll  come 
on  board  of  you  !"  returned  the  captain  of  the 
.'istrala. 

There  was  silence  again  on  the  quarterdeck 
of  the  '  Bride  of  Abydos.' 

"  A  fine  man  !"  said  Captain  White,  smiling, 
"  this  Captain  Hinango  !  a  naval  officer  of  the 
first  class  .'  Where's  our  Senora  i"'  inquired  he, 
looking  around  him;  "she  hasn't  became  sea- 
sick .''     Strange  that  she  is  not  on  deck  !" 

"  She  ,is  asleep,"  replied  the  Baroness  de 
Spandau,  "  she  desired  me  to  awake  her  if  the 
two  vessels  came  near  us."  The  baroness  was 
going  down  into  the  cabin  to  awaken  Dolores. 
The  baron  stepped  before  her,  and  ob.served  that 
it  was  time  enough  yet,  she  miglit  still  repose 
until  her  friend  was  on  board  of  the  vessel. 

Captain  Hinango  now  called  to  the  captain  of 
the  Mazzini  to  hold  himself  in  readiness ;  he 
would  lower  his  boat,  and  take  him  off  to  go  on 
board  the  '  Bride  of  Abydos.'  All  three  vessels 
now  laid  themselves  "  by  the  wind,"  which, 
moreover,  did  not  disturb  them  very  much. 

"  You  also  know  Captain  Hinango,"  continued 
Captain  White,  in  conversation  with  Mr.  Thom- 
son. 

"  To  be  sure  I  know  him  !  a  respectable  man, 
a  gentleman,  is  Captain  Hinango  !  I  know  him 
very  well !  The  cannon  of  the  Astrala  were 
furnished  by  us  ;  he  equipped  the  Astrala  in  Rio  ; 
and  took  a  great  deal  of  us,  from  our  stares ; 
the  new  schooner's  sail  was  bought  of  us  !  it's 
cloth  from  your  native  place — from  Aberdeen." 

"  One  may  see  that !"  observed  Captain  White, 
"  and  very  well  fitted  ;  and  she  comes  to  beauti- 
fully ; " 

The  baroness  was  walking  up  and  down  on  the 
arm  of  the  baron,  as  the  Bride  of  Abydos  lay 


3i8 


DOLORES. 


nearlv  motionless  on  the  surface  of  the  water,  as 
well  as  the  two  privateers.  The  baron,  however, 
reeled  notwithstanding  this,  and  could  hardly 
keep  his  feet.  He  required  the  support  of  his 
ladv,  instead  of  her  leaning  upon  him ;  he  was 
feverish,  and  his  lady  deeply  lamented  that  he 
was  not  well. 

The  boat  of  the  Astrala,  in  whose  stern  Mr. 
Closting  had  received  the  sti-oke  of  the  dagger, 
now  lay  aloiisside.  The  two  officers  of  the  "  Hu- 
minila,"  in  dark  blue  uniform,  with  white  an- 
chor bultons,  and  snow  white  nether  garments, 
stepped  upon  the  deck.  Both  wore  flat  naval 
hats,  and  each  carried  his  national  cockade; 
small  swords  in  silver  scabbards  appeai-ed  ou  their 
hips.     Horatio  accompanied  them. 

"  Captain  White  I  "  began  Hinango,  "  you 
know  our  flags.  My  schooner  brig  is  the  Astrala, 
of  Hayti,  cruising  against  the  slave  trade,  and  the 
schooner  is  the  Mazzini,  of  Monle  Video— Cap- 
tain Barigaldi,"  added  he,  introducing  his  friend 
to  the  captain  of  the  Bride  of  Abydos. 

"  Mr.  George  Thompson  !  how  do  you  find 
yourself .'  how  are  you .'  said  he  now  to  the 
freighter  of  the  vessel ;  "  I  congratulate  you  on 
vour  fortunate  arrival  before  Santa  Catharina  ;  I 
(lid  not  think  that  I  should  have  the  pleasure  of 
meeting  you  here." 

"  You  have  been  to  Bahia,  as  we  saw  by  the 
papers  ? "  returned  Mr.  Thompson. 

"  To  Bahia,  and  there  found  orders  from  my 
government,  which  pointed  out  to  me  another 
course.  But  where  is  Robert  .-  our  Robert  ?  my 
fiiend  Robert .'  and  where's  Miss  Fanny  ?"  in- 
quired he,  looking  around  him  with  peculiar 
anxiety.  "  I  recollect  your  plan  of  making  this 
voyage  en  famille  P' 

"  Miss  Fanny  is  in  Buenos  Ayres  ;  and  the 
the  young  lady  whom  you  have  known  under  this 
name  is  called  Isabella  de  Campana,  and  is  here 
on  board  ;  she  is  asleep  just  now." 

"  We  will  take  the  liberty  to  have  her  awak- 
ened, it  will  give  her  great  pleasure  to  see  you," 
said  Captain  White.  "  John  bring  two  bottles  of 
port,  and  glasses,  and  biscuit  ! — and  biscuit  out 
of  the  tin  box !" 

The  baroness  again  offered  to  awaken  her 
friend,  and  went  down  into  the  cabin.  The 
baron  accompanied  the  lady  to  the  stairs,  and 
then  leaned  there  at  the  entrance,  he  was  again 
very  much  indisposed,  it  was  plainly  to  be  seen. 
Hinango  directed  his  gaze  upon  him — he  could 
not  endure  it,  and  looked  on  the  ground. 

Mr.  Thomson  now  informed  Captain  Hinango, 
that  Robert  had  remained  behind  in  Rio  from 
indisposition,  that  he  had  had  a  nervous  fever 
since  the  departure  of  the  Astrala,  but  was  already 
convalescent,  and  would  probably  soon  follow 
them. 

A  shriek  sounded  upwards  from  the  open  sky- 
light, and  then  another,  and  then  it  became  as 
still  iis  death. 

"  My  God,  whafs  that?"  cried  several  with 
one  voice,  and  Captain  White  hurried  past  the 
baron  into  the  cabin.  The  two  privateer  cap- 
tains and  Horatio  followed,  witli  Mr.  Thomson, 
all  silently,  and  with  palpitating  hearts. 

"  Dead  !  dead  I    dead  !  "  passed  from    mouth 

to  mouth.     "  A  stroke  of  apoplexy  !"   cried  the 

baron.      "  My   God  !  my   God  !    and  my   wife ! 

dead  also  ! — dead  also  !" 

"  No  !"   cried  the  baroness,  awakening  from 


her  swoon,  "  no !  but  horrible  !  h(  rrible  !  to  die 
here  on  board,  of  apoplexy  ! — dead  !" 

All  gazed  upon  each  other.  Hinango  and 
Barigaldi  recollected  themselves  first,  and  bore 
the  body  on  deck,  in  the  hope  that  rescue  might 
yet  be  possible.  But  Dolores  was  lifeless — her 
exalted  soul  had  forsaken  its  shell  of  clay  ;  the 
orange  had  done  its  work.  Her  lips  were  bluish, 
as  well  as  her  cheeks. 

"  Poisoned  !  poisoned  !"  passed  from  mouth  to 
mouth,  and  Horatio  sank  senseless  beside  the 
body.  Achilles  and  Corinna  wrung  their  hands 
and  wept  disconsolately.  Burning  tears  sparkled 
in  the  flashing  glances  of  the  two  "  corsairs,"  and 
their  lips  quivered. 

The  whole  crew  had  crowded  around  the  main- 
mast, and  silently  and  speechlessly  all  gazed  on 
the  body  of  the  noble  young  lady,  who  had  been 
honored  like  a  saint  on  board,  from  the  captain 
down  to  the  lowest  sailor. 

The  baroness  had  remained  in  the  cabin,  and 
the  baron  with  her,  wailing  and  lamenting  "  over 
the  terrible  misfortune^over  the  death  of  the 
amiable  young  lady  in  blooming  youth,  on  boai'd 
the  Bride  of  Abydos — of  apoplexy!" 

"  Murder  !  murder  through  treachery  !"  cried 
Hinango  at  length,  after  a  deathlike  silence,"  and 
the  murderer  is  here  on  board.  Captain  White, 
you  sail  under  the  British  flag,  and  we  are  both 
lawful  republican  privateers.  We  respect  your 
position,  your  flag,  and  will  not  by  any  means 
forget  our  standing  as  oftjcers  under  neutral 
or  allied  flags  ; — we  respect  England,  Monte 
Video,  and  Hayti.  But  we  '  would  have'  aright 
to  demand  that  a  murderer  be  sent  from  on  board, 
— the  murderer  of  this  young  lady,  Dolores, 
condemned  to  death  as  a  republican  poetess  by- 
Rosas,  and  betrayed  and  poisoned  by  a  creature 
who  calls  himself  the  Baron  de  Spandau.  Here, 
Captain  White,  is  a  letter  that  this  scoundrel 
despatched  firom  Rio  to  Captain  Tumble,  com- 
mander of  the  Argentine  brig  La  Caza,  who 
should  have  met  him  here  at  this  time  to  take 
the  condemned  on  board,  and  carry  her  to  Buenos 
Ayres  to  the  scaffold." 

Captain  White  stared  at  Mr.  Thomson,  who 
had  long  ago  been  deprived  of  speech.  Both 
read  the  letter,  which  Hinango  had  received 
through  Patrick,  which  was  sufficient  to  unveil 
the  murder. 

Mr.  Thomson  beckoned  to  the  captain  of  the 
Bride  of  Abydos,  and  both  descended  into  the 
cabin.  They  found  the  baron  upon  the  sofa  o 
the  large  outer  cabin,  deadly  pale,  and  gazing  on 
vacancy,  with  the  baroness  beside  bim,  her  lace 
concealed  in  his  half  opened  vest,  clasping  him 
firmly  with  both  hands,  as  if  she  feared  to  lose 
her  young  husband,  as  if  he  miglit  be  stolen 
from'her — a  terrible  thought  for  the  young  baron- 
ess in  the  honeymoon  ! 

"  Mr.  Spandau  !  or  whatever  your  name  is  {" 
began  Mr.  Thomson,  placing  himself  directly  in 
front  of  the  trembling  nuptial  pair  !  "  Mr.  Span- 
dau, here's  your  letter  to  Captain  Tumble.  Take 
yourself  from  on  board  !" 

With  these  words  he  held  the  well  known  let- 
ter under  the  nose  of  the  murderer,  who,  like 
Mr.  Closting  at  the  sight  of  the  sympathy  birds, 
lost  his  presence  of  mind,  and  was  unable  to 
utter  a  word,  or  even  a  syllable. 

Instead  of  him,  however,  the  baroness  raised 
her  pale  face  from  the  open  vest  of  her  husband. 


DOLORES. 


349 


Snd  soon  after  that,  she  raised  lier  voice,  while 
she  stared  at  her  brother,  and  exclaimed:  "What 
Is  it  ?  what's  the  matter  ?" 

"  The  matter  is,"  replied  Mr.  Thomson,  "  that 
an  infamous  scoundrel  has  circrimvented,  deceived 
and  betrayed  jou,  and  me,  and  all  of  us, and  has 
murdered  our  Dolores — my  Dolores — poisoned 
her — as  clearly  and  truly  as  that  her  body  lies  up 
there,  and  the  murderer  in  your  arms." 

"  What  a  shameful,  infamous  calumny  !"  now 
shrieked  the  exemplary  wife  of  the  of  the  baron  ; 
"  whiit  an  infamous  thing  !  to  call  my  husband  a 
scoundrel  !  and  even  to  accuse  him  of  murder  !" 

"  A  twofold  murder  !"  interrupted  Hinango, 
who  had  followed  the  two,  and  stood  beside  Mr. 

Thomson.    "  I  know  Mr. — ,  whatever 

vour  name  is,"  said  he  now  to  the  baron,  "  1 
know  very  well  that  you  hired  a  negro  named 
Moloch  to  stab  me  on  the  evening  before  my  de- 
parture, and  that  his  dagger  pierced  your  friend 
Mr.  Closting.  You  serve  in  an  exemplary  man- 
ner the  secret  police  of  the  monarchial  principle, 
but  there  rules  a  Nemesis,  a  mysterious  power  of 
Providence  !  I  have  nothing  further  to  say  to 
you." 

•'  Who  is  this  man  ?  the  foreigner  .'  that  he 
dares  to  com.e  down  into  our  cabin  with  his 
moustaches,  and  insult  my  husband .'"  screamed 
the  baroness  with  the  voice  of  a  fury.  *'  Who  is 
this  foreigner  .'  what  does  the  fellow  want  here  .' 
is  he  a  passenger  here  or  captain  .'  Come  baron  I 
let's  pack  up  and  go  on  shore  !  Call  a  fisher- 
man's boat.  Captain  White  !  you  have  men  here 
on  board,  with  whom  one  cannot  come  in  con- 
tact without  the  risk  of  injuring  their  respecta- 
bility ! — it  is  shameful ! — fle  !  infamous  !  infa- 
mous !  to  calumniate  my  husband  so  !  And  who 
is  the  foreign  person,  after  all,  that  has  died  of 
apoplexy  .'  Who  is  she  ?  a  foreigner — who  tra- 
velled around  the  world  Under  all  sorts  of  false 
names,  and  had  acquaintance  with  God  knows 
who,  and  corresponded  in  verse  and  prose  with 
suspicious  persons — -and  belonged  to  no  church, 
neither  the  English  nor  the  Catholic,  and  read 
Lord  Byron,  and  Madame  Sand,  and " 

"  Hold  your  hellish  tongue  !  you  miserable 
woman,  who  are  unfortunately  my  sister!"  inter- 
rupted Mr.  Thomson  ;  "  hold  your  tongue,  I  tell 
you,  or  I'll  throw  you  overboard  ! — you  first,  like 
a  cat,  and  then  this  fellow  here,  like  a  dog  !  Now 
pack  up  your  duds,  and  then  get  ready  to  on 
shore.  Come  Captain  White,  come  captain," 
said  he,  suddenly  recollecting  himself,  to  the 
two  witnesses,  and  all  three  mounted  to  the 
quarterdeck. 

Captain  White  penetrated,  with  the  sharp  look 
of  a  seaman,  the  peculiar  conflict  of  circumstan- 
ces under  which  the  treasonable  murder  was 
committed,  arrived  on  the  quarterdeck  with  the 
two  naval  officers  and  old  Mr.  Thomson.  He 
expressed  his  decided  intention  to  keep  tlie 
murderer  as  a  prisoner  on  board,  and  to  deliver 
him  for  trial  to  the  British  consul,  or  to  another 
British  authority  in  the  next  place  to  his  present 
Station.  He  added  to  his  explanation  to  the 
two  captains  :  "  Your  decision  in  regard  to  this 
tniserable  scoundrel  is,  to  be  sure,  an  action  of 
generosity  on  your  part  as  captains,  to  the  honor 
of  your  flag.  Your  action  is  fair,  noble — really 
generous — but  the  murderer  is  a  '  murderer,'  and 
his  crime  has  been  committed  '  on  board  of  my 
V«»»el,'  under  the  British  flag,  and  therefore " 


Mr.  Thomson  interrupted  the  worthy  seaman 
with  the  single  remark,  to  take  in  consideration 
that  the  so  called  "  Baron  de  Spandau"  was  un- 
fortunately his  brother-in-law ;  and  the  captain 
resigned  his  personal  obligation  aaa  British  cap- 
tain, leaving  the  whole  cause,  and  the  murderer 
and  his  lady,  to  the  disposition  of  the  two  gen- 
erous **  corsairs"  of  the  '*  Humanita." 

Captain  White  ordered  all  the  baggage  of  the 
baron  to  be  brought  up,  that  they  might  be  ready 
for  debarkation,  and  now  turned  his  attention  to 
the  neighboring  lishing  boats,  one  of  which  might 
set  the  two  passengers  on  shore. 

No  one  spoke  ;  the  countenances  of  all  were 
pale,  and  all  eyes  were  moist. 

Hinangn  ordered  the  body  for  the  present  to 
be  taken  into  the  cabin,  to  withdraw  it  from  the 
sun.  Achilles  and  Corinna,  who  went  about  in 
a  dreamlike  state  of  terror  and  despair,  fulfilled 
the  order,  and  the  silence  of  death  prevailed  as 
hitherto  upon  the  deck. 

The  flag  of  the  Bride  of  Ahydos  was  lowered 
to  half-mast,  as  a  signal  of  mourning,  and  imme- 
diately after,  the  flags  of  Hayti  and  of  Monte 
Video  on  the  two   privateers  were  also  lowered. 

"  There  comes  a  fishing  shallop,  or  sumacca  !" 
said  Captain  White  interrupting  the  prevailing 
silence.  "  We  will  hail  them.  I  know  very 
well  that  I  ought  not  to  set  any  one  on  shore 
until  I  have  undergone  the  visit  from  the  alfan- 
dega— but  in  this  case  the  devil  take  the  whole 
alfandega,  and  the  baron  first  I" 

"  We  shall  not  receive  the  visit  of  the  alfan- 
dega here,"  said  old  Mr.  Thomson,  in  a  voice  of 
emotion  ;  "  we  shall  not  cast  anchor  before  Santa 
Catharina— not  now.  So  soon  as  we  are  freed 
from  the  two  passengers,  you  will  lay  your  course 
for  the  coast  of  the  province  of  Rio  Grande,  Cap- 
tain White  ;  there  we  will  make  land,  and  com- 
mit the  mortal  shell,  the  body,  to  the  earth.  Our 
papers,  to  be  sur«,  are  made  out  for  Buenos 
Ayres,  but  this  officer  of  the  Oriental  marine, 
Captain  Barigaldi,  will  have  the  goodness  to 
procure  us  anchorage  there  under  such  circum- 
stances. The  two  provinces  are  at  friendship 
with,  each  other;  no  danger  impending." 

Captain  White  agreed  with  the  freighter  of 
the  vessel.  A  sailor  crept  cut  on  the  bowsprit 
with  a  flag,  which  he  had  found  on  deck,  and 
beckoned  the  fishing  shallop,  to  come  alongside. 
It  was  the  designated  flag  with  the  myrtle 
wreath,  which  the  baron  had  brought  to  the  for- 
ward deck  in  the  night,  and  laid  under  the  long 
boat,  to  have  it  at  hand,  when  the  Caza  should 
show  herself.  The  fishing  shallop  was  at  the 
side.  Captain  White  asked  the  man  who  con- 
ducted her  whether  he  would  set  a  lady  and  gen- 
tleman on  shore  on  the  neighboring  island  of 
."Mvaredo,  or  wherever  it  might  suit  them.  The 
man  was  very  ready,  and  Captain  White  went 
down  into  the  cabin. 

The  amiable  baroness  soon  appeared,  thickly 
veiled,  leaning  on  the  arm  of  her  husband,  and 
tottered  with  very  unsteady  steps  over  the  gang- 
way, and  was  handed  down  into  the  shallop 
The  baron  followed  her.  Neither  he  nor  she 
cast  a  glance  around  them.  The  whole  baggage 
of  trunks  and  boxes  was  let  down  after  them, 
which  had  been  placed  in  readiness  on  Ihegang- 
way.  John,  the  cabin  boy,  just  then  brought 
the  writing-desk  and  the  little  mahogany  m^- 
cine  chest  of  the  baron  past  the  quarterdeck. 


350 


DOLORES, 


"Stop  1"  cried  Hinango  to  him,  drawing  a  piece 
of  paper  from  lii3  pocketbook  ;  and  taking  his 
silver  pencil,  he  wrote  upon  it  a  receipt  for  these 
two  pieces,  and  ordered  the  male  to  hand  the 
paper  to  the  baron,  with  the  remark  that  he 
would  send  both  boxes  to  the  Prussian  or  Rus- 
sian consul  in  Rio  de  Janeiro,  when  he  had  ex- 
amined their  contents. 

The  baron  received  the  paper  with  a  trem- 
bling h;ind,  and  said  not  a  word. 

All  the  etfects  were  now  from  on  board,  and 
the  shallop  pushed  off,  and  steered  towards  the 
island  of  Alvaredo. 

The  Seabreeze  had  strengthened  a  little,  and 
admitted  of  their  laying  their  course.  The  two 
captains  agreed  upon  signals  with  Captain 
White,  that  they  might  arrive  at  Lagnna  in  com- 
pany, and  returned  again  to  their  quarterdecks. 

Slowly,  and  then  by  degrees  more  rapidly,  the 
three  vessels  floated  along  near  each  other,  and 
soon  lost  sight  of  the  coast,  with  the  islands  of 
Gal,  Alvaredo,  and  Santa  Catharina,  as  they  went 
further  out  to  sea  in  search  of  a  little  wind  for 
the  course  to  Laguna. 

The  body  of  Dolores  was  covered  with  moist 
cool  sails,  which  they  did  not  remove  until  the 
ship's  carpenters  .had  completed  a  plain  coffin, 
in  which  Corinna  laid  the  victim  to  eternal  re- 
pose. 

Among  the  papers  of  the  murdered  one,  was 
found  a  letter  to  Horatio,  which  declared  him, 
in  case  of  her  death,  the  heir  of  all  her  literary 
manuscripts,  the  spirit  of  which  appeared  in  the 
"  Hymn  of  Curse,"  and  the  Klegy  "  El  Dester- 
rado,"  which  are  preserved  in  these  pages. 


'•^****4-t-^>t*^^^**^~ 


CHAPTER    XI. 


KEST  IN  THE    GRAVE. 


Towards  midnight  of  the  same  day  the  mourn- 
ing squadron  arrrived  at  the  bay  near  the  har- 
bor of  Laguna,  and  came  to  anchor.  Captain 
Barigaldi  went  on  shore,  and  sought  an  officer  of 
the  armed  coasters,  to  explain  to  him  the  unfor- 
tunate occasion  of  their  approach. 

It  so  happened  that  a  strong  body  of  the  insur- 
gents were  quartered  in  the  neighborhood  to 
guard  the  coast  against  a  landing  on  the  part  of 
the  imperial  troops,  and  among  the  commanders 
of  the  cavalry  appeared  Celeste.  The  latter  soon 
learned  from  the  mouth  of  Barigaldi  all  the  par- 
ticulars of  the  history  of  Dolores,  from  the  time 
of  her  departure  from  Buenos  Ayres  to  her 
death,  and  entered  the  boat  of  the  Mazzini,  at- 
tended by  a  functionary  of  the  republic  of  Rio 
Grande,  that  he  might,  with  him,  make  arrange- 
ments for  the  landing  of  the  corpses,  in  order  to 
exempt  the  captain  of  the  Bride  of  Abydos  from 
all  responsibility. 

On  the  silent  shore  of  the  country  whose  peo- 
ple have  struggled  for  years  for  life  and  death, 
to  render  themselves  independent  of  the  disgrace 
of  monarchy — a  lonely  grave  was  dug  for  the 
South  American  poetess  of  the  "  Humanita." 

Solemnly,  and  in  the  deathlike  silence  of  the 
starlight  night,  was  the  interment  completed. 
A  mute  prayer  from  the  breast  of  all,  to  the  Pri- 


mitive Spirit  of  Creation,  who  governs  the  world 
and  the  fates  of  men,  and  guides  the  nations, 
superseded  the  expressions  of  mourning,  which 
were  suffocated  by  overpowering  grief  in  the 
hearts  of  the  sorrowers. 

After  the  fulfilment  of  the  last  tragical  duties 
to  the  earthly  shell  of  an  exalted  spirit,  the  navi- 
gators and  Mr.  Thomson  returned  on  board  their 
vessels,  and  Celeste,  accompanied  by  Horatio- 
went  back  to  the  camp  of  the  insurgents. 

Before  the  sUn,  on  the  following  mornings 
lighted  the  foaming  waves  on  the  border  of  the 
silent  coast,  the  three  vessels  had  disappeared^ 
each  upon  its  particular  course. 

Doctor  Thorfin  had  superintended  the  inter- 
ment of  the  corpses  on  Da  Gloria,  and  twogtaves, 
beside  each  other,  covered  the  bodies  of  the  two 
mortals  whose  souls  had  become  a  unity  upon 
earth ;  while  the  body  of  the  broken  female  heart, 
so  long  as  it  boat,  was  the  lawful  property  of  a 
man  who  looked  for  no  soul  in  a  woman. 

The  bones  of  the  two  unhappy  ones  now  rested 
beside  each  other,  wliose  spiritual  being,  had  be- 
come united  upon  earth  by  an  all  powerful  bond 
of  mysterious  attraction,  without  enjoying  tho 
terreslial  felicity  of  such  a  unity  of  soul.  The 
curse  with  which  their  love  was  burdened  here 
below,  was  now  dissolved  by  the  transition  to  a 
realm  of  light  beyond  the  grave,  where,  accord- 
ing to  the  declaration  of  Jesus,  no  bond  of  terres- 
tial  marriage  avails,  where  the  soul  recognises 
itself  as  soul,  and  strives  onward  towards  eternal 
perfectibility,  from  step  to  step,  in  the  element 
of  love. 

Mr.  Closting  expired  in  delirium,  some  weeks 
after  these  interments,  and  found  his  place  of 
repose  at  a  distance  from  his  deceased  so  called 
wife,  proportioned  to  that  by  which,  as  a  man,  he 
had  been  separated  from  her  on  earth. 

Mr.  Daily  did  not  neglect  to  procure  an  ex- 
tremely solemn  funeral  for  the  skilful  man  of 
business,  who  had  aided  him  to  acquire  money 
and  credit,  and  to  cause  a  tombstone  of  solid 
worth  to  be  placed  on  his  grave,  upon  which  the 
virtues  of  the  deceased,   as  a  good  CHRisTiAJf, 

A  GOOD  NATIONAL  GUARD,  AN  EXCELLENT 
HUSBAND    AND    FATHER    OF    A   FAMILY,    ETC., 

ETC.,  appeared  in  very  legible,  deeply  cut  letters. 
Alvarez  obtained  his  freedom  through  the  de- 
cided steps  of  Senhor  Vera,  so  soon  as  the  Baron 
de  Spandau  had  left  Rio  de  Janeiro,  and  lived 
with  his  sister  in  Praya  Grande,  until  Serafini's 
sentence  of  death  was  softened  to  "  eternal  exile 
from  Brazil."  He  then  accompanied  his  rela- 
tives to  Portugal,  whither  they  were  shipped,  in 
the  same  manner  as  the  Brazilian  exiles  of  high 
rank  in  the  year  1S42 — since  the  young  mon- 
archy, as  it  appears,  considered  her  motherland 
as  a  sort  of  Botany  Bay  for  honorable  men. 

Mr.  George  Thomson  returned  to  Rio  Ja- 
neiro, and  learned  at  his  arrival  in  the  bay, 
through  Senhor  Pedro,  the  obliging  officer  of  the 
alfendega,  what  had  occurred  on  Da  Gloria, 
shortly  before  his  embarkation  for  Santa  Catha- 
rina. Six  months  afterwards,  he  received  intel- 
ligence of  the  Baroness  de  Spandau  from  Europe, 
and  transmitted  her  property,  according  to  her 
order,  to  a  house  in  London,  where  she  lives  very 
comfortably  with  her  husband,  as  a  happy  wife, 
and  as  a  "  baroness."  The  baron  established  a 
gambling  house.  His  hospitable  saloon  otTered 
a  social  circle  for  foreigners  of  various  nations, 


DOLORES. 


851 


to  the  protection  of  celebrated  court  singers,  and 
imperial  royal  "virtuosi,"  who  were  intro- 
duced there  by  force.  All  the  guests  found  the 
baroness  very  amiable,  the  baron  very  polite,  and 
many  withdrew  in  the  most  civil  manner  possible, 
annoyed  by  all  sorts  of  suspicious  reports. 

Mr.  Hafialflcuk  Daily  did  a  flourishing  busi- 
ness as  partner  of  the  house  of  Forro  &.  Co., 
and  soon  married  a  young  widow  from  the  family 
of  Madame  Forro. 

Bebida  wag  again  sold  at  auction  for  a  nominal 
price,  and  became  the  property  of  a  French 
woman  in  .Santa  Theresa,  where  she  muttered 
her  Dabedikadem  from  early  in  the  morning  till 
late  at  night. 

Patrick  went  as  a  sailor  to  Rio  Grande,  by  the 
way  of  Santa  Catharina,  and  sought  for  and 
found  his  Captain  Hinango,  who  granted  him  his 
place  of  boatswain,  which  he  had  long  ago  held 
upon  the  muster  roll. 

We  have  received  less  decided  intelligence  of 
the  Astrala  than  of  the  Mazzini,  which,  under 
the  flag  of  the  insurgents  of  Rio  Grande,  was 
nearly  sunk  in  a  severe  battle  with  a  Brazilian 
corvette. 

Captain  Barigaldi  and  his  crew  saved  them- 
eelves  by  swimming,  while  a  fire  of  musketry 
was  directed  upon  them.  Barigaldi  received 
three  bullets  in  the  right  shoulder,  and  en- 
trenched himself  on  shore  in  a  house,  where  he 
resisted,  during  fourteen  hours,  the  attack  of  the 
royalists,  until  Celeste  came  to  his  assistance 
with  a  troop  of  cavalry,  and  destroyed  the  enemy. 

Horatio  complied  with  the  request  of  Celeste, 
to  witlidraw  himself  from  the  armed  struggle  of 
Rio  Grande,  and  cultivate  his  talent  for  art  as 
much  as  possible  by  study  and  travel.  He  de- 
signed to  go  to  Europe  and  establish  his  "  atelier" 
in  Rome. 

Dr.  Thorfin  and  Mr.  Fitz  lived  in  Rio  de  Ja- 
neiro as  before.  The  latter  went  from  time  to 
time  to  San  Christova,  examined  and  controlled 
the  air  pumps,  and  other  philosophical*  instru- 
ments of  the  two  princesses,  of  whom  it  is 
known  that  the  youngest,  some  years  afterwards, 
wag  married  to  a  European  prince  for  the  fur- 
ther development  of  lier  ^'physique  experi- 
mentale."  Mr,  Fitz  sang  afterwards,  as  before, 
with  a  barbarous  voice,  several  times  each  day, 
his  favorite  song,  "  No  general  has  so  powerful 
might,  &c.,"  in  which  he  olten  became  melan- 
choly, and  then  went  and  took  a  walk. 

Doctor  Merbold  still  lived  and  travelled  as  be- 
fore, in  Brazil,  as  an  entomologist,  and  occasion- 
ally delighted  himself  with  a  slice  of  Minas 
cheese  and  a  bottle  of  Bavarian  beer,  that  arrived 
at  Rio  de  Janeiro  by  the  way  of  Bremen,  to  his 
great  national  joy  1 

Achilles  and  Corinna  planted  trees  around 
Dolores'  grave,  and  remained  in  the  region  of  La- 
guna  until  the  uncle  of  Dolores  in  Buenog  Ayres 
decided  upon  their  future  position,  and  sent 
them  the  means  to  arrange  a  home  for  themselves 
somewhere,  and  cultivate  a  little  piece  of  land 
for  the  satisfaction  of  their  unpretending  wants. 

It  was  a  natural  consequence,  that  having  been 
involved  in  the  fate  of  Dolores,  they  could  not 


•  This  English  expression,  which  would  sound  like 
nonsense  in  every  other  language,  signifies  apparatus 
for  the  study  of  pAysigue.  Pltysique  is  the  science  for 
ihti  investigation  oi  the  powers  of  nature. 


return  to  the  domain  of  the  "  Cacique  of  the  Oan- 
chos"  so  long  as  his  axe  governed  there  as  a 
sceptre. 

Mr.  George  Thomson,  after  some  months, 
made  the  acquaintance  of  a  young  Portuguese 
lady  of  respectable  family,  of  respectable  con- 
nexions, and  with  a  decided  tendency  to  corpu- 
lency, who  became  enamored  of  his  equipage, 
and  gave  him  her  delicate  hand  upon  his  lightest 
approximation. 


— ''****^'^^p-*-*-*-*^^*^— 


CHAPTER    XII. 


WOMAN'S    MAGIC. 


Robert's  journals  and  private  papers,  in  tlio 
absence  of  his  relatives,  came  into  the  custody 
of  Doctor  Thorfin,  who,  as  a  contribution  to  the 
study  of  Psychology,  prepared  extracts  from 
them,  which  have  been  used  as  materials  in  this 
novel.  Interesting  and  instructive  as  many 
pages  among  Robert's  papers  might  be,  mani- 
fold circumstances,  nevertheless,  will  not  admit 
of  the  publication  of  extracts.  The  fragment 
of  a  single  letter,  which,  shortly  before  his  death, 
he  wrote  to  his  father,  may,  however,  find  its 
place  here,  as  the  youth's  confession  of  faith 
upon  marriage  and  love. 

"  You  ask  me  if  I  have  delivered  your  let- 
ter of  introduction  to  Mr.  F ,  and  how  1  wag 

received.  Freely  and  open-heartedly,  as  I  have 
always  dealt  towards  you,  m.y  dear  father,  I  an- 
swer you,  that  [  have  laid  aside  this  well  meant 
letter,  and  shall  avoid  the  acquaintance  of  the 
respectable  family  of  F .  I  know  your  unex- 
pressed thought,  of  one  day  hearing  the  intelli- 
gence that  I  would  lead  MissF to  the  altar  ; 

as  the  property  of  this  young  lady,  as  you  have 
with  paternal  good  intentions  intimated  to  me, 
"  sustains  about  an  equal  weight  with  my  future 
possessions,"  and  as  you  add,  •  because  Misa 
F is  a  true  Englishwoman.' 

With  all  respect  towards  our  amiable  country- 
women, 1  allow  myself,  once  for  all,  the  declara- 
tion, that  I  deem  maraiage  as  the  most  sacred 
covenant  of  humanity,  which  should  only  be 
concluded  from  love,  and  from  no  other  consider- 
ation whatever. 

Sincerely  as  I  honor  the  '  Private  Instruc- 
tions' which  you  imparted  to  me,  as  the  indi- 
vidual view  of  an  Englishman,  1  will  never,  in 
the  above  matter,  set  aside  the  claims  of  my  heart 
as  a  man.  I  am  of  opinion  that,  in  this  most 
important  step  of  the  two  sexes,  nationality  does 
not  come  so  strictly  under  consideration,  as  mo- 
rality and  love,  and  declare  every  matrimonial 
union  to  be  immoral,  which  is  concluded  upon 
any  material  ground  whatever.  The  social 
world  around  me  here,  gives  me  occasion  enough 
to  reflect  upon  the  demoralization  which  directly 
and  indirectly  |)roceeds  from  a  marriage  '  a  la 
mode, '  or  '  marriage  de  raison,'  and  so  far  as  I  am 
hitherto  acquainted  with  the  world,  I  hold  such 
a  marriage  to  be  a  crime.  I  recognise  such  a 
union,  as  a  privilege  of  all  demoralization,  as 
even  the  vilest  fellow  sustains  himself  upon  this 
privilege,  according  to  which  no  one  darea  to 


952 


DOLORES. 


make  his  wife  acquainted  with  his  masked  posi- 
lion,  and  of  course  t!ie  scoundrel  always  finds  a 
aiippovt  for  his  villainy  iu  his  Wife,  as  a  so 
called  '  he:id  of  a  family.' 

If  1  do  not  find  a  woman,  who,  recognising  in 
We  a  man  of  honor,  loves  me,  and  respects  my 
honesty,  I  shall  probably  never  marry.  As  to 
thereat,  I  am  tolerably  well,  etc." 

Hinamro  learned,  through  correspondence  with 
Dr.  'I'horfin,  whatever  could  be  of  importance  to 
him  with  respect  to  Robert's  relations  to  Gracia, 
and  the  cause  of  his  death,  whereby  involuntary 
succession  of  mutual  philosopliical  remarks  en- 
sued. The  extracts  IVom  some  letters  of  Hinan- 
go,  as  a  designation  of  his  social  position,  and  as 
a  retrospect  upon  the  sufTerings  of  Robert,  may 
likewise  here  find  a  suitable  place. 

"  As  you  know  m.y  •  absurd'  views  con- 

cernin?  death  and  life,  it  will  not  surprise  you 
when  1  give  you  the  assurance  that  it  is  difficult 
for  me  to  tliink  that  Dolores  is  dead.  Does  not 
her  spirit  live  in  her  poems  and  songs,  and  is  not 
every  human  heart  that  shares  her  sentiments 
and  participates  in  her  inspiration  a  sanctuary  of 
life,  in  which  her  spirit  continues  to  operate  for 
the  cultivation  and  for  the  ennoblement  of  the 
human  heart ;  for  the  development  of  the  exalted 
idea — God!  and  Humanity  ! 

1    am    strengthened    by    the    inspiring 

thought  that  the  spiritual  bond  which  unites  kin- 
dred souls  cannot  be  rent  asunder  by  space  nor 
time,  by  separation  nor  death  ;  that  we  shall  once 
more,  upon  some  brighter  planet,  meet  again 
those  with  whom  we  lived  here  in  spiritual 
union  ;  that  we  shall  approach  each  other  there, 
beyond  the  grave,  by  the  spiritual  bond  of  attrac- 
tion— of  love — and,  less  enchained  and  palsied 
by  material  shell,  more  susceptible  of  divine 
love,  more  clear  in  knowledge  and  in  the  per 
ception  of  God,  striving  forth  from  degree  to 
degree,  from  planet  to  planet  I 

Young  Banko  has  told  me  a  great  deal 

about  a  Madame  I''esh,  with  whom  he  became  ac- 
quainted in  Closting's  company  somewhere  in 
the  interior  of  Brazil;  a  woman  in  all  her  ex- 
cellence as  a'  propagating  machine.'  Thus  we 
have,  in  a  retrospect  upon  the  fate  of  Dolores,  be- 
come acquainted  with  woman  in  her  sixfold 
social  position,  in  Dolores,  Angelica,  Gracia, 
Susan,  Sally,  and  Madame  Fesh ;  a  singular 
chance,  in  these  six  categories  may  be  classed 
all  the  women  upon  earth. 

I  hear  the  staff  broken  over  Dolores,  upon  her 
irrave,  as  during  her  lifetime,  condemned  by  an- 
ticipation as  an  *  e.xtravagant  enthusiast !'  That  i.^ 
very  natural.  A  woman  who  shows  head,  and 
heart,  and  character,  will  everywhere  encounter 
scorn  from  the  crowd,  who  possess  neither  head, 
heart,  nor  character. 

The  deliverance  of  the  female  sex  from  the 
bonds  and  chains  of  unnatural  regulations  and 
prejudices,  is  a  problem  that  our  age  will  not 
solve,  so  long  as  it  pursues  the  direction  of  a 
faUe  civilization,  which  denies  the  aim  of  the 
cultivation  of  mankind,  and  departs  from  it 
more  ami  more. 

As  a  nation  can  only  be  free  through  the  self- 
Consciousness  of  its  dignity,  and  the  exertion  of 
its  own  strength,  and  as  no  tyrant  will  ever  vol- 
untarily descend  from  the  throne   and  lay  down 


his  sceptre  and  knout,  orchigote,  before  the  peo- 
ple, in  the  touchin?  outbreak  of  a  return  to  hu- 
manity— so  does  the  deliverence  of  the  female 
sex  from  the  regulations  and  bonds  of  a  degrading 
slavery,  under  the  sovereignty  of  sensuality  with- 
out love,  remain  within  the  power  of  woman 
herself. 

Hitherto  many  a  woman,  renouncing  moral 
freedom,  has  sold  herself,  under  the  protection 
of  church  and  state,  and  Under  the  pretext  of 
fulfilment  of  conjugal  duty,  for  a  living  in  sen- 
suality. 

The  demoralization  of  woman  does  not  lie  ag 
well  outside  of  matrimomy,  as  particularly,  in 
matrimony  itself,  as  this,  contracted  as  a  mean 
Speculation  for  a  Living,  at  the  expense  of  mo- 
rality, privileges  any  extravagance  of  sensuality. 
In  a  seduced  woman,  (often  less  sensual  than  a 
lawful  wife,)  the  crime  is  judged  which  the  Man 
committed  first  upon  the  unfortunate  female. 

So  long  as  the  notion  of  '  housewife'  is  almost 
synonomous  with  a  suckling  brute  or  domestic 
animal,  so  long  as  it  is  taken  very  ill  of  a  mother 
if  she  reads  and  writes,  there  is  little  hope  for 
the  development  and  cultivation  of  a  future 
generation. 

So  called '  virtuous  housewives,'  who  have  long 
ago  smothered,  *  from  reasonable  motives,'  the 
remnant  of  delicacy  of  feeling  which  after  an 
education  a  la  mode  might  casually  remain  in 
them,  wdl  raise  the  stone  of  reproach  to  cast  it 
with  '  fitting  contempt'  upon  Gracia's  grave. 
We  cannot  learn  to  know  a  man  better  than  in 
his  judgement  upon  others  ;  and  so  also  a  woman. 
The  judgement  of  a  man  upon  the  offences  of 
others,  is  the  reflected  image  of  his  own  nature, 
whether  it  be  elevated  or  common,  whether  it 
be  morally  pure,  or  perturbed  by  passion  and 
disfigured  by  crimes,  whether  it  be  spiritually 
great  and  noble,  or  soulless,  mean,  and  hypo- 
critically contemptible.  The  deeper  a  woman 
is  sunk  in  demoralization  and  hypocrisy,  so 
much  the  more  intolerant  does  she  appear  in 
her  uncharitable  sentence  upon  the  abcrrati  ;ns 
and  unmerited  sulferings  of  her  sex.  The  hypoc- 
risy of  Pharisaism  has  become  the  monopoly  of 
the  so  called  Christ. an  ci:urc.i,  an. I  has  been 
dislributCii  by  anricipalion,  witr.  li.p  s-jerament 
which  priviles;ed  marriaee  a  la  mrd-". 

A  woman  who  has  become  spiritually  short- 
sighted and  insensible,  through  the  inlhunco  ul 
her  husband,  does  not  see  the  beam  in  his  ey?, 
but  judges  in  the  bitterest  manner  the  i!i'te  ill 
the  tear-moistened  eye  of  one  of  her  own  sex, 
or  in  the  heaven-soaring  glance  of  a  man  who 
has  never  seduced  a  woman,  and  whose  heart, 
perhaps,  a  woman  has  broken. 

Robert  was  a  pure  man,  a  youth  such  as^ 

God  be  thanked  !  we  find  in  all  nations,  and  in 
all  parts  of  the  world,  as  single  appearances, 
who,  like  so  many,  by  their  entrance  into  the 
world,  deny  their  nobler  nature  according  to  the 
demands  of  civilization,  and  either  morally  or 
(like  Robert)  physically  succumb. 

What  many  may  declare  to  be  weakness  in 
Robert,  appears  to  me,  on  the  contrary,  aa 
strength,  as  the  strength  of  his  inalienable  loVe; 
and  so  much  the  more  disgustingly  does  the  ill 
usage  of  the  woman  stand  forth  as  the  return  ot 
such  love.  It  requires  certainly  the  penetration 
of  a  psychologist,  to  recognise  in  this  mi.xture 
of  temper,  contradiction,  and  inconsistency,  the 


DOLORES. 


363 


Boble  being  whom  Robert  originally  acknow- 
ledged as  worthy  of  his  love,  and  who  fettered 
him  to  herself  for  ever.  These  peculiarities  of 
Gracia  were  undoubtedly  the  consequences  of 
her  social  position,  and  every  ill  usage  of  Robert 
was  only  an  effect  of  foreign  meanness,  which 
she  had  received  within  herself.  Her  state  of 
mind  revealed  in  strong  features  the  disturbing 
influence,  which  again  in  other  respects  ope- 
lated  destructively  on  Robert.  Gracia  not  only 
misunderstood  and  injured  Robert,  but  the  whole 
male  sex,  since  in  Robert  she  contemned  the 
character  and  love  of  a  man  of  honor.  But  who 
will  raise  the  veil  that  covers  the  sufferings  of 
Gracia  ?  whose  philosophical  self-control  could 
only  have  been  exercised  at  the  expense  of  her 
heart.  This  noble  female,  who  revealed  herself 
to  her  lover  in  a  state  of  '  magnetic  dream-wa- 
king,' might  well  shrinlt  from  herself  in  the 
realities  of  social  life,  in  the  arms  of  a  man 
whom  she  despised,  and  if  she  did  not  despise 
him,  then  how  does  she  appear  to  us  on  Robert's 
brea.st ! 

Who  will  solve  for  us  the  riddle  of  creation, 
in  the  woman  who  here,  in  the  impulse  after 
love,  sported  with  a  human  life  .'  May  the  un- 
fortunate be  forgiven,  for  she  knew  not  what 
she  did. 

Robert's  death  did  not  so  much  surprise  me, 
as  it  would  have  astonished  me  if  he  yet  lived. 
I  envy  him.  It  is  well  for  him  his  sorrows  are 
ended. 

As  faithfully  as  I  believe  in  God  and  eternity, 
I  believe  also  in  an  Eternal  Divine  Justice,  and 
therefore  I  fear  by  no  means  Robert's  awaken- 
ing, Robert's  future  existence  beyond  the  grave. 
I  fear  not  that  he  should  be  degraded  to  an  infe- 
rior existence  of  a  subordinate  star,  in  a  state  of 
penitence.  Oh  no  !  I  believe  in  Eternal  Justice, 
who  knew  him,  and  his  sufferings  here  upon 
earth,  and  who  called  him  away  in  an  hour  of 
despair,  to  a  higher  sphere,  in  his  innocence,— 
as  a  man,  as  a  sacrifice  for  the  honor  of  a  kin 
dred  soul,  suffering  like  himself,  in  the  form  of 
a  woman,  here  upon  earth. 

The  more,  however,  I  perceive  the  decided 
influence  of  woman  upon  the  entire  develop- 
ment of  the  human  race,  from  generation  to 
generation,  the  more  deeply  do  I  feel,  from  early 
experience,  as  well  as  through  observation  and 
similar  suffering,  the  mighty,  I  might  say,  the 
all-embracing  influence  of  woman  upon  our  in- 
ward nature.  I  recognise  the  principle  of  love 
not  only  as  the  basis  of  all  noble  social  relations, 
as  far  as  the  development  and  ennoblement  of 
the  human  race  proceeds  from  it,  but  as  the 
basis  of  all  religion.  I  recognise  the  social 
bond  of  matrimony  as  the  most  sacred  which 
can  be  formed  on  earth,  when  it  is  founded  on 
love.  In  the  opposite  case,  however,  it  is  an 
effectual  system  for  the  demoralization  of  the 
human  heart. 

You  inform  me  that  Mr.  Closting  has  left 
behind  him  the  reputation  of  being  an  admira 
ble  father  of  a  family,  and  that  his  gravestone 
bears  testimony  to  this  quality.  It  does  not 
surprise  meat  all,  as  his  wife  herself,  so  far  as 
I  know,  gave  him  the  name  of  an  '  exemplary 
husband ' 

Beside   the    prize  question,   •  What    is   wo 

man  ?"    I  would   place  the    request    for   infor 

mation,  about  the  idea   of  '  husband,'  which 

45 


until  now  I  cannot  comprehend.  The  reality 
shows  us  all  over  the  world,  that  neither  intel- 
lect nor  heart,  neither  character  nor  talent, 
neither  understanding  nor  sentiment,  neither 
honor  nor  honesty,  are  required  to  make  a  man 
pass  for  *  a  good,  or  even  an  excellent  hus- 
band.' 

Frag/nent  of  another  Letter  : 

"  As  regards  myself,  I  endure  the  gloomy 

feeling  of  my  earthly  existence,  as  a  *  fettered  in- 
habitant of  a  Planet,'  in  the  consciousne.ss  of 
that  divine  strength  which  is  required  by  my 
lot,  that  burdens  me,  from  pure  resignation  for 
the  cause  of  humanity,  with  a  life  without  love ; 
rich  in  injuries  and  insults,  whose  expiation  no 
genius  in  terrestrial  form  will  ever  effect. 

I  am  convinced  that  the  ennoblement  of  tha 
human  race,  under  the  influence  of  woman,  can 
only  begin  when  woman,  recognising  her  own 
dignity  and  the  elevation  of  her  destiny,  no 
more  voluntarily  sells  herself  as  a  slave,  to  tha 
dishonoring  of  her  noble  nature. 

To  man  upon  earth  is  given  the  anticipation 
of  a  higher  degree  beyond  the  grave,  with  tha 
consciousness  of  his  spiritual  power:  to  develop 
this  in  the  element  of  moral  freedom  is  our 
duty,  abstractly  from  the  contracted  medio- 
crity of  our  earthly  state,  in  comparison  with 
the  more  perfect  inhabitants  of  other  planets, 
less  contracted  and  fettered  by  clogging  matter. 

Man  upon  earth  bears  in  himself, '  undeniably,' 
too  many  peculiarities  of  the  subordinate  beings 
of  Mercury  and  Venus,  for  the  struggle  not  to 
be  extremely  difficult,  for  him  to  raise  himself 
upwards  to  the  consciousness  of  his  more  ele- 
vated divine  nature,  which  makes  him  capable 
of  the  transition  into  tha  blessed  spheres  of 
eternity.  But  the  harder  the  struggle,  the  mora 
exalted  is  the  victory.  Those  men  in  wliom 
the  spiritual  life  unfolds  itself,  more  or  less, 
through  the  attraction  of  the  Primitive  Idea  of 
existence,  encounter  the  mean  gibes  of  mate- 
rialists— as  the  lame,  in  the  country  of  tha 
limping,  (according  to  the  fable,)  mocked  and 
ridiculed  the  stranger  with  sound  limbs,  who 
was  casually  brought  into  their  society. 

My  individual  longing  for  death,  my  '  home- 
sickness after  the  Astral  world,'  whose  influence 
upon  my  existence  may  appear  to  many  mate- 
rialists as  a  '  sublime  lunacy,'  has  been  peculiar 
to  my  entity  from  childhood.  I  cannot  recollect 
an  hour  of  my  life  in  which  I  have  not  longed 
to  be  away  from  this  earth,  upon  one  or  the 
other  of  those  stars  whose  rays  mysteriously  at- 
tracted me  to  themselves. 

Let  this  confession  be  as  sacred  to  you,  as  it 
might  appear  ridiculous  to  many,  whose  judge- 
ment would,  for  that  matter,  be  in  the  highest 
degree  indili'erent  to  me. 

I  believe  in  God  and  Humanity,  in  an  eternal 
progression  from  degree  to  degree,  and  in  tha 
expiation  of  a  loveless  life  like  mine — blighted 
ill  tlie  anticipation  of  love.  I  believe  in  recon- 
ciliation through  the  principle  of  Divine  Love, 
from  whose  source  our  existence  originated." 

In  a  more  recent  letter  of  Thorfin  to  Hinango, 
we  find  several  passages,  with  the  enclosure  of 
a  poem,  which  appear  important  in  a  psycholo- 
gical point  of  view  : 


354 


DOLORES. 


"  A3 1  was  arransing  Robert's  papers,"  writes 
Thorfin,"  I  found  the  translation  of  the  poem, 
'  Astrala's  Sentence,'  which  you  transmitted  to 
him  when  it  was  already  too  late  to  protect  him 
from  a  fate  designated  only  too  truly  and  fear- 
fully in  this  elegy.  The  portentous  poem,  with 
whose  origin  you  yourself  are  more  deeply  and 
intimately  acquainted  than  I  am,  led  me  again 
to  serious  reflection  on  the  facts  from  which 
it  is  founded,  and  from  which  it  undoubtedly 
proceeded. 

It  reminds  me,  as  a  poem,  of  Astarte  3  in- 
vocation in  Byron's  '  Manfred.'  Instead  of  an 
imitation,  however,  it  bears,  unhappily,  the 
stamp  of  an  unfortunate  originality,  as  the 
language  of  an  incurably  wounded  mind, 
which  seeks  for  such  an  effusion,  as  it  were,  to 
rescue  itself  momentarily  from  despair,  to  pro- 
cure alleviation  by  utterance,  without  the  inten- 
tion of  composing  a  poem.  Originating  in  such 
a  manner,  it  is  a  document  for  the  archives  of 
the  higher  psychology,  and  as  such,  I  would 
desire  that  it  might  be  preserved.  It  is  a  re- 
newed intimation  of  a  mysterious  reality  ;  --the 
psychal  combination  of  an  image  in  spiritual 
unity  with  a  kindred  being,  which  Walter  Scott, 
amonf  others,  treats  of  in  his  work  on  'Demon- 
ology'and  Witchcraft,'  and  which  well  deserves 
further  research,  as  a  phenomenon  in  the  do- 
main of  psychology.  This  blending  of  a  beloved 
image  with  the  inward  entity  of  a  man,  '  crys- 
talized,  as  it  were,  in  the  glow  of  sentiment,^  is 
solely  to  be  explained  as  the  animatic  operation 
of  a  powerful  strength  of  mind,  as  the  effect  of 
a  mighty  Animatic  Power  upon  an  other,  in  the 
state  of  magnetic  rapport,  with  more  or  less 
consciousness  of  outward  life. 

"  It  is  explicable,  that  the  image  of  a  beloved 
being,  as  well  in  its  external  form  as  in  its  in- 
terior psychal  entity,  in  such  moments  of  spirit- 
ual union,  is  able  to  impress  itself  for  ever  upon 
tlie  kindred  soul. 

"  It  is  likewise  explicable,  that  such  an  im- 
pression, having  become  a  psychal  unity  with 
the  kindred  soul,  will  remain  behind  for  ever  as 
an  image,  in  those  depths  of  the  invrard  life, 
even  when  the  being,  so  united,  has  long  since 
returned  from  such  a  state  of  magnetic  crisis  to 
exterior  life,  and  perhaps  even  lost  the  clear  con- 
sciousness of  the  spiritual  union. 

Who  will  be  astonished  that  this  transfor- 
mation or  infusion  of  a  being  in  the  entity  of 
another,  as  a  horrible  reality,  should  have  been 
considered,  in  the  unenlightened  times  of  the 
middle  ages,  as  mysterious.  Sorcery  and  been 
condemned  by  blind  fanaticism,  whose  sentence 
brought  people  of  both  sexes  to  the  scaflold, 
who  were,  perhaps,  unable  to  account  to  them- 
selves for  the  strength  of  soul  which  they  so 
fatallv  manifested.  ,     ■  r      j 

'  It  is  in  the  nature  of  things,  that  the  infused 
image  exists  more  vividly  in  the  mind  of  the 
unfortunate,  the  more  profoundly  his  inward 
life  is  developed  ;  and  that,  on  the  other  hand, 
Buch  a  transformation  cannot  take  place  in  mate- 
rial natures,  more  or  less  stupified  or  unsuscep- 
tible of  psychal  impressions.  .  ,  .^  , 
The  more  profound,  however,  the  mind  that 
endures  such  influence,  so  much  the  morefearlul 
its  state,  which  no  medicinal  remedy,  no  power 
on  earth,  is  able  to  alleviate,  except  the  sympathy 
01  the  same  soul  which  has  wrought  the  evil. 


This  frightful  state  becomes  evidently  increased 
by  a  forced  withdrawal,  turning  away,  and  es- 
trangement of  the  being  who,  in  a  crisis  of  ani- 
matic magnetic  deliverance  from  the  bonds  of 
the  earth,  has  effected  this  '  sorcery.' 

The  latter  was  evidently  the  case  with  Ro- 
bert, and  hastened  his  end.  Gracia,  just  as  un- 
deniably !:upported  by  the  physical  influence  of 
the  animal  clement,  showed  in  proportion  as 
strong  a  female  inconsistency  in  suppressing  her 
sympathy  for  him,  as  she  had  once  manitested 
animatic  power  to  fetter  him,  and  this  infusion 
of  being,  by  means  of  her  whole  strength  of 
will,  (like  the  operation  of  a  magnetizer,)  turned 

''you  envy  Robert  his  death.  I  understand 
you,  and  can  only  agree  with  you,  as  I  doubt 
whether  his  nervous  organization  would  have 
granted  him  similar  strength  as  was  manifested 
by  Gabriel  Garringos,  to  bear  a  lot  which  was 
more  horrible  than  death,  and  not  seldom  termi- 
nates in  lunacy.  Robert's  physical  disease  began 
with  the  symptom  unhappily  but  too  well  known 
to  you,  of  the  oppressive  chilling  pain  at  the 
central  point  of  the  nervous  texture,  (plexus 
cceliacus,)  the  organ  of  clairvoyance  in  som- 
nambulism. In  hundreds  of  cases  this  symptom 
is  mistaken  by  material  physicians  for  a  disease 
of  the  stomach,  or  of  the  liver,  and  falsely 
treated  It  is  not  to  be  denied  that  the  liver 
mav  be  indirectly  attacked  by  a  reciprocal  ope- 
ration  of  the  interior  organs  through  disease  ot 
the  ganglionic  texture,  but  it  always  depends 
upon  the  psychological  knowledge  of  the  phy- 
sician to  distingui-sh  the  cause  from  the  reci- 
procal effect.  „  ,     .  ,  ». 

I  could  have  treated  Robert  by  magnetism, 
and  perhaps  might  have  rescued  him,  if  tha 
cause  of  his  illness  (by  well  known  distant  in- 
fluence) had  not  rendered  all  magnetic  treat- 
ment fruitless  beforehand  ;  for  Gracia's  physical 
connexion  with  the  inimical  earth  magnetic 
element,  wrought  just  as  destructively  on  Ro- 
bert, as  she  thereby  powerfully  suppressed  ner 
own  animatic  life.  Gracia  committed  suicide 
upon  her  own  moral  force,  and  murder  upon 
Robert  Her  sudden  death  was  a  natural  con- 
sequence of  the  interior  and  physical  disturb- 
ance, which  terminated  her  unfortunate  life  m  a 

convulsion.  l   j      j       j    tv„ 

But  if  her  physical  nature  had  endured  the 
convulsion,  and  she  had  lived  on  under  the 
conjugal  influence  of  her  husband,  (had  he 
likewise  been  cured,)  she  would  probably  have 
"radually  considered  her  love  for  Robert  as 
?an  unfortunate  nervous  disease,  that  she  had 
happily  passed  through,'  and  Robert's  death 
as  'a  consequence  of  a  remarkable  coincidence 
of  singular  circumstances,  in  which  she  her- 
self was  the  least  to  be  blamed.'  Physical 
unity  of  her  female  nature  with  the  foreign 
element  of  vulgarity,  would  in  such  a  case  have 
at  last  just  as  naturally  entirely  overcome  her 
inward  life,  and  destroyed  her  soul.  She  would 
have  entered  into  the  number  of  '  excellent 
wives,'  whom  a  husband  would  not  have  to 
'  compel'  to  any  performance  of  duty. 

I  send  you  here  Robert's  English  translation 
of  the  designated  elegy,  as  a  memorial  ol  the 
epoch  of  his  sufferings." 


So  far  the  extract  from  Dr.  Thorfin's  iuipor- 


Dolores: 


355 


tantletter  to  Hinango.  A3  we  here  communi- 
cate the  translation  of  the  poem,  we  will  at  the 
same  time,  satisfy  the  poetic  justice  of  the  novel 
with  respect  to  Barigaldi's  intimation  of  Hi- 
nango's  state  of  mind.  He  was  himself  author 
of  the  elegy,  mentioned  already  in  the  intercourse 
between  Gracia  and  Robert.  The  elegy  was  the 
following : 

astrala's  sentence.* 

Translated  from  a  Scandinavian  Language. 

"  Though  thy  slumber  may  be  deep, 
Yet  thy  spirit  shall  not  sleep. 
There  are  shades  which  will  not  vanish — 
There  are  thoughts  thou  can'st  not  banish  j 
By  a  power  to  thee  unknown. 
Thou  shalt  never  be  alone  1"  Btron. 

Man  !  though  from  the  stars  descended, 
Spirit !  with  my  spirit  blended. 
Soul !  whose  inmost  vital  ray. 
Penetrates  my  shell  of  clay ; 
Hearken  to  my  loving  verse, 
Be  it  blessing,  be  it  curse. 

Where  you  wander,  where  you  stray, 
If  you  hasten  or  delay ; 
What  you  do,  or  what  indite. 
If  you  either  read  or  write  ; 
If  in  armed  host  you  be, 
•    Or  for  freedom  fight  on  sea. 
Still  alike,  by  day  or  night 
I  retain  you  in  my  might. 

Where  you  labor,  where  you  rest, 
Whate'er  thoughts  may  fill  your  breast. 
What  you  long  for,  or  esteem. 
Whatsoever  you  hope  or  deem  ; 
As  a  portion  of  your  being, 
I  am  near  you,  seen,  unseeing ; 
In  the  soul-world's  magic  round. 
Self  unconsciously  I'm  bound. 

Though  thout  wouldst  mine  image  flee, 

Ever  near  thee  1  shall  be, 

Though  thou  wouldst  my  glance  elude. 

Still  on  thee  it  will  intrude  ; 

As  a  ray  from  yonder  sphere. 

Still  to  thee  it  will  appear. 

Like  a  spirit  unannealed, 

Circled  by  a  shell  of  clay, 
I  am  ever  to  thee  sealed. 

And  thy  longings  feed,  each  day. 
Me  once  more  in  life  to  see. 
And  unite  thyself  with  me. 

As  a  soul  akin  to  thee. 

Here  to  female  form  confined. 
Since  thy  glance  has  wounded  me, 

I  my  fate  accursed  find  ; 
By  a  man  to  be  betrayed. 
Who  can  only  me  degrade  ; 
Who  no  mind  nor  soul  requires. 
To  supply  his  sensual  fires  ; 
And  with  hira  "  one  flesh"  to  be. 
Makes  me  terrible  to  thee. 


•  The  author  of  this  elegy  preserved  also  his  incog- 
nito. 

t  The  change  of  Ihou  and  you  has  been  a  poelic  U- 
eenae  of  the  translator,  to  maintain  the  spirit  and  the 
OuLiie  of  this  poeiu. 


When  you  wake,  and  when  you  sleep. 
If  you  laugh,  or  if  you  weep. 
You  must  ever  see  me  still. 
Creature  of  a  husband's  will, 
While  to  him  myself  I  give. 
Must  this  image  in  you  live. 

If  you  climb  the  mountain  height. 

In  the  vale  the  image  lies  ; 
To  your  terror  and  affright. 

You  descend,  to  see  it  rise. 
If  you  seek,  by  change  of  scene, 

From  my  hapless  form  to  flee, 
You  .shall  only  find,  I  ween. 

That  your  bonds  unsevered  be. 
If  you  turn  from  me  away, 
I  pursue  you  with  the  ray. 
Whose  effect  controls  your  powers, 
la  the  soul's  eternal  hours. 

If  you  on  the  ocean  flee. 

Then  the  image,  to  your  dread. 
Lifted  on  each  wave  you  see, 

In  each  star-beam  o'er  your  head; 
And  when  you,  a  martyr  made. 

Seek  from  life  to  haste  away. 
In  the  flood  you  see  my  shade. 

Turn  on  you  its  living  ray, 
And  th'  attempt  you  dread  to  dare. 
Since  you  still  must  find  me  there. 

If  for  distant  climes  you  sail, 

To  a  tropic  paradise. 
Ever  thine,  I  shall  not  fail. 

Still  to  float  before  your  eyes 
In  your  soul  I  must  abide, 
Though  I  from  myself  would  hide. 
That  I  e'er  an  oath  have  made. 
Left  you — wounded  and  betrayed. 

If  you  seek  the  desert  dreary. 

Should  a  savage  meet  you  there. 
And,  when  you  are  faint  and  weary, 

Offer  you  his  homely  fare ; 
If  his  eye  shall  kindly  greet  you. 

Even  then  your  heart  shall  feel. 
That  my  glances  there  must  meet  you, 

That  your  wound  can  never  heal. 
Than  such  desecrated  union. 

Sure  no  suff'ring  can  be  worse. 
Living  without  soul's  communion. 

Is  my  horror — and  your  curse  ! 

If  you  move  in  worldly  throng. 
There  you  find  me  too,  ere  long. 
When  to  solitude  you  flee. 
Still  you  cannot  part  from  me. 
I  pursue  you  to  your  grave  ; 
True,  to  whom  my  heart  I  gave ; 
But,  that  I  have  e"er  done  so. 
Scarce  in  outward  life  I  know. 

Should  you  think  in  quiet  sleep. 

Calm  your  weary  lids  to  close. 

In  your  dreams  my  place  I  keep. 

And  deprive  you  of  repose. 
When  you  strive  to  offer  prayer. 
Tauntingly  my  form  is  there. 
Draws  you  back  by  chains  of  sense. 
Makes  your  worship  a  prelenop, 
Sinceyour  soul,  with  me  allied, 
E'tn  in  prayer,  has  nought  beside. 


366 


DOLORES. 


If  despairing,  you  essay 
From  this  world  to  speed  away, 
Still  shall  your  expiring  gaze, 
See  me  through  death's  filmy  haze. 

Thou  hadat  never,  till  tliat  hour. 
Known  a  woman's  fearful  power ; 
Love  had  e'er  been  strange  to  thee — 
Thou  didst  learn  its  woes  from  me ! 
When  athwart  thy  path  I  came. 
And  compelled  a  mutual  flame  ; 
Now  thy  tears  may  fall  for  aye. 
Thou  may'st,  h'embling,  turn  away ; 
Tis  I  feel  that  thou  art  mine. 
And,  to  curse  thee — I  am  thine. 

Should'st  thou  seek  thy  natal  sphere. 

In  yon  starry  worlds  on  high. 
Even  there  'tis  waste  and  drear. 

Till  to  join  thee  I  can  fly  ; 
Till  released  from  earthly  night, 

I  from  such  a  curse  am  freed. 
By  whose  dread,  mysterious  might. 

Both  our  souls  are  made  to  bleed  J 
Till  as  soul,  released  once  more. 
To  thy  stai-ry  home  I  soar. 

What  as  soul  and  mind  I  be. 
Well  I  ween,  is  known  to  thee  ; 
And  what  I  shall  be  above. 
When  I  meet  thy  soul  in  love: 
But  while  here,  a  shell  of  clay 
Still  detains  me  far  away  ; 
Here,  a  soul  in  mortal  pain, 
I'm  a  woman — to  thy  bane. 

Hinango  replied  to  his  friend,  after  the  receipt 
of  the  above  translation,  among  other  things,  as 
follows  : 

"  It  was  one  of  about  a  hundred  poems, 

which  I  called  'the  Book  of  Astrala.'  The 
greater  part  were  committed  to  the  flames,  and 
so  was  even  the  original  of  this  elegy,  the  only 
one  of  that  collection  which  any  person  has  ever 
iread.     Even  the  unfortunate  being,  whose  sym- 

Eathy  forced  these  complaints  from  my  poisoned 
eart,  remains  unacquainted  with  them,  as  she 
itcmains  unacquainted  with  my  sorrows  and  my 
suflferin^s  ;  with  the  state  of  torture,  which  this 
elegy  not  sufficiently  designates. 

It  was  the  only  woman  upon  earth  that  ever 
declared  herself  to  me  in  love — the  only  woman 
who  exercised  an  influence  upon  me,  for  which  I 
have  no  name — no  expressioa. 


The  crime  of  this  unfortunate  was  Marriage 
without  Love  ;  the  curse  which  she  thereby  drew 
upon  herself  was  transmitted  to  me  by  her  long- 
ing after  love when  it  was  too  late. 

In  hours  of  despair,  pursued  by  this  image,  the 
genius  of  Faith  holds  out  to  me  the  chalice  of  my 
tears,  which  I  once  shed,  and  which  the  soul,  in 
female  form did  not  understand. 

You  desire  to  publish  the  translation  of  the 
elegy ;  I  leave  it  to  you  to  do  so.  If  it  is  able  to 
save  only  a  single  female  from  such  a  lot,  and  to 
protect  a  single  man  from  such  a  curse,  under 
which  I  long  for  death,  then  shall  I  not  have 
sufl'ered  in  vain." 

Such  was  the  language  of  Hinango's  heart,  who 
as  a  spirit  stood  higher  than  his  epoch,  and  as  a 
man  was  perhaps  worthy  of  the  love  of  a  noble 
being.  We  have  observed  him  in  his  position  as 
a  man,  contending  for  the  cause  of  iiumanity, 
and  acknowledge,  to  the  honor  of  the  male  sex, 
that  neither  the  magic  of  a  soul,  nor  the  curse  of 
a  woman,  nor  the  sentence  of  death  of  a  tyrant, 
were  ever  able  to  bend  or  break  the  force  of  hiji 
spirit,  the  power  of  his  mind. 

Celeste  fought  for  several   years  in  Rio 

Grande,  where  we  have  seen  him,  and  ended  his 
manly  life  in  one  of  the  last  battles  in  the  year 
1S43,  by  which  the  Brazilian  empire  temporarily 
suppressed  the  spirit  of  the  age  in  that  province, 
to  the  great  joy  of  all  men  of  business,  who  spec- 
ulate in  ox  hides  and  tallow,  and  to  whom  rev- 
olution, and  rebellion,  and  the  like,  are  a  horror, 
as  may  be  easily  understood. 

Celeste  fell,  sword  in  hand,  at  the  head  of  a 
body  of  cavalry  which  he  commanded,  and  his 
last  words  were  the  joyous  exclamation : 

"  Por  Dios  y  Humanidad  !" 

The  wreck  of  the  schooner  Mazzini  was,  after 
the  formerly  described  battle,  carried  in  "  tri- 
umph of  the  empire"  to  Rio  de  Janeiro,  whera 
many  sons  of  the  ocean  from  distant  ports  saw  it, 
and  many  of  the  sons  of  Italy  greeted  it  with 
three  cheers,  and  (he  jubilant  exclamation : 
"  Viva  Mazzini!  Viva  la  Giovine  Italia' 
Viva  I'UmanitaJ" 

Mr.  George  Thomson  purchased  as  a  curiosity 
the  plank  from  the  stern  of  the  captain's  boat  of 
the  Mazzini,  with  the  inscription  : 

"  ORA  E  SEMPRE." 


or   THE   NOVEL   "  DOLORES." 

Composed  Mny,  1844.    Commenced  is  manuscript,  August  1,  1844.    Completed  in  maiuept.  October  4, 194S 


university  otCamo;^^^Y  FACILITY 


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